IAMAI Mobile Innovation Conference: Innovation is the key to survival

A panel discussion at the Mobile Innovations Conference highlighted the need for innovation to hold the consumers’ interest in mobile entertainment in an environment dominated by social media.

The Mobile Innovation Conference organised by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) saw the coming together of mobile technology connoisseurs to discuss and chalk out a plan that will ensure the growth of the mobile ecosystem in a sustainable manner.

A discussion titled ‘Redefining m-entertainment: Five steps to be taken’ saw the panellists talk about the challenges before the industry. The panel comprised Narayanan S P, senior vice-president and head, VAS, mobile commerce and long distance, Idea Cellular; Albert Almeida, chief operating officer, Hungama Digital Media; Badri Sanjeevi, chief executive officer, Mauj Mobile; and Salman Hussain, vice-president, business development and managing director, India and West Asia, Vuclip. The discussion was moderated by Samir Bangara, managing director, digital, DisneyUTV.

Bangara started the discussion by stating that the mobile entertainment market is crowded with too many players. "The mobile ecosystem is currently in a state of chaos as the market is oversized with too many players and no real consolidation," he said.

He highlighted the need for innovation in the industry and said that the mobile entertainment industry is driven by music and has now evolved to include a social angle to it. Almeida was of the view that the growth of the industry will be dependent on the principle of 4Ps plus one. "For long, we have concentrated on the famed 4Ps of marketing- product, price, promotion and place. Now, it is time we looked at a 5th P- people. The aim should be to understand what people want more as the mobile device is personal. And for that, we need to go back to basics," he said.

Emphasising on the lack of a business model that will prove to be successful in the mobile entertainment industry, Sanjeevi said, "There is no proven business model for the value added services industry. And as more and more innovations in terms of technology, products and pricing are introduced, an acceptance to adapt paid models will develop."

Hussain said that the imminent challenges before the industry are how to get a consumer to adopt a service and then, how to keep him engaged. Narayanan reiterated the challenges before the mobile entertainment industry and averred, "Innovation is the need of the hour. But it is not only about innovating and coming up with new products. It is important to innovate and add to existing products and services to make them as relevant as possible for consumers."