(keitai-l) Re: TIME: Deflating DoCoMo

From: Christian Molstrom <cmolstrom_at_lightsurf.com>
Date: 02/20/02
Message-ID: <01b001c1b9d3$bbb00e80$6601a8c0@office.lightsurf.com>
Feb. 25 is the date of the Time issue in which the DoCoMo story appears.

Well, one good thing that may come of the saturation issue for DoCoMo and others is that I would expect it to force them and their
official partners to develop useful content & services if they want to keep up their profit margin from sinking.  This is really
true of the video-enabled phones from DoCoMo and AU.  I certianly would not run out and get a new handset, let alone a FOMA one,
just to download wallpaper, chakumeros, or a 10 second news clip from Asahi.

I feel that most content on the mobile net is either "news and information," which is easily accessible almost anywhere, or somthing
that turns your handset into a toy.  And of course wallpaper and chakomeros are not likely to draw new subscribers since they appeal
primarily to people who already own phones.

> Things are pretty weird when you have stories
> talking about how Japan is depending on i-mode
> propagating abroad to salve its bruised national
> prestige.

Yep, exactly what struck me as well.  The comment by Arai (member of the Diet) that "DoCoMo is our flag bearer" smacks of a jurassic
view towards the net and technology development.  I wonder how common this sentiment really is.  Or was this comment used by the
journalist because it fits nicely with Time readers' preconception of Japan as as proud nationalistic country?

Christian

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Received on Wed Feb 20 08:04:48 2002