A new year is rapidly approaching and with that comes time for reflection. As with years past, 2008 was not without a number of historic happenings; here at iPass, a few things changed as well.
Let's reflect on the top five mobility trends that I've noticed from 2008.
1. Apple's iPhone Takes the Top Spot
As the fastest-growing mobile phone worldwide, Apple's iPhone was not only at the top of everyone's wish list in 2008, but it takes the top spot in our Mobility Trends list. Suffice to say, the success of the iPhone surpassed most people's expectations. In the first nine months of the year, Apple sold nearly 10 million iPhones, including almost 7 million iPhone 3Gs since their July launch. In the summer quarter it became the #1 mobile phone in the USA, just slightly over a year after its initial release.
The iPhone is one of the first truly Web-friendly smartphones. From its touch controls to its proprietary mobile Web browsing technology, the Apple iPhone is revolutionary in both design and function.
The launch of the iPhone 2.0 update gave the iPhone new business functionality, such as support for Microsoft Exchange, creating a new segment of enterprise mobile users. iPhone 2.0 also provided a software developer's kit (SDK) and the Apple App Store for independent developers to write and market their third-party applications for the iPhone. To address the demand for iPhone, iPass recently added it to the iPassConnect service for individuals and is working towards Mobile Office support for iPhone in the new year.
2. Explosion of Dual-Mode Smartphones
Cellular signals can be poor to nonexistent in many buildings, and these networks can easily become saturated in populous areas. And when traveling internationally, it can be quite expensive to use 3G, costing as much as $10 per MB of data.
For these reasons, dual-mode smartphones—those offering both 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity—have been hot ticket items this year.
Wi-Fi offers a great complementary technology to 3G-based phones, and the costs for hardware manufacturers to add this feature are negligible. Wi-Fi provides fast data communications and simple, affordable Internet access when traveling internationally. Users can also enjoy cost savings when making and receiving calls via Voice over IP (VoIP) if in range of a wireless access point, thus reducing usage of cellular voice minutes.
Most handsets already include Wi-Fi radios these days. In a recent PC Magazine (U.S.) review of the Top 15 smartphones, 11 offered dual-mode Wi-Fi/3G connectivity.
3. More Wireless Bandwidth and Access Methods
There has been a lot of promising activity in the wireless industry recently, especially within the U.S. The days of only one provider maintaining control of bandwidth are slowly waning, and the opening up of networks should bring increased technical innovation and functionality for users.
On September 29, 2008, Sprint officially launched its Xohm service, which is based on 4G WiMAX technology, in Baltimore. The service is scheduled for roll out in the Chicago and Washington, D.C. markets in the near future, with Boston, Philadelphia and Dallas set to follow before a nationwide rollout.
In November 2008, the FCC unanimously voted to make the bandwidth located between regular broadcast channels open for public use. This 300 MHz to 400 MHz of unused bandwidth known as "white space" is considered prime spectrum, allowing wireless broadband services to travel long distances and penetrate thick walls.
Analog television broadcasters have been instructed to clear the 700 MHz airwaves on February 17, 2009. By reclaiming the 700 MHz spectrum for public safety and commercial use, the U.S. frees up precious bandwidth for more space-efficient digital signals.
4. By Land, Air or Sea—Public Transit Wi-Fi Proliferates
Aircell received FCC approval for in-flight Wi-Fi on commercial aircrafts this year, launched the service in April and added Virgin America's full fleet of planes in late November. Road warriors spending extensive time mid air can also capitalize on this service in the U.S. on American Airlines' Boeing 767-200 aircrafts, flying primarily on transcontinental routes, Delta and Air Canada. This is great news for those high-value businesspeople who can't afford to be out of touch while traveling great distances in the sky. iPass has signed an agreement with AirCell and expects to incorporate access on these flights into the Mobile Office service in the first half of 2009.
On the ground, you can already find satellite- and cellular-based Wi-Fi on trains, buses and taxis. Like airplanes, you have a captive audience of business people, students, tourists and others, many of whom want Internet access.
Wi-Fi Expands:
The most recent iPass Mobility Index indicates a 79 percent growth in mobile access in train stations, which include three of the top four venues in the entire iPass global broadband network. Trains are beginning to offer on-board Wi-Fi as well. Some notable examples include:
Southern Railway Commuter Line from London to Brighton.
Trinity Rail Express (TRE) line linking Dallas, Fort Worth and the DFW airport
Altamont Commuter Express running between Stockton and San Jose, California
Buses with Wi-Fi include:
Mountain Metropolitan Transit offers on-bus Wi-Fi in cities such as Colorado Springs, San Francisco, Reno, Austin and Seattle.
The Utah Transit Authority began offering Internet service on 60 of its buses in January 2008.
In February 2008, San Francisco unveiled the "Connected Bus."
Some taxis in Europe offer Wi-Fi connectivity, and even ferries in Brisbane, Australia and Seattle, Washington are offering Wi-Fi service to their customers these days—yet another great example of how pervasive and easily available the Internet has become.
Having Wi-Fi while on public transportation helps people get a head start to their work day and wrap up details before they get home, giving their employer more value and the employee the opportunity to put away the laptop when at home.
5. Beyond Games, Mobile Apps Get Practical
Mobile applications. Long time a promise. Now a reality. They finally arrived on handheld devices and smartphones in good numbers and with true usefulness in 2008. No longer just fun and games, mobile applications have grown into real-world applications to help people be productive with their professional and personal time.
Examples of innovative mobile applications include:
ROAM Data is an enterprise application that allows direct-sales professionals to enter orders, perform inventory lookups, check their commission status and process credit cards and personal checks in real time via mobile devices.
CityWatch, released by Zannel, provides location-based social networking, letting people know what's happening in cities all around them through instant updates.
ShopSavvy is an application for the Google Android platform. When you find something you like for sale, you use the phone's camera to take a picture of the UPC bar code. The G1 will then provide a list of nearby stores offering the same item and its price.
To 2009 and Beyond
While we can only gauge and guess to where the market will go and flourish, I have full confidence that in 2009 we'll see countless more developments.
