Embedded Devices Focus @ GSMA

More Collaboration Needed Between Wireless Carriers and Non-Mobile Industries

 

 

Greater collaboration is needed between wireless carriers and non-mobile Industries  to meet Consumers' Desire for Mobile Connectivity,  research by Accenture and the mobile industry body the GSMA has found.

 

 

The purpose of the research was to assess the embedded wireless market opportunity and the main barriers to its development in the car, health care, energy and  digital home industries.

 

 

Embedded mobile devices are products that are networked via cellular radio technology embedded in them. Such devices can range from e-readers, to cameras and home appliances like fridges, washing machines and security systems.

 

 

The surveys queried three groups: early-adopter consumers  who owned at least four networked devices and used multiple Internet software services; high-level managers at companies outside the mobile industry  committed to embedded connectivity, and executives at mobile network operators (MNOs)

 

GSMA chief technology officer Alex Sinclair  (pictured) said: "It is very clear that the opportunity for embedded mobile devices and services is enormous" .

 

"To fully capitalize on this opportunity, it is essential that mobile and other industry sectors collaborate closely to develop a robust and dynamic ecosystem that will spur the widespread availability and adoption of embedded mobile devices. Initiatives such as the GSMA's Embedded Mobile program will play a key role in making this vision a reality," said Sinclair.

 

 

Andy Zimmerman, global managing director, mobility, Accenture said: "Mobile networks are continuing to evolve beyond being a conduit for phone calls, to becoming the medium that lets everything talk with everything - and the key to this transition is embedded devices. Consumer interest is growing, and we believe that mobile network operators would be wise to consider moving rapidly and deliberately to stake out their space in the emerging embedded wireless value chain," 

 

 

The early-adopter consumers surveyed anticipated a proliferation of networked devices and a better life as a result.

They were most  interested in networked systems for health care, car monitoring, home security and energy management. Seventy-six percent believe that most  electronic devices purchased in future will connect to the Internet.

 

The research found that Sixty-two percent of auto owners, and 57 percent of all consumers  would be interested in embedded mobile systems for automobiles. These systems could transmit a car's GPS position to a web site to locate it  if stolen, or  even give drivers access to automotive performance data including acceleration rates, braking patterns, engine speed, fuel flow and mileage from a web site.

 

 

Seventy-two percent of consumers surveyed  wanted to learn more about  home energy management systems, while 55 percent  were interested in home security systems with embedded wireless.

 

The Early-adopter Consumers were asked their opinions about networked systems designed to enable caregivers to look after an older person living alone, manage home security and energy management systems, and monitor their automobiles.

 Most said that mobile connectivity in devices connected to the Internet makes their lives richer and more enjoyable, but the Accenture/ GSMA  research found that wireless carriers and corporations need to collaborate   much more closely to accelerate widespread availability of embedded mobile devices and services.

 

 

41 percent of consumers and 72 percent of respondents providing care for elders were interested in mobile-enabled caregiver systems.These systems  include devices that connect to one another and the Internet to monitor a person's vital signs, levels of physical activity, and physical condition, as well as devices that monitor for safety hazards. These systems enable  senior citizens to be  monitored via  laptops or  smart phones, and send out alerts in emergencies as well as providing associated voice communications at the touch of a button.

 

 

The majority agreed that networked devices will save them time (88 percent), simplify their lives (86 percent), bring them closer to friends and family (82 percent), and make their lives richer and more enjoyable (82 percent). However, more than half (54 percent)  believed that different devices that connect to the Internet do not work together as well as they should.

 

 

Most consumers would welcome a single supplier for billing of networked devices (61percent), managing their networked devices (59 percent) and providing customer support (59 percent) and web access to view their network devices (56 percent). Most (51 percent) would also like to purchase networked devices and download applications from a single supplier.

 

 

When asked about security and technical support, 77 percent  said they worried that devices connected to the Internet would expose them to viruses and other malware, while 76 percent were concerned that personal data could fall into the wrong hands. Half thought  customer support would fail to solve technical problems.

 

 

Of corporate respondents sixty-three percent said that the leading barrier to commercializing their embedded wireless products is finding the right business model, followed by issues involving standards and choice of technology platforms (53 percent).

 

Corporate innovators are committed to embedded connectivity, but are struggling with the business model, according to the survey. A majority (89 percent) of corporate respondents said that embedded wireless networking technology is important to their competitive future.

 

 

Interoperability with other devices and services  worried 52 percent. Almost 70 percent of corporate respondents said they consider MNOs to be desirable partners as the world migrates from standalone embedded mobile devices to integrated systems.

 

 

Corporates wanted help from MNOs with the technical and commercial side of launching new networked devices and services. They identified billing (61 percent), device diagnostics (61 percent) and integrating  devices with mobile voice services (59 percent) as the most valuable technical resources that an MNO could offer to support  new services.

 

On the commercial side, corporate respondents wanted tailored pricing plans (67 percent), field support for installation and maintenance (55 percent), and selling and marketing devices or services through the operator's sales channel (52 percent).

 

 

One MNO interviewed said that transitioning to a new business model is challenging because it calls for new ways of thinking and it involves multiple parties, each of which wants to be compensated but may not wish to share risks and revenues. Another MNO said that the lack of clear standards is impeding the development of systems that require interoperability, and adds to development costs.

 

"There is recognition among MNOs, corporate and consumer respondents that the next big wave of growth will come from systems solutions," Zimmerman said.

 

"This requires a level of openness at both the device connection point, where everything plugs in, and at the applications orchestration level, where information from multiple devices is merged."

 

 

At Mobile World Congress 2010 Accenture showed how the concepts raised in the research - especially growth in several vertical markets might work  from a consumer perspective. In the GSMA Embedded Mobile Zone it  demonstrated a systems approach that promotes rapid prototyping and interoperability across devices. Visitors saw live demonstrations that show how Accenture and its collaborators can deliver innovative solutions designed to enable clients to significantly improve their performance in software product development and testing across the digital ecosystem.

 

 

 

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