Three Minds On Digital Marketing @ Organic

As an avid mobile web user, I can say that watching this year's news has been a rollercoaster ride with severe ups and downs. Not one month after posting a topic entitled "America's Mobile Story Is Finally Catching Up", I read a post entitled "Is the Mobile Web Dead?" over at ReadWriteWeb. The question is really not whether mobile web is dead or not, it clearly isn't, but when the mobile Renaissance is going to hit, and that is where things get somewhat depressing.

The Mobile Web is inevitable
Sure mobile web adoption isn't quite living up to some of the more generous predictions. Sure US mobile sales are down for the first time in years. But, let's take the numbers out of the equation. The mobile web is inevitable, isn't it?

The internet is growing increasingly decentralized, growing less dependent on "web pages" or even traditional web browsers. Instead, we are beginning to speak in terms of hubs, portals, and devices. We are seeing a move towards cloud-computing on many fronts, Google joining forces with IBM and Microsoft announcing Mesh. Ambient devices and widget platforms are getting a serious financial boost. And there is a daily battle going on between Microsoft, Apple, Sony, Netflix, and even Google, to bring IPTV to the mainstream.

What does this all have to do with Mobile Web? The point is that data is growing more loose and devices beyond the desktop are growing more capable. With the adoption of more capable phones, with the launch of iPhone 2.0, Android phones, and HTC Diamond later this year... it is a simple equation.

Rich data is portable +
portable devices handle rich data beautifully =
Mobile Web Renaissance.

So what's the hold up?
Unfortunately, you cannot ignore those pesky numbers. Many cell phone manufacturers are seeing losses. The economic slow-down is having a visible effect on both handset sales and mobile data revenues. Without the renewed growth in smartphone adoption, it doesn't look good for 2008 to be the year of mobile web as once thought. I myself am holding off to purchase a new phone until the Android models start coming on the market.

So, where I used to get really excited about reading reports that Mobile Web is the New Hangout or that Mobile Web Use is Growing Faster Than Ever!!! I am not going to hold my breath. It's coming, it's inevitable. But for ever week of "mobile web is hot" comes just as many stories of "mobile web is cold".

Marta Strickland