Marco Koeder, MOCOM2020 Advisor, discusses the question if you need a Ecosystem for mobile media to be successful?
NTT Docomo has build a rich ecosystem in Japan and creates an environment where content-providers and network-companies can thrive and build a powerful mobile portfolio. We see similiar examples right now with the iPhone and its App-Store or the launch of Google Android.
Since there is an successful ecosystem already in Japan, there are a lot of success-factors and cases-studies where you can profit from in other countries as well.
Video Interview with Marco Koeder:
Japan is certainly a special case. The eco-system of NTT Docomo only worked in this market. Wherever they tried it elsewhere it failed. Japan in itself is a propriatery system
I more like the examples of Apple and Google. If you have a slick device, a good data plan, an attractive OS and UI and last but not least an open system for developers to contribute apps it looks like these kind of eco-systems stimulate Mobile Media dramatically.
It is more than true that DoCoMo failed with their approach in other markets. One of the reasons behind this was a lack of understanding what kind of “adapted” ecosystem is necessary in other countries to help a service like i-mode to thrive. Actually Google and Apple took many inspirations from DoCoMos i-mode approach. And these inspirations circle around establishing a sustainable “ecosystem” . I think we all agree that without a working ecosystem mobile media will have a very hard time to survive. 😀