I had an opportunity to talk to Nancy Gohring of IDG News Service this morning about various topics related the wireless industry (she already wrote an article with a couple of quotes by me).
The wireless industry started as a “mobile voice communication” service over analog (1G) network. The digital network (2G) enabled the “wireless data service”, but the primary application was SMS (text messaging).
When I have started attending various wireless conferences (such as CTIA) in early 2000’s, the hot topic was “what is the killer application (enabled by 3G, Java and Smartphones)?”
As one of early adaptor of DoCoMo’s iMode phones (back then) and iPhone (now), I am quite excited about various things I can do with those advanced wireless devices, such as checking weather, looking up the map, and surfing the web.
Despite those cool applications, it is clear that the ultimate reason why people carry wireless devices is communication.
Just as the “texting” became the killer application for 2G network, the most significant applications enabled by 3G and 2nd generation of smart phones (iPhone is the very first one) are various communication tools and services, including e-mail, instant messaging, blogging, twittering, and social networking.
This is why we built PhotoShare, the visual communication service application for iPhone users.
Unlike Flickr, which is the photo storage service for PC users, PhotoShare is fully optimized for always-connected lifestyle. Unlike Flickr users, PhotoShare users post more casual photos more frequently. Active users post several photos a day, starting with “good morning” photo to friends and ending with “good night” photo.
Because iPhone users are truly always-connected, the communications are instantaneous. It is not uncommon to see tens of comments posted to a photo within 30 minutes.
Several people mentioned that “PhotoShare is a visual version of Twitter”. Although I don’t think we compete with Twitter, it is true that the value proposition of PhotoShare is very similar to Twitter. Both service enable light-weight, instant communication – much lighter than blogging or e-mail messages.
Some PhotoShare users told us that they started to using it as a light-weight communication tool among family memebers. For example, when college kids are in different states, it is obviously impossible to expect them to call parents everyday. It is, however, quite easy to let them post photos to PhotoShare everyday so that parents can see they are doing fine.
Since the introduction of i-Mode by DoComo in 1999, Japan has been the leader of mobile industry. As the result, many Japanese consumers (not just early adaptors) use their cell phones as THE primary device to take pictures everywhere and communicate with friends and family in real time – enjoying the “always-connected” lifestyle.