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MNO Market Differentiation Through Handset Applications

To date network operators have paid relatively little attention to the applications delivered with the phones their customers buy. They have either specified the whole handset, hardware included, provided a small degree of customisation (e.g. quick access, one-touch buttons for operator-specific functions like access to a WAP portal) or have left it to the market to provide applications.

A consequence of this approach has been both disintermediation, with MNOs finding it increasingly difficult to obtain a revenue share from the sale of applications and services, being limited to charging for data carriage (with very little upside due to the increase of flat-rate data plans) and the creation of an opportunity for companies such as Apple, RIM and Google to develop a much stronger relationship with mobile users, threatening future revenue reductions and churn rate increases.

Some large operators have reacted by embarking on their own App Store strategy, leading to a high degree of proliferation of choice for the customer. While a return to the days of a walled garden approach is certainly not feasible, some operators are already showing that creative use of applications for mobile phones can help to address some of these issues of commoditisation and marginalisation resulting from the tearing down of those walls. This report examines applications strategy for a number of operators in the smartphone area and draws conclusions and develops recommendations that operators need to consider to avoid future relegation to the status of commodity bit-pipe.

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Table of Contents


1
Overview
1
2
Introduction
2
2.1
Background to the Report
2
2.2
Report Content
3
2.3
Currency and Conversions
3
3
Applications as Market Differentiation
4
3.1
Introduction
4
3.2
Platform Approach Segmentation
4
3.2.1
Value-add and Exclusivity
4
3.2.2
Historical Influences on Approach
6
3.2.3
Preloaded/Post-Sale Apps Approach Strengths & Weaknesses
7
3.2.3.1
High Value-Add, Open
7
3.2.3.2
High Value-Add, Proprietary
7
3.2.3.3
Low Value-Add, Proprietary
8
3.2.3.4
Low Value-Add, Open
8
3.3
Phone Functionality & Purpose
8
4
Applications Research Findings
11
4.1
Introduction
11
4.2
Levels of Functionality
11
4.2.1
Basic Functions
11
4.2.2
Standard Applications
12
4.2.3
Custom Applications
12
4.3
Germany
12
4.3.1
Vodafone's 360 Applications
13
4.3.1.1
Social Networking via Vodafone Update
13
4.3.1.2
Vodafone My Web
13
4.3.1.3
Vodafone Apps and Games Shop & Vodafone Music
13
4.3.2
iPhone and Operator Exclusive Applications
14
4.3.2.1
Programm Manager
14
4.3.2.2
Mediencenter
14
4.3.2.3
T-Banking
15
4.3.2.4
MyPhonebook
15
4.3.2.5
Telefonbuch
15
4.3.2.6
Wetter.info
16
4.3.2.7
Fan App 2010 Von Fussball.de
16
4.3.2.8
Fussball Live Ticker Von Fussball.de
16
4.3.2.9
Mobile TV
16
4.3.2.10
Navigon Select Telekom
17
4.4
Italy
18
4.4.1
iPhone and Operator Exclusive Applications
18
4.4.1.1
TIM Videogol
19
4.4.1.2
Vodafone CalCio
19
4.4.1.3
Vodafone my live!
19
4.4.1.4
H3G's Mobile TV Application
20
4.4.1.5
3 Utility
21
4.5
UK
21
4.5.1
3 UK's Application Portfolio
22
4.5.1.1
3 UK Spotify Premium
22
4.5.1.2
3's Skype & Windows Live Messenger
22
4.5.1.3
Sky Mobile TV, 3 on Demand and Access to BBC iPlayer
22
4.5.1.4
Twitter
23
4.5.2
Other UK Operators' Application Offers
23
4.5.2.1
Vodafone's 360 Service
23
4.5.2.2
Vodafone's Preloading of popular BBC TV Series
23
4.5.2.3
Orange Applications and Customisation
23
4.5.2.4
Orange World & the Orange App Shop
24
4.5.2.5
Orange Plus
24
4.5.2.6
Social Life
24
4.5.2.7
Orange Photography
24
4.5.3
iPhone and Operator Exclusive Applications
25
4.5.3.1
Vodafone People Sync
25
4.5.3.2
Vodafone 360 People
25
4.5.3.3
Vodafone Navigation
25
4.5.3.4
Vodafone Update
26
4.5.3.5
2010 - Vodafone McLaren Team
26
4.5.3.6
Orange Wednesdays
26
4.5.3.7
Your Orange
27
4.5.3.8
Orange iPhone Site
27
4.5.3.9
Orange Wi-Fi finder
27
4.6
USA
27
4.6.1
Operator Branded Applications
28
4.6.2
Third Party Applications
28
4.6.2.1
Gogo Inflight Internet
28
4.6.2.2
BLOCKBUSTER On Demand
29
4.6.2.3
Transformers Movies Preloaded
29
4.6.2.4
Barnes & Noble eReader
30
4.6.2.5
MobiTV
30
4.6.2.6
Slacker Radio
30
4.6.2.7
TeleNav GPS
30
5
Conclusions
31
6
Recommendations for Operators
34


Appendix



Applications Classified by Functionality
37
Offers with Applications by Country/Phone
39
Germany
39
HTC Hero with E-Plus
39
G2 Touch with T-Mobile
40
BlackBerry Storm 2 (9520) with Vodafone
41
Nokia X6 with Vodafone
42
HTC HD2 with O2
43
HTC HD2 with T-Mobile
44
Apple iPhone 3G with T-Mobile
46
Italy
47
BlackBerry Storm 2 (9550) with TIM
47
BlackBerry Storm 2 (9520) with Vodafone
48
HTC HD2 with TIM
50
HTC HD2 with Wind
51
Apple iPhone 3GS with TIM
52
Apple iPhone 3GS with Vodafone
53
Apple iPhone 3GS with H3G
54
UK
55
HTC Hero Graphite with Orange
55
G2 Touch / HTC Hero with T-Mobile
56
HTC Hero with 3 UK
57
BlackBerry Storm 2 (9520) with Vodafone
58
BlackBerry Storm 2  With T-Mobile
59
HTC HD2 with O2
60
HTC HD2 with T-Mobile
61
Nokia X6 with Orange
62
Nokia X6 with O2
64
Nokia X6 with T-Mobile
65
Nokia X6 with Vodafone
66
Nokia X6 with 3
67
Apple iPhone 3GS with Orange
68
Apple iPhone 3GS with Vodafone
69
USA
70
HTC Hero with Sprint
70
BlackBerry Storm 2 (9550) with Verizon
72
HTC HD 2 with T-Mobile
74
Motorola Backflip with AT&T
76