Vodafone’s Terminals Strategy: how Data is Redrawing the Smartphone Lines
Vodafone’s regular briefing for telecoms industry analysts provides an important opportunity to learn about the latest trends and challenges facing the giant mobile network operator. By extension, there is also considerable opportunity for others to learn from Vodafone’s strategy in this space and the implications for rival operators and other value-system players including device manufacturers, device software platform vendors, and content and application developers.
Executive summary
In a nutshell
Ovum view
Key messages
Changing landscape, changed priorities
The changing reality of smartphones
Vodafone’s terminals strategy has three legs
Understanding the new smartness
To attach data or not
Experience is at the root of the new smartness
Low-cost data smartphones squeeze out old mid-range
Vertically integrated offers are key drivers
Apple’s iPhone is a “no brainer” but also a threat
BlackBerry has earned its place in Vodafone’s portfolio
Microsoft needs to prove itself anew
Open platforms must prove data credentials
Android is Vodafone’s “open” bet for attracting data
Nokia and Symbian must prove long-term relevance
Samsung’s bada - feature or smartphone platform?
Platform long tail will struggle for relevance
Minority platforms face a marketing deficit
Vodafone 360 and LiMo – loss leader or serious play?
New smart devices remain an open question
Questioning the business case
In a nutshell
Ovum view
Key messages
Changing landscape, changed priorities
The changing reality of smartphones
Vodafone’s terminals strategy has three legs
Understanding the new smartness
To attach data or not
Experience is at the root of the new smartness
Low-cost data smartphones squeeze out old mid-range
Vertically integrated offers are key drivers
Apple’s iPhone is a “no brainer” but also a threat
BlackBerry has earned its place in Vodafone’s portfolio
Microsoft needs to prove itself anew
Open platforms must prove data credentials
Android is Vodafone’s “open” bet for attracting data
Nokia and Symbian must prove long-term relevance
Samsung’s bada - feature or smartphone platform?
Platform long tail will struggle for relevance
Minority platforms face a marketing deficit
Vodafone 360 and LiMo – loss leader or serious play?
New smart devices remain an open question
Questioning the business case
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Mobile broadband connections
Figure 2: User and developer experience are closely related
Figure 3: Smartphone shipments by OS, 2008 to 2015
Figure 4: Developer support for different device platforms
Figure 5: Developer preference for number of platforms to support
Figure 1: Mobile broadband connections
Figure 2: User and developer experience are closely related
Figure 3: Smartphone shipments by OS, 2008 to 2015
Figure 4: Developer support for different device platforms
Figure 5: Developer preference for number of platforms to support
