(keitai-l) Re: Phones with built-in TV

From: Philip Sidel <psidel_at_iuj.ac.jp>
Date: 10/21/03
Message-Id: <5.1.0.14.0.20031021100834.015c0d00@imail.iuj.ac.jp>
>
>1. We've had mini-TVs available for many years and sales penetration is very
>very low in the UK (can't say for other countries. This suggests to me that
>there isn't the consumer demand for it.

I'd suggest that a phone coupled with a mini-TV tuner is a far more 
powerful technology than simply a stand-alone tv.  Because the phone is 
already considered an essential device in many markets, adding a tv-tuner 
here will immediately create usage behaviors unseen in existing 
mini-tv's.  Carrying a separate device around for TV requires "making 
space", whereas the behaviors for carrying phones around already exist.

>So my question is do consumers want it?

I don't think they can answer that question.  Many times when you ask 
consumers if they want something, they'll tell you "no".  The Walkman is a 
prime example of this.  All focus group feedback, as well as internal 
corporate feedback was highly negative....

>If they don't want it now, will they want it in the near future?

I would say this depends on how the software/content companies approach 
this.  Per my previous post, if there is some new model that is created by 
having an on-board tv, then this will take off.  If on the other hand, it's 
difficult to use (setting up a tv on your pc, although considered "simple" 
for many, really isn't....), costs too much (i.e. if the NHK man starts 
accosting people as they watch TV on the bus....sorry, a Japan-based joke), 
or truly has poor quality, (and probably a host of other reasons), then it 
will fail.  My hopes are with the creative minds on this list to come up 
with new content integration models.

>Or is this just technology for technology's sake?
>And do the costs justify the potential demand?

I've seen the size of these TV tuners at a manufacturing plant here in 
Japan, and I don't think that there are any significant extra costs 
here.  These analog tuners are small and relatively inexpensive to 
make.  Again, if someone can develop some strong content that capitalizes 
on this new capability, I think that the revenue gains will far outweigh 
the costs.

--Philip
Received on Tue Oct 21 04:22:07 2003