Mobile Search: The Battle Begins
Business 2.0 :: Online Article :: Wireless Report : "Mobile Search: The Battle Begins By Matthew MaierThe world's largest search engines are battling for control of your cell phone. It's easy to see why: With the worldwide installed base of mobile-phone owners expected to exceed 2 billion people this year, and with most new phones doubling as portable Internet terminals, it's a huge opportunity.
Who wins those spoils -- and how -- remains to be seen. But look for the winner, or winners, to make the most of the differences between the handset and the desktop. "Mobile search offers a very different usage case from the personal computer," says David Edwards, an analyst with American Technology Research. "It will be more contextual and impulsive." That means localized, timely information, like the address of the nearest pizza joint or driving directions to the airport. But there'll be more to success than helping people figure out where to buy a slice. Advertising on a 2-inch screen is a huge challenge, so Yahoo (YHOO), Google (GOOG), and their competitors will need to devise new revenue streams, such as bundling search with other subscription services like e-mail or music."
posted by Jen @ 11:21 AM
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