Cell phones revolution underway

When you move up the technology value chain, what is it that you expect from
your mobile phone, which has become an inevitable asset of your life. It is a
mini storage of all the data you need, right from professional assistance to
personal engagements to leisure enhancements.

A mobile handset has graduated from the fundamental role of voice
communications and has emerged as a convergence and lifestyle support device.
The Indian handset market has undergone a sea change when it comes to
telecommunications. It has created a paradigm shift in the recent past, and this
can be seen from the fact that India's telecom subscriber base touching record
highs of about 600 mn and touted to reach 770 mn mobile subscribers by 2013. In
fact, the handset market in India is Rs 40,000 crore and would rise to Rs 50,000
crore by 2011.

Multiple Choice

With changing trends, the Indian handset industry is undergoing a complete
transformation with classy multimedia featured enabled handsets being introduced
to the technological aficionados. Nowadays, manufacturers are offering handsets
in different stylish looks and design patterns with a modern TFT capacitive
screen having high-resolution and touchscreen display. These multimedia phones
vary in their price range as they are available at an affordable price and also
at an uphill price, depending upon the users' choice of indulging in which
category. Multimedia cell phones bring all media on the fingertips. Combining
Internet access, email, PC syncing, document viewing, a camera, and (of course)
a music and video player; multimedia phones can handle it all. Moreover they are
ease to use too, light weighted slim and sleek and comes with QWERTY keys.

The youth segment has been highly beneficial with the advent of these
high-end smartphones, since they are more acceptable to latest technologies and
applications.

For India's young and tech savvy consumers, multimedia phones are an
extension of self and expression of self. The youth demand the features and
capabilities that allow complete personalization. However, due to its extensive
and aggressive features, it is highly accessed by business professionals too as
it is easy for data storage and its increasing visibility in terms of Internet
usage.

3G and Multimedia

Multimedia features cannot flourish without certain advancements including
enhanced graphics and user interface technologies, OpenGL ES 2.0 API support,
higher performing application processors, open standards, increased security,
enhanced battery consumption management and other technologies that complement
the multimedia experience. In fact, 3G is going to change the face of
telecommunications in the country.

With the onset of 3G, companies are already in their highs to prepare their
armory with high-end smartphones. Applications such as web browsing, mobile
banking, mobile games, videos, conferencing, e-commerce and access to other data
services will be ease of use to general consumers and will reach across
boundaries. These applications have always been a hit among the developed
countries, and India being a potential market, will see a huge growth in the
number of applications downloaded. As stated by Gartner, revenue worth $4.2 bn
was produced by the app stores, which are expected to grow further to $29.5 bn
by 2013. The Indian handset manufacturers are preparing in a big way to excite
their consumers with high-end smartphones and 3G phones. They are spending huge
investments on their research and product development.

With the rising competition among the handset manufacturers, experts and
analysts are expecting a fall in prices of high-end smartphones and 3G phones.
Currently, in India, it is expected that there would be around 15-20%
subscribers who have a 3G handset and that too in tier-1 cities. According to a
survey of Angel Broking, the prices of high-end smartphones will come down
drastically after the introduction of 3G. Currently, the penetration of 3G
handsets in India is just 1%. It will take at least two to three years for 3G
mobile services to pick up significantly.

Customers currently using 2G services will definitely move up to 3G services
in large numbers. Curiosity of 3G services among the Indians will show a direct
impact on the billing price of the individuals which will definitely increase
because of high usage of 3G services; which telecom operators would be providing
at a higher cost.

In fact, there will be a significant growth in the VAS industry too. With the
mobile VAS market pegged at around $45 bn, 3G will add on the numbers anytime
soon. It would make multimedia available, so that mobile advertising can grow
with increased data usage on the handset directly targeting individuals. The
increase of function-rich smartphones in the market with larger screen size,
better web browsing capabilities and longer battery life, combined with 'all you
can eat' data packages is driving the growth of mobile Internet and gaming,
making it a ready channel to connect with customers.

The Future

It's evident today, and as India continues its economic expansion, the
mobile multimedia popularity will grow across generations. In India's youth
market, we will see growing demand for mobile multimedia, fueled by content and
advanced handset capabilities. The possibilities are endless, and the evolution
is just beginning.

With more and more brands jumping to this bandwagon of multimedia phones,
there is going to be a street fight for bringing the best consumer savvy
multimedia handset into the limelight. In fact, the multimedia phones will be
stealing the limelight in the gadgets front fueled by content and advanced
handset capabilities. However, the possibilities are endless, as this is just
the beginning of a new technological revolution, sweeping away consumers to an
altogether different world of communications. Multimedia phones will be the new
doorway to the real world of telecommunications in the recent future.

Vaibhav Shastri

The author is CEO, Zen Mobile

vadmail@cybermedia.co.in