(keitai-l) Re: Clossing Walled Gardens and Java vs. Native Applications

From: Giovanni Bertani <giovanni.bertani_at_exsense.com>
Date: 05/12/03
Message-Id: <56FF7754-845F-11D7-A29D-003065BA6D3A@exsense.com>
Luned=EC, 12 mag 2003, alle 04:43 Europe/Rome, Curt Sampson ha scritto:
>
> You keep saying that native applications are the key to avoiding=20
> content
> control, and that with Java the users are stuck in a walled garden.
> But for users to have any real freedom, no matter what the programming
> language, anybody has to have the freedom to write a program and make
> it available for download. Is this really the case for native apps in
> Europe?

Native applications, avaible SDKs and the possibility of distributing
applications are some of the elements for innovation, having a
common OS with a shared property between handset
producers (Symbian).

Some other are the use of open standards, the possibility of accessing
directly the operator network and the internet from the device with
installed browsers or installable softwares, the possibility of direct
connections between handsets by IR bluetooth cables.

Most of these features are not available in the JP market as they
are not in the interest of the operators.

Fo example developing a bluetooth application that connects
multiple keitais  directly bypassing the operator network is
something that do not generate any traffic and so is not seen
positive by operators that is something they will always try
  to avoid. Think about long-rage bluetooth capable of 100
meters...

I am not talking just about  "nerd freedom to develop" or is not
just a matter of content but also of "model" as you could develop
applications that do not go after operators business plans.

In europe is very easy to get the SDKs both in Java and C++.
Nokia has also introduced a Linux version of the Java SDK
as they see the open source community a great opportunity
for innovation and against  Microsoft strategy. They have
a quiet different approach as they target also individuals
and very small organizations and I am already seeing
some interesting developments. And of course you are
free to distribute your software...


> AU's BREW applications
> are quite the opposite: not only do you have to invest a fair amount =
of
> money into an SDK, but there's a arduous and expensive approval =
process
> that you have to go through to have the application certified and made
> available for download. No certification, no download. So if AU sees =
an
> application they don't like, they can block it. Docomo can do no such
> thing.


Is this helping innovation? This model is exactly the same model
adopted by the game console business that is acceptable only
by organizations with deep  pockets. I do not see this approach
as positive...

In US they tried something similar with proprietary interactive
cable tv with such promises "You will be able to read your
newspaper on TV, you will be able to do shopping from home"
that were innovative things before the internet revolution. But
after the internet all the interactive TV projects have crashed as
they where closed and controlled by the media corporations
and so limited and uninteresting if compared to the Internet
content and always evolving innovative service models.

Joshua Bearden asks in "closing the garden gates":

> My Japanese colleague is asking me explain of the impact on our=20
> marketting
> plans, of Docomo's announcement that they will start selling handsets=20=

> with
> free-sites web browsing optionally turned off
>

I really hope this is just a move to stop teens access
to dangerous sites ... It must be just an option...

I am actually working on a couple of concepts that could
be impossible to develop on any available Keitai phone...
And I think that there are many more in development
right now.

Ntt DoCoMo has developed a powerful revolutionary model,
but any model can be evolved and improved.

What is your impression?

Ciao

Giovanni Bertani

___________________________________________________________
giovanni bertani       mobile vas consultant=20
(giovanni.bertani@exsense.com)
Received on Mon May 12 12:53:53 2003