Are you a 3rd Party Developer who wants to generate more interesting Mobile Web 2.0 content and applications?

Mobile Operators have assets and capabilities within their network which traditionally have only been accessible to the Operators themselves and very small number of their partners. The GSMA 3rd Party Access project is an initiative to provide a standard API to allow mobile operators to expose useful information and capabilities to many more 3rd parties.

These new Access APIs means that Web content and Service providers can utilise mobile network information to enhance their mobile services and to reduce proprietary integrations to multiple operators.

There are also benefits for Mobile Operators, in lowering the barrier to entry for Web providers, and in encouraging innovative 3rd parties to deliver services to their customers - reaching out to The Long Tail of customers desiring such services.

The GSMA Access API is currently being defined, and will aim to profile existing industry standards where possible in order to avoid ‘reinventing the wheel’. By registering on their portal, you will be able to collaborate on the evolution of the API, feedback on the API’s proposed and on their implementation, follow the progress of the project, download documentation and test materials (when available) and help ensure that the API meets the goal of facilitating mobile Web application deployment.

Please register at https://gsma.securespsite.com/access/entry

Thought Leaders Bullish on Mobile Internet Devices: The Findings

A survey conducted by immr and co-sponsored by GSMA Mobile Innovation, INmobile.org, and GigaOM finds that industry Thought Leaders are bullish on the market potential for Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs). On average, executives, industry analysts, and other subject matter experts responding to the survey expect nearly one in three consumers to purchase a MID by the end of 2011. Also known as netbooks, UMPCs, and a host of other names, MIDs come in a variety of form factors distinguished by their portability, power, and connectivity…

The detailed report summarizing findings from the Thought Leader Survey is available free-of-charge to Mobile Innovation Market readers.

The report, prepared by Dr. Phil Hendrix of immr, includes additional findings as well as comments by Survey participants and commentary by GSMA and other survey co-sponsors. immr also recently completed a series of in-depth interviews with consumers on MIDs. In each of the hour-long interviews, conducted by Dr. Hendrix, consumers were shown and briefly used three different form factors of MIDs. Excerpts from the videotaped sessions and a summary of findings are available at http://www.immr.org . immr is also conducting MIDs quantitative research with consumers. For more information, contact Dr. Hendrix - phil.hendrix@immr.org.

Research Note: The immr MIDs Thought Leader Survey was conducted mid-August –September 2008. Senior executives, industry analysts, and subject matter experts were invited to participate in the Survey by co-sponsors - GSMA, INmobile.org, and GigaOM. A total of n=265 Thought Leaders completed the Survey, which included a series of closed-ended, rating-type questions as well as open-ended questions. Respondents were instructed to refer to the “market with which they are most familiar” in answering the Survey questions. A large majority of respondents are from the U.S., with small numbers from other countries. A replication of the MIDs Thought Leader study in countries other than the U.S. is planned for later in the year.

To view the interviews, please go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsdHH8DA-hQ