Report Details
Within a short timeframe, the iPhone series of devices has helped fuel mobile web adoption in North America and Europe unlike any device before. In the seven years prior to the launch, the paucity of user-friendly mobile web-focused devices proved a major obstacle to optimal growth in users and traffic.
Thanks to innovative multi-touch gesture user interfaces, faster processing and large screens, users are now more aware of the benefits of web access with mobility. The introduction of multi-touch user interfaces been pivotal in finally realising the possibility and benefit of mobile browsing to a wide audience, particularly in developed markets. Supported by increasing bandwidth in mobile networks, improved user experience has encouraged uptake, particularly as an extension of any given user's online desktop experience, evidenced by the widespread adoption of mobile versions of leading social networking sites. This is illustrated by Apple through the iPhone, whose users in the UK are five times more likely to browse the web than owners of other mobile phones.
The move triggered a wave of touch interface releases with large screens from rival device manufacturers. It is within this context that the development of mobile web browser technologies forms a crucial component, providing the platform which will help generate new revenue streams from advertising and content/application downloads, on top of subscriptions.
Given its evolutionary path in relation to advances in device and UI, the browser is increasingly assuming the ability to substitute many applications for a single platform. The browser can form a single stop for documents, audio and video, games, and navigational services with APIs leveraging each device's unique capabilities including GPS, accelerometers, cameras and so on.
Companies such as Google, Apple and Palm are harbouring ambitions to port the next stage in the internet roadmap, HTML 5, onto the mobile platform, possibly leading to video played within the mobile browser without the need for additional rich internet application (RIA) plugins such as Flash and Silverlight. The RIA framework developers themselves, such as Adobe and Microsoft, are working towards full desktop versions onto mobile handsets for 2010.
Based on analysis of the position of key participants across the value chain, including operators, media agencies, software application providers, access providers, marketing specialists and trade association representatives, this 125+ page report analyses the market drivers and barriers affecting mobile web browsers and applications. It discusses the main market trends and charts the market evolution in the US, Europe and the Asia Pacific including the Middle East.
Reading this exclusive management report will tell you the following:
• Who are the main players in mobile browser platforms and what are they doing?
• What different variants of platform are available on devices and expected to appear in the future?
• Why is the mobile web so important to mobile?
• How successful will solutions be?
• How can operators and other companies in the value chain best position themselves?
Find out the answers to these and many other questions by buying this vital industry insight.
Who needs to read this report?
Directors, VP and Senior managers in:
• Mobile/ Cellular carriers and operators
• Digital and Mobile Advertising agencies
• Mobile Search companies
• Handset manufacturers
• Mobile content providers
• Brands looking to tap into the mobile audience
Visiongain is a trading partner with the US Federal Government
CCR Ref number: KD4R6
Table of Contents
1.1. The Mobile Communications Business
1.1.1 A new context for mobile communications
1.1.2 Forging a path for the mobile internet
Figure 1 Growth of Flat-rate pricing strategies for Broadband Internet
1.2. Mobile Web Adoption Curtailed Despite Advances
1.3. The Significance of Browser Technologies
1.4 The current state of the mobile web
1.5 Focus of the Report
1.6 Key Findings
2. Overview of the Internet Economy
2.1 History of the World Wide Web, Markup Languages and Web browsers
2.1.1 Birth and Early Growth of the Web 1980-1995
2.1.2 Commercialisation of the Web
2.1.3 The Original Browser Wars and Antitrust Litigation
2.1.4 Dotcom Boom and Bust 1999-2001
Figure 2.1 Desktop Facebook page
2.1.5 Towards and Beyond Web 2.0: 2002 onwards
2.1.5.1 The Emergence of Social Networking as a key web market driver
2.1.5.2 Size of the social networking market
Chart 2.1 Social networks unique visitors March 2009
2.1.6 Second Browser War
Chart 2.2 Desktop Browser Market Share, 1996-2006
2.1.7 Current issues in the prevailing adverse economic climate
3. Evolution of the Mobile Web: The Mobile Internet Promise
3.1. The i-mode Success Story in Japan and failure beyond
Chart 3.1 Mobile internet penetration, 2001
3.1.1 Failure of WAP: 1999-2004
3.1.2. Failures in Standardisation and Resulting Fragmentation in Device/Browser Platforms
3.1.2.1 Attempts at Realignment with the desktop Web
3.1.2.2 W3C Mobile Web Initiative
3.1.2.3 OMA and the introduction of UAProf
3.1.2.3.1 UAProf and its significance for the mobile web
3.1.2.3.2 Limitations of UAProf
3.1.2.4 Expansion and Evolution of Markup Language Choices for the Mobile Web
Figure 3.1 Roadmap for MarkUp Languages in Mobile, 1990-2007
3.1.2.6 Device Description Repository (DDR)
3.1.2.7 WURFL
3.2 Current State of the Mobile Web
3.2.1 Developments in Service Pricing and Packaging
Chart 3.2 UK Mobile Web user growth
Figure 3.2 Evolution of mobile internet service models in the UK
Figure 3.3 Evolving charging models in the UK
Chart 3.3 Selected MNOs percentage data revenue growth 2007-2008
3.2.1.1 Operator content control-open access dichotomy: Vodafone UK
3.2.2 Evolution in Devices and User Experience
Chart 3.4 Smartphone content use comparison
3.2.2.1 The migration from the handset sales model to the service model
3.2.3 SN, UGC and Multimedia Evolution and Uptake
3.2.4 Fragmentation in protocols and browser deployments
3.2.5 Potentially growing involvement of Web Applications and RIA Frameworks
3.2.6 Open Source Mobile Platforms: Android and Symbian
3.2.6.1 Start of a true mobile OS race?
3.2.6.2 Standards and positioning in the mobile ecosystem
3.2.6.3 Competition between mobile OS platforms
3.2.5 Market and Industry Direction
4. Embedded Native Browser Technologies
Chart 4.1 Smartphone OS shipments, Q1 2009
Chart 4.2 Smartphone versus overall mobile phone sales
4.1 Web Browser for S60
4.1.1 WebKit Engine as a Platform for S60
Figure 4.2 Nokia S60 Browser Architecture based on WebKit
4.1.2 Content Rendering and Navigation on the S60
Figure 4.3. Page navigation using minimaps
Figure 4.4 Browsing history on the S60 using minimaps
4.1.3 Enhanced Support for Web 2.0 content
4.1.4 Visiongain Verdict on Web Browser for S60
4.2 Microsoft Internet Explorer Mobile
4.2.1 Microsoft Windows Mobile OS: The Baseline Roadmap for IE Mobile
4.2.2 New Windows Mobile Software Releases
4.2.3 Microsoft Customises
4.2.4 Criticism of the Microsoft OS?
4.2.5 Evolution of Internet Explorer Mobile
Figure 4.5 IE Mobile 6
4.2.5.1 Pocket Internet Explorer for PPC 2002 and Windows Mobile 2003
4.2.5.2 Internet Explorer Mobile for Windows Mobile 5, 6 and 6.1
4.2.5.3 IE Mobile 6 on Windows Mobile 6.5
4.2.6 Visiongain Verdict on Microsoft on the mobile web
4.3 Apple iPhone and MobileSafari
Figure 4.5 MobileSafari on the iPhone 3G
Figure 4.6 MobileSafari user interface
4.3.1 Safari: Making sense of the Web on a mobile device with restrictions
4.3.2 Encouraging market response since launch
Chart 4.2 Apple iPhone Unit Sales, 2007-2009
Chart 4.3 Impact of iPhone on mobile web use
4.3.3 Apple aims to consolidate position in apps market
4.3.4 Visiongain Verdict on Mobile Safari: Building towards HTML 5 over mobile
4.4 Android WebKit-based browser
Figure 4.7 Android browser on the T-Mobile G1 (HTC Dream)
Figure 4.8 Android browser settings menu
4.4.1 Android 1.5 Update
4.4.2 The Android browser - A secondary programming environment
4.4.3 Android system vulnerabilities
4.4.4 The human factor as an Android vulnerability
4.4.5 Browser strengths and weaknesses
4.4.6 Definitive but limited success in initial take-up
4.4.7 Need to strengthen position of Android Market
4.4.8 Visiongain verdict on the Android browser
4.5 Blackberry Browser and Internet Browser
4.5.1 Server-assisted architecture and Proxy Configurations for BlackBerry web access
Figure 4.9. BlackBerry Browser Proxy Configurations
4.5.2 Potential Market impact
Figure 4.10. BlackBerry browser
4.5.3 BlackBerry App World versus Web Apps
4.6 Palm webOS
Fig 4.12 Page rendering and presentation on the Palm Pre
4.6.1 Palm Web Browser
4.6.2 User Experience
Figure 4.13. Palm Pre Web and Bookmark cards
4.6.3 Promising Initial Take-up
4.6.4 RIA Integration
4.6.5 Issues with Multi-Touch IP
4.7 Openwave/Myriad
4.7.1 Successive versions of the Openwave browser
4.7.2 Widely distributed installed base
4.7.3 Decline of Openwave
4.8 ACCESS NetFront
4.8.1 User Experience
4.8.2 Large Installed base of NetFront browsers
5 Downloadable browser platforms
5.1 Opera Software
5.1.1 Opera Mini
Figure 5.1 Opera Mini on the Nokia N97
5.1.1.1 Functionality and User Experience
5.1.1.2 High take-up rates
5.1.2 Opera Mobile
5.1.2.1 Release Roadmap and Build-up of Features
5.1.2.2 Cancellation of version 9.0
5.2 Skyfire
Figure 5.2 Skyfire inline video
5.2.1 Performance
5.2.2 Platform Development and Market Direction
5.3 TeaShark
5.3.1 Features and Functionality
5.4 Mozilla Forthcoming Development: Mozilla Firefox Mobile
6 Market Direction and Future Developments
6.1 Current market status
Chart 6.1 Estimated growth in global mobile web users, 2008-2009
6.2 Patterns in browser adoption and usage
Chart 6.2 US mobile web users, 2001-08
Chart 6.3 UK mobile web users, 2006-08
Chart 6.4 Worldwide share of daily web traffic by mobile browser, 2009
Chart 6.5 Global share of total web traffic by browser for full H1 2009
Chart 6.6 Global Smartphone Market Share by Manufacturer, Q2 2009
Chart 6.7 Global Smartphone Market Share by OS, Q2 2009
Chart 6.8 Share of daily web traffic by mobile browser, North America 2009
Chart 6.9 Share of total web traffic by browser in H1 2009, North American Market
Chart 6.10 Share of daily web traffic by mobile browser, Europe 2009
Chart 6.11 Share of total web traffic by browser in H1 2009, Europe
Chart 6.12 Share of daily web traffic by mobile browser, Asia Pacific and Middle East 2009
Chart 6.13 Share of total web traffic by browser in H1 2009, Asia Pacific and Middle East
6.3 Future Direction
Chart 6.14 Global mobile web users, 2009-2014
Chart 6.15 Regional distribution of mobile web users, 2009-2014
Chart 6.16 Global Mobile Web OS Market Share, 2008-2014
Table 6.1 Global Mobile OS Market Shares in percent, 2008-2014
Chart 6.17 Global Mobile Web Browser Market Share (by originated traffic), 2008-2014
Table 6.2 Global Mobile Web Browser traffic share, 2008-2014
6.4 Embedded versus Downloads
6.5 The Web Browser as a Runtime Environment
Companies Listed
Access Co Ltd
Admob
Adobe
Agito Networks
Amazon
America Movil
Apple
AT&T Mobility
BBC
Bebo
Bolt
Celltick
Discretix
Ebay
Ericsson
Ericsson
Expway
Facebook
Garmin
Google
Handspring
Hi5
HTC
Hutchison 3G
IBM
Internet Movie Database
ITV
KDDI
Lenovo
LG Electronics
LinkedIn
Microsoft
Microsoft
Motive
Motorola
Mozilla Foundation
Myriad Group
MySpace
Netscape
Networks in Motion
Neven Mrgan
Nokia
Nokia Siemens Networks
NTT DoCoMo
O2
Omniweb
Openwave
Opera Software
Oracle Corporation
Orange
PacketVideo
Palm
Panasonic
PayPal
Purple Labs
Research In Motion
Reti Radiotelevisive Digitali
Samsung
Sharp Electronics
Skyfire
Skype
Sony Ericsson
Sprint-Nextel
Sun Microsystems
Symbian
Symbian Foundation
TeaShark
Telefónica
T-Mobile
TomTom
Twitter
Verizon Wireless
Vodafone
Xanga
Yahoo
YouTube