Expo heralds a coming of age for the mobile web in Barcelona

MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS 2012:There was plenty of new hardware to keep the gadget fans happy, but the big buzz at this year's Mobile World Congress was about software and services

REDEFINING THE mobile industry is not an easy task. But that’s what Mobile World Congress was asking attendees to keep in mind as the exhibition opened in Barcelona this week. More than 60,000 people will have passed through the closely guarded doors of Mobile World Congress by the time the event closes later today, with more than 1,400 exhibitors cramming themselves into the exhibition halls at the Fira Montjuic in the centre of the city.

And with the GSMA – the association that runs the show – estimating the number of connected devices will more than double from the current nine billion to 24 billion by 2020, it’s clear mobile will continue to be an important platform.

Although previous years have seen some major phone launches at Mobile World Congress, this year, things were more measured. Hardware announcements were made, with plenty of phones and tablets to keep gadget fans happy, but it was the software and services that really mattered at this year’s event.

From open-web devices built on HTML5 to new alliances between payments firms and mobile telcos, “redefining mobile” seemed to mean increased co-operation between firms, and more open systems.

Mozilla and Telefonica Digital have become partners on developing a more open ecosystem for mobile devices, one that could rival Android and Apple. Announced on Monday, the initiative will give HTML5 greater access to a phone’s core functions, enabling developers to build apps for everything from messaging to calling. Not only will it allow for more open web standards, but it also could significantly cut the costs of smartphones, a particular issue for emerging markets.

Even Facebook got in on the standards discussion, with chief technology officer Bret Taylor saying that the company would get behind the move to improve web standards so apps can be delivered to users without having to go through app stores.

The social networking site also used the event to announce it would team up with operators to share revenue, creating a payments platform for content that would cut the number of steps for transactions carried out through the mobile web. “Facebook and mobile were made for each other,” Taylor said in his speech at the event.

Facebook’s move comes ahead of a much-awaited IPO, and with almost half of its 845 million active users accessing the site from a mobile device, any move to monetise that will be welcomed by potential investors.

“Operators will be hoping that, combined, these two initiatives will help developers create popular applications that can work across numerous devices that they can bill customers directly for, thereby taking a cut of the price paid for the application or service,” Informa analyst Paul Lambert said.

“Mobile operators will hope that working with Facebook could help mobile operators create a new eco-system, that over, time dilutes some of the power held within the industry by the current market-leaders in the application-store space: Apple and Google.”

Google’s executive chairman Eric Schmidt, meanwhile, told attendees at his keynote speech that smartphone prices would become more aligned with basic feature-phone costs next year. “A mobile experience at least at the level of today will be available to almost everybody, at a fraction of the price,” he said. “If Google gets this right, there will be an Android in every pocket. At our current growth rate, this is possible.”

Those who may have been expecting a big push from Microsoft on Windows Phone were left disappointed. Microsoft took a step back and left the big announcements to Nokia, giving chief executive Steve Ballmer a break from delivering the big speeches. The Finnish mobile maker unveiled a lower-priced Windows Phone that is expected to appeal to emerging markets.

“This year for us is really about continued momentum,” said Microsoft’s head of mobile Aaron Woodman. “Nokia has announced really good news for us – first that the Lumia 900 is going global, second that that they announced a new product, the 610, which is based around our latest refresh of Windows Phone 7.5, which changes some of the technical background to really achieve lower price points.” Nokia is also planning to take the Lumia line to China, treading new territory and potentially expanding Windows Phone’s market.

Nokia also showed off the 808 PureView. The handset grabbed headlines for its staggering 41-megapixel camera. However, rather than opting for its favoured smartphone platform, Nokia put the hardware into a Symbian handset.

Analysts raised concerns that the Symbian Belle operating system may restrict the device’s appeal to a broader market, particularly at the high end of it.

“It’s a pity that Nokia was unable to combine the photographic prowess of the PureView 808 with the style of the Lumia 900. Such a device may well have been the first smartphone to truly deserve the title of ‘superphone’,” said Ovum analyst Tony Cripps. “However, a simple ‘cut and shut’ to integrate the PureView 808’s camera technology with the Lumia 900’s wouldn’t have been practical in the time available. In addition, the development work on the 808 was clearly done using Symbian, and may not yet be supported by Microsoft’s restrictive hardware.”

Informa Telecoms and Media analyst Andy Castonguay had a different take on it.

“Symbian sales have been eroding swiftly in recent quarters amid new competition and the expectations for the new Lumia portfolio, but in key markets such as India and China, as well as markets in the Middle East and Africa, Nokia is hoping to leverage what remains of Symbian magic and enhanced imaging capabilities to hold on to their market share through the broader transition,” Castonguay said.

As usual, the Irish contingent was well represented at the event. About 25 Irish firms were exhibiting at Mobile World Congress this year, with several taking space in Enterprise Ireland’s pavilion, including Solaris Mobile, Socowave and AltoBridge. Other companies moved outside the Irish pavilion, with payments firm Ezetop and Newbay both exhibiting elsewhere. Movidius showed off new 3D camera modules at its stand, with the company poised to take advantage of the new wave of 3D in mobile devices.

Payments firm BoxPay was on hand to show off its new Android one-click payment method, allowing users to buy smaller items through their phones and add it to their mobile bill. It also now offers recurring subscriptions payments, and is setting its sights on new markets.

“We’ve got our US connections now, so we can bill on all the major carriers in the US, Canada and into Asia as well,” said BoxPay’s Iain McConnon.

BoxPay wasn’t the only firm trying to revolutionise mobile payments. Earlier this week, Vodafone announced a deal with Visa that would see consumers pay for goods with their mobile phones through near-field communications, with an account based on Visa’s prepaid system.

Vodafone’s chief executive Vittorio Colao described the mobile wallet as the “next stage of the smartphone revolution”.

Speaking of smartphone revolutions, there were plenty of quirky – yet useful – products to be found around the exhibition too. Fujitsu showed off some waterproof mobile phones and tablets, while Recon Instruments displayed their new live heads-up display for ski goggles. And if some companies have their way, water damage will be a thing of the past for most portable electronics; this year, there were several firms exhibiting technologies that protect electronic devices from water damage without having to bag them up.

One company, Liquipel, will carry out the treatment on phones that have already been manufactured, while others are working to get the treatment applied at the factory stage. So not only could your mobile be resistant to the odd splash of water or dunking, it may soon become your poolside companion too.