連網設備將逐步取代電腦的角色

一則由Ovum所做的研究發現，有一些透過電腦使用的關鍵網際網路應用受歡迎的程度首次呈現衰退的趨勢。儘管這項研究只基於英國市場，我們相信這個發現預示著隨著連網設備在許多領域應用越來越廣泛，連網設備將逐漸改變人們上網與網絡應用的方式。

消費者如何連接網絡，以及如何使用網絡服務與應用的轉變，對於服務供應商有直接的影響。

那些讓上網變得靈活，而且不斷提供更好的上網體驗的業者將發展的越來越好。雖然這只是一開始而已，但是連網設備在年輕族群中的普及速度特別快，因此服務供應商必須認清這個趨勢，並且在制定未來的內容與應用服務策略時納入這項趨勢。
連網設備正在改變我們工作與休閒娛樂的方式。

寬頻網際網路的普及率在過去十年簡直是一飛沖天。但大多數的時候，實際上唯一能夠享受寬頻網絡的方法就是透過電腦上網。然而現在有越來越多的設備不單單只是變成可以上網而已，而是從設計發想階段就把上網功能考慮進去，最後結果變成網絡應用被設計成能在這些設備上面運作，而且還運作得相當良好。可隨意連結網絡且容易上手的設備與量身訂做的內容與應用讓人們越來越少使用電腦，也越來越不把注意力放在電腦上。其中一個好例子就是BBC的iPlayer(英國的一種多媒體影音串流服務)2009年8月，當時人們只能透過PS3的瀏覽器連上iPlayer，PS3只佔了全部串流頻寬的1%而已。但是一個月後，當iPlayer發表可以放在PS3主選單的專用程式後，PS3立即佔據所有iPlayer串流頻寬的9%。

在過去一年中，根據Ovum的資料顯示，16到24歲這個族群，在電腦領域裡只有線上遊戲跟線上觀賞短片(例如YouTube)的普及率是有所提升的，其他大多數的應用服務都呈現衰退的情況。然而在行動設備上，所有實質上與網絡相關的服務與應用的普及率都獲得了成長。
專屬應用走在前頭

在電腦上，雖然專屬應用越來越受歡迎，一般上網瀏覽網頁仍是最受歡迎的服務。然而在其他連網設備上，專屬應用開始嶄露頭角。舉例來說，根據Ovum的資料，行動設備上的電子郵件是目前最受歡迎的應用服務，雖然上網瀏覽網頁相對而言仍是受歡迎的，但卻變得不比連上社群網站來得重要，例如連上Facebook。其他的網絡應用也越來越受歡迎，例如即時通訊、下載音樂與收看影片。
別以為你知道顧客要的是什麼

當使用者上網的時間分散到各種不同的設備上，內容與服務供應商很容易聯想到使用習慣和內容與應用服務的需求將會有什麼樣的改變。然而，內容與應用服務供應商需要更加小心，不要妄下結論，至少要聆聽消費者的聲音，並隨著產業逐漸成熟，靈活的接納消費者的意見。舉例來說：電視機沒有配備鍵盤(至少傳統的電視機沒有)，所以服務提供者通常在功能上做了限制，所以服務用起來的經驗就只是更多的”點擊”(point and click)。行動設備的螢幕較小，而且常常在移動時使用，所以服務提供者都以為提供短一點的影片是最好的選擇。

然而，市場先行者對他們的客戶想要在哪些設備上使用哪些服務的想法感到很驚訝。行動電視業者發現他們的客戶想要原汁原味的內容，而非為了手機而裁剪成一段一段的短片。當美國的Verizon發現它的客戶覺得透過電視遙控器操作某些為了電視量身打造的應用服務有許多功能上的限制時，Verizon便修改了它的服務方式，讓新服務比原先的設計有能與客戶有更佳的互動。(詳見Ovum即將發表的FioS TV研究案例。)

像這類在手機裡跟電視上的特殊服務與應用是全新的嘗試，沒有人知道消費者希望以後會怎麼操作及使用它們。所以內容跟服務供應商並沒有一次到位並不令人感到訝異，其實每次一開始都是這樣子。然而市場的轉變正在加速中，能夠透過正確的設備提供正確的內容與服務的廠商將能夠在競爭中取得傑出的優勢。
關於Ovum：

Ovum的主要業務是提供高品質的研究資訊與顧問服務,協助與支持客戶的商業決策。本公司為科技、法規、市場動態造成的市場影響提供值得信賴與重視的產業資料分析、專業知識與專家意見。Ovum在其專精的領域中從事持續的研究與產業分析並藉此做出市場動態分析。

Ovum已經有許多擁有長期合作關係的大型企業客戶，對象包含Alcatel-Lucent, AT&T, 英國電信(BT), Cable & Wireless,思科(Cisco Systems), Deutsche Telekom, 富士通(Fujitsu), 惠普(HP), IBM, 微軟(Microsoft), 宏碁(Acer), Telstra and Vodafone等傑出企業

A study carried out by Ovum has shown a decline in interest for the first time in a number of key Internet applications accessed via the PC. Although the study was only based on one market, the UK, we believe that the data is a sign that the increase in range and adoption of connected devices is changing the way users access the Internet and Internet applications.

This shift in how consumers access services and applications has a direct impact on service providers. Those that enable such flexibility, while continuing to provide quality of experience, will thrive – those that don’t, won’t. Although just the start of the curve, adoption among the younger age groups in particular is happening quickly, and thus such trends need to be recognised now and built into service providers’ future content and application strategies.
Connected devices are changing the way we work, rest and play

Broadband Internet adoption has soared over the past decade. For most of that time, practically the only way of really making the most of the broadband Internet was via the PC. However, more and more devices are now not only becoming connected but are specifically being developed with connectivity in mind, and thus in turn applications are finally being developed to work, and work well, on such devices.

This combination of more readily available and easy to use devices together with specifically designed content and applications is driving usage and gradually turning the attention away from the PC. A good example of this is the BBC’s iPlayer (an online catch-up service provided in the UK). In August 2009, when the iPlayer could simply be accessed via the PS3’s browser, only 1% of iPlayer streams were via the PS3. The following month, with the launch of a specific iPlayer application that sits on the PS3’s main menu, PS3 accounted for 9% of all iPlayer online streams.

According to Ovum’s data, within the 16-24 year old category over the past year only online gaming and watching short-form video such as YouTube had grown in popularity on the PC, with most other applications seeing a decline. However, on mobile devices virtually all Internet-based services and applications had grown in their popularity.
Specific applications come to the fore

On a PC, although specific applications are gaining in popularity, general Internet surfing remains dominant. However, on other devices specific applications start to rise to the top. For example, according to Ovum’s data, on mobile devices email is by far the most popular application, and although Internet surfing is still relatively popular it is quickly becoming less important than accessing social networking sites such as Facebook. Other applications that are increasing in popularity include instant messaging, downloading music and watching videos.
Don’t presume to know what consumers want

As users’ time online spreads over different devices, it is easy for content and service providers to try and second guess how usage and content/application requirements might change from one device to another. However, content and service providers need to be careful in jumping to such conclusions, or at least need to listen carefully to their customers and be flexible enough to adapt their offerings as the industry matures.

For example, a TV (at least traditionally) has no keyboard, so service providers often restrict functionality so that the service is more of a ‘point and click’ experience. Similarly, mobile devices have smaller screens and are often used whilst on the move, so service providers assume short-form video is best. However, early movers are finding that their customers can surprise them in how they wish to use certain applications on certain devices. Mobile TV operators are finding that actually their customers want original content, not cut-down content designed for the mobile phone. Verizon in the US (see Ovum’s forthcoming case study of FioS TV Widgets) has had to adapt its TV applications to allow greater customer interaction than initially intended, as it found that customers felt some of the applications it had designed to work well on the TV and via a TV remote control were functionally restrictive.

Such features and applications on devices such as mobile phones and TVs are new, and no one knows how consumers will wish to access and use them in the future. It is no surprise therefore that content and service providers do not get it right first time, every time. However, the market is picking up speed and players that can provide the right applications and content over the right devices will have a distinct advantage over others.