Mobile industry watchers predict that, during the economic downturn, writew Carsten Brinkschulte. People in Europe will opt to either trade down to a less expensive phone or delay upgrading to a new phone. This represents an interesting opportunity for Synchronica. As people become more cost-conscious, the idea of a low-cost, flat-rate mobile email service that works on feature phones as well as Smartphones becomes very attractive. Perhaps a BlackBerry is not necessary after all?
 
In this instance it might well be a case of the developed world following the developing world. In countries such as India, Sudan, Nigeria, Russia/CIS and Chile, mobile operators and ISPs are rolling out low-cost mobile email services based on Synchronica’s technology that work on almost any phone.  Perhaps the time is right for mobile operators in Western Europe to take a leaf out of the emerging market mobile operators’ book and offer this kind of solution to cash-strapped subscribers?