Barcelona heralds more Mobile Web

It was predicted during this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that the 3G and 4G mobile networks would collapse in 2013 because of the increase in mobile data traffic. However, whether this will actually happen is as difficult to predict as climate change or the future state of the market. One thing is certain, though: we are going to see much more Mobile Web and many more types of payment solutions over the mobile network.

Mobile Web – browsing the Internet on your mobile handset – will undoubtedly develop markedly over the next few years. This development is driven, among other things, by smart phones continuing to get better at providing a great browsing experience and the fact that these phones are getting cheaper and more accessible to all segments of the market. This trend was confirmed at Barcelona which is an extension of the level set by the iPhone and Android phones.

Web browsing will become more accessible

Developments are also driven by the network providers’ ability and desire to offer subscription types which support positive development in the form of flat rate and similar services, which simplify mobile web-browsing and make it more accessible to consumers without the risk of giant mobile data bills. In this regard we have already seen numerous initiatives, but things will hopefully go much further in the years to come.

Last, but by no means least, we will see even more excellent information sites, mobile portals, entertainment and payment services that make it more relevant to use a mobile handset than a computer. Facebook is a typical example of an international brand well-suited to mobile handset use.

Many national media organisations are already up to speed and the development is spreading to more sectors and areas now that a critical mass has been attained on the mobile web. In addition to this, Google is determined to index the “entire world” to the mobile format – which gives us masses of exciting possibilities, not just for Google but also for consumers and everyone involved in providing mobile services and solutions.

Mobile Payment is hot and getting hotter

Mobile Payment and the ability to make payments in different ways using a mobile handset are other hot topics, as they were at the fair in Barcelona. Although there is still considerable interest in paying for digital services, the focus is now changing towards ordinary physical goods and services.

At Unwire, we already support ordinary premium payments for digital services as well as payments for other products such as bus tickets, books, parking and whatever else one might imagine end users might want to order and buy using their handset. The future will offer more and more payment scenarios on handsets, and Unwire will be at the cutting edge, supporting any possibilities that come into sight. Unwire also already offers a whole series of products that make it cheap and easy to provide Mobile Web solutions that work on all devices. And we have more products and initiatives in the melting pot. Ask us if you want to join us on the cutting edge of the mobile platform.

HENRIK KOCH NIELSEN
Product Director