Monday, September 16, 2002
AT&T planning Java phone debut
Posted by Ed Hansberry in "NEWS" @ 05:00 AM
http://news.com.com/2100-1033-957973.html
On the heels of a decision by Sprint and Nextel to offer similar devices, AT&T is going to be offering a Java based smart phone in the coming weeks. Why? More revenue. Not from the phone itself, but from selling software.
"American carriers with Java dreams are gunning for the same success that Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo had with its iAppli Java download service, regarded as the most popular download service in the world." My 2 cents? Dream on. The Japanese market is markedly different from the US. We have computers here, on every desk and most homes that want one. Americans simply don't use their phones for anything but talking and playing insanely annoying ring tones that sound like they came from a 1982 handheld video game. So many wireless services in the US have closed down for lack of interest. WAP sites in the US stink. They are down all of the time and few notice because few use them. Using WAP on a Sprint PCS phone or T-Mobile phone is one of the most frustrating experiences. Either we don't know how to use it or the sites just stink.
Anyway, back to my original thought. In a country where $150 Palm PDAs reign supreme and, according to Palm themselves, few ever buy third party software, what makes the phone companies think people are going to buy a $200 phone so they can buy software from their carrier? Most people don't use the capabilities of their phones today. Messaging? Send a message to anyone on the Sprint PCS network and I'd bet 9 out of 10 wouldn't have a clue how to reply. Some may not even figure out how to read it.
I think this is different from those buying Treos, Pocket PC phones, Communicators, and other higher end devices. Those are targeted at people that want to be more connected and know the capabilities of the device. Different market entirely, one that would laugh at buying software from a carrier. These lower end $200 devices seem to be aimed at Joe Consumer. Do you think they are going to fool with it?
On the heels of a decision by Sprint and Nextel to offer similar devices, AT&T is going to be offering a Java based smart phone in the coming weeks. Why? More revenue. Not from the phone itself, but from selling software.
"American carriers with Java dreams are gunning for the same success that Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo had with its iAppli Java download service, regarded as the most popular download service in the world." My 2 cents? Dream on. The Japanese market is markedly different from the US. We have computers here, on every desk and most homes that want one. Americans simply don't use their phones for anything but talking and playing insanely annoying ring tones that sound like they came from a 1982 handheld video game. So many wireless services in the US have closed down for lack of interest. WAP sites in the US stink. They are down all of the time and few notice because few use them. Using WAP on a Sprint PCS phone or T-Mobile phone is one of the most frustrating experiences. Either we don't know how to use it or the sites just stink.
Anyway, back to my original thought. In a country where $150 Palm PDAs reign supreme and, according to Palm themselves, few ever buy third party software, what makes the phone companies think people are going to buy a $200 phone so they can buy software from their carrier? Most people don't use the capabilities of their phones today. Messaging? Send a message to anyone on the Sprint PCS network and I'd bet 9 out of 10 wouldn't have a clue how to reply. Some may not even figure out how to read it.
I think this is different from those buying Treos, Pocket PC phones, Communicators, and other higher end devices. Those are targeted at people that want to be more connected and know the capabilities of the device. Different market entirely, one that would laugh at buying software from a carrier. These lower end $200 devices seem to be aimed at Joe Consumer. Do you think they are going to fool with it?
