Mobile Web Applications Development: Widget Ecosystems, Runtime, Distribution and Monetization

The mobile industry is entering into a new era of content and service creation and enablement based on mobile web environment, which enables the combination of the power of mobility with the wealth of internet. This ecosystem comes with its own development environment, distribution channels, monetization and runtime framework to enable enhanced user experience and easy creation of value added content and services.

Mobile Web Applications Development: Widget Ecosystems, Runtime, Distribution and Monetization looks at the role web applications, particularly widgets, will play in providing rich mobile internet experience and help operators and vendors create new service opportunities, increase customer loyalty, and extend the value of their brand to new market segments. It includes a uniquely comprehensive and detailed analysis of the revenue opportunities and key trends in widget ecosystems, enabling technologies and the challenges facing operators and OEMs in implementing them.

This report provides a detailed evaluation of different business approaches and technologies for building mobile widget ecosystems. It analyses strategies of key solution providers including partnerships with both operators and OEMS, business models, and how they are differentiating themselves from competition.

This study also brings an exclusive examination of applications’ developer community and the important role they will play in bringing innovation to different mobile internet services, especially mobile widgets.

This report gives you:

• Unique insight into enabling technologies of mobile widget ecosystems
• Detailed and independent coverage of global strategies of mobile operators and device vendors
• Business opportunities for key players including operators, OEMs, and over-the-top vendors.
• Extensive study and strategic analysis of the development of web runtime based applications versus native applications, and their respective role in developing the long tail of consumer market and previously unreachable market segments.

Plus important insights into the key players:

• Original case studies for each of the solution providers: SUN Microsystems, Adobe, Microsoft, Nokia, Google, Surfkitchen, Access, Opera, Novarra, Azingo and Qualcomm
• Profiles for the OEMs: Nokia, Motorola, Apple, Palm, Samsung, Sony-Ericsson and market challengers: Ikivo, Feed Henry, VirtualLogix, Open Kernel Labs, VMWare and Yahoo!

Key topics covered:

• Market opportunities for mobile widget ecosystems and future outlook
• Evolution of the mobile browser technology towards web-runtime environment
• The role of transcoding technologies and mobile internet gateways in enhancing the user experience and lowering the cost of mobile internet service delivery
• Opportunities and challenges of different approaches for mobile web runtime and mobile widget ecosystems
• Market segmentation by technology, handset market segments, and type of services provided
• Operators and OEMs’ strategies in adopting different technologies
• Evaluation of the role of developer community and open source movement
• Analysis of vertical approach versus more holistic approach based on cross-platformisation
• Fragmentation issues and the role of different standard bodies and industry forums
• New revenue opportunities from services enabled by widget ecosystems
• Unique forward thinking analysis which outlines industry roadmaps for widget ecosystems and enabled services
• Detailed overview of the browser, ODP and homescreen markets and enabling technologies
• Evaluation of the application store phenomenon and its meaning to Operators, OEMs and over the top service providers
• Valuable insight in early adopter strategies in the form of solution vendors’ case studies
• Understanding of the technical implications of implementing widget ecosystems and how this will affect current and future business.

Who should read this report and why?

Mobile operators and OTT service providers:
Understand the challenges, costs and benefits associated with the transition to web 2.0, plus gain insight on evaluating software solution makers and building successful developer programs.

Software vendors:
Understand operator, OEM and ODM requirements and how to form their product roadmaps to address the needs of their customers.

OEMs and ODMs:
Assess the potential for web applications, particularly widgets, in enhancing the user experience and understand operators’ migration strategies towards mobile internet.

Developers and aggregators:
Know how to create the right relationships within the value chain and evaluate market size and segmentation for generating economies of scale.

Consultants, analysts and the financial industry:
Access expert commentary and data on web application developments to make reliable recommendations, investments and business decisions.

Key questions answered in this report:

• What is the state of the market and what does mobile internet mean to operators and OEMs?
• What are the key enabling technologies for building widget ecosystems? And who are the leading solution providers?
• What are the different approaches and business models for deploying and monetising such solutions?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of using open web-oriented versus closed proprietary mobile runtime platforms?
• What role will web technologies play in bringing innovation to the mobile service ecosystem?
• What are the primary reasons for mobile operators and OEMs in deploying widget ecosystems and what are the challenges?
• Have certain operators chosen to develop services themselves (or through software solution suppliers) instead of partnering with key OEMs and over-the-top service providers?
• How have vendor App stores affected the market?
• Will App Stores help operators to migrate to more web oriented services?
• What role will the web application developer community play in bringing innovation to the mobile service ecosystem?
• Vertical approach versus holistic approach, who are the winners and who are the losers?