Killer mobile applications (page 2 of 2)

'There was a lot of hype around mobile TV but that has died down,' said Nitesh Patel, senior analyst at Strategy Analytics in the UK.

Mobile TV is hampered by its limited choice. Customers access it through a subscription package with the operator and can watch only the channels they offer. It is likely become more popular given time, but not in its early form. In Japan companies are designing phones with a second aerial, able to pick up TV independent of the service operator and their changes.

Social networking

The hottest trend now that operators are leaping on is mobile social networking on flat rate plans. Rumours abound that sites such as Facebook will be banned, which would stop the trend catching on in the Middle East.

So far only Syria has banned Facebook but if other mobile operators - which largely control the fixed line telecoms and broadband access - think they can make money from such sites, there will be less impetus to ban them. In the UK Vodafone has teamed up with MySpace and people already use Facebook on their mobile.

'The whole idea of flat rate data plans and low cost browsing is to lower the barrier for people to do things on their mobile. And then encourage them to use other services, such as video on demand and music' said Patel. 'Social networking companies also believe that they can extend their presence into the mobile realm, so the [impetus to do this] is coming from both sides.'

Many of the 3G phones now available come with instant messaging software, giving owners the ability to keep in IM contact when out and about. Email has also become a hot application, particularly in the business community. Where once it was Blackberry or nothing that ruled the push email roost, now many phones have the capability.

Wireless is another obvious advance, and this also brings with it a thorny issue for operators. As wireless coverage grows - and it gets easier to find free, open wifi networks - it also gets easier to make Voice over IP Calls, using software applications such as Skype.

It may not be quite as intuitive or simple as using the software on a computer, but these mobile applications need only be fired up to make free, or low cost, calls.

A service that has not really taken off big time elsewhere, but is predicted to be popular in some regions of the Middle East is video calls.

To date it has made little impact in the Middle East, but in the more restricted societies, where it is difficult for teenagers of the opposite sex to meet, analysts believe video calls will offer the chance for a virtual meeting or date.