Data services are a must in 2010. Which is grim news for companies who’ve never managed to create a decent data service so far.
But now they’re supported by an enlarged mobile messaging landscape that, in addition to SMS, includes mobile email, mobile social networking, and instant messaging (IM).
Forget what the analysts say the device platform landscape will not consolidate. It’ll do the exact opposite! New platforms like Maemo, LiMo and Android will take their market share and diversify the market even more.
As the battle between operators, device manufacturers, and internet portals for value-added services (VAS) intensifies, operators will play their strongest card - their billing relationship with the user.

What’s in Carsten’s Crystal Ball for 2010?

• The diversification of mobile device platforms leads to an increasingly heterogeneous landscape
• Emerging markets (such as Africa, Asia and the Middle East, Eastern Europe, South America) will lead the mobile internet revolution
• Mobile email will grow dramatically in the consumer space and messaging will
• diversify
• Standards-based instant messaging will have the world nudging and buzzing
• Social networking will generate mobile social messaging