Artilium

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Network Applications

Many mobile device platforms are open for developers, the Apple iPhone being the platform everyone is talking about. Artilium is at the forefront of opening mobile networks for third party developers but there has been little talk in the mainstream media about networks becoming more open. However, the evidence is clear that networks are now opening up for developers as operators seek ways to protect ARPU through a range of value added services.

Rich sets of network functions are starting to being made available for developers through Artilium’s technology and also via operator APIs such as those offered by the Orange Partner network (i). For example, these cover cell-ID location, voice, SMS, email, personal profiles and many web APIs too (Orange is both an MNO and an ISP). There are other examples out there e.g. Betavine from Vodafone and Litmus from O2 being just two other UK examples. OneAPI (ii) is an attempt to standardise the network APIs such that an application designed to run on one network, can also be run on a different network without having to be rewritten. So why is there so little press about these developments and so much hype about the iPhone Apps?

Well, first the APIs are still limited and they are not standardised yet. However, the potential for network centric applications is huge if APIs and data can be exposed in a safe way, and of course this is another problem – exposing potentially personal data has permissions and security issues. While Artilium’s Mobile Applications Platform addresses this problem by using opt-in only methods and by allowing the user total control over the use of their data, nervousness still exists within the operators. As more standardisation appears however we will find that cross network applications will become possible and the public will be more receptive to the idea of sharing information, such as general location, with applications that use this data to provide relevant services.

Novelty applications such as virtual beer drinking will eventually lose their appeal, just as novelty ring tones have. More serious network application will become useful aids to everyday life and will therefore not be discarded. Receiving a re-assuring automatic text to say both your children are safely home from school and to have your calls diverted to the correct assistant while in a meeting will be more commercially viable applications than a daily virtual pint! Device centric applications will always be limited by the device capabilities and so will continue to be suited to games, novelties and occasional use application which are on-demand rather than always-on. Network centric applications have the potential to be much more useful than device centric applications since they can be always available and may provide automatic services such as alerting services that do not require to be initiated by the user. The network also allows services to be delivered, not just when they are requested, but also when they become relevant. Thus the network applications and services they deliver can adapt to the users context.

The network applications market is obviously lagging behind device based application at the moment, but given the power of the networks to run serious applications, it is not a market that the MNOs are ignoring. The evidence is clear that network based applications market will emerge and the feeling is that this market will outstrip the device applications market within a few years. If you think about it the only Killer App on your device tends to be your contacts list – and in reality this would be better to be set up within the network rather than stored on your phone. That way you don’t lose all you personal contacts when someone steals your phone!

(i) http://www.orangepartner.com/site/enuk/access_orange_apis/p_access.jsp - 13th July 2009
(ii) http://oneapi.aepona.com - 13th July 2009