Convergence of wireless devices to multiply in 2002

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30 January 2002 News

Panelists at the Wireless SuperSession held at the 2002 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, agreed a variety of intuitive wireless convergence products that are easier to use, will emerge within the next 12 months.

According to the group, some unconventional wireless marriages will take place this year, bringing together the worlds of communications, computing and content in an easy-to-use way.

Said Dan Sheeran from RealNetworks, "We think the combination of a phone and an MP3 player will be wildly successful. When not streaming, listening to music does not impact the network." He added, "The Nokia 9210, a combination phone and PDA, is a best-seller in Europe. The number one thing is that consumers want to enjoy media consumption anywhere in a seamless experience that is copyright protected."

Increased network speed is enabling these multifunctional devices, according to Audiovox's Philip Christopher, but he cautioned that it was essential not to over promise or disappoint consumers. He said, "These products must be as good or better than the previous phones."

The panelists agreed that there is tremendous potential for Bluetooth acceptance at the consumer level and that many notebooks will have 802.11 built in to them. Joe Sipher: "Many products will have the ability to synch with the PC or access the Internet." He added that campus or local area access is another hot area for wireless.

CNET's Steve Fox said that global positioning system (GPS) technology will have a big impact on the industry making available safety features as well as targeted services where advertisements could be sent to potential customers. However, he warned, "These services could be perceived as intrusive rather than helpful if they are not received on demand."

Other wireless trends include on-demand music, video and gaming and personalisation and customisation, which are especially popular in the teen market. Cingular's Frank Boyer said, "Wireless service is especially strong with teens who list wireless services as one of the top three things they want. The personalisation trend is expected to grow even stronger but if coverage and value are not there, it will not be successful."

The most popular features that customers are willing to pay for according to Philip Christopher are colour displays, short message service (SMS), downloadable ringers that are especially popular with the teen market and an embedded camera on the phone.

The US Consumer Electronics Association's (CEA) resources are available online at www.ce.org

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Convergence of wireless devices to multiply in 2002

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