2013.3.11【海外市場】
［記事］新しいスマホOSの発表（World Mobile Congress 2013）。
2月25日から28日にかけてスペインのバルセロナで開催された『World Mobile Congress』では、新しいスマートフォンOSの発表が話題になっていたようです。中でもFireFox Mobile OSは、新興国向けのスマートフォンを指向して作られており、20社以上のキャリアや端末メーカーでの採用が決まっているようです。新しいOSは、今後AndroidやiOSを脅かす存在になりうるのでしょうか？
以下はカンター・ワールドパネル社のドミニクによるレポート（英語）です。
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Dominic Sunnebo Insight Director, Kantar Worldpanel
Android stays home while FireFox launches a new Mobile OS
With around 1500 exhibitors (including Kantar) and more than 67,000 attendees, the Mobile World Congress is a record breaking trade show. Every year people gather in Barcelona to hear the latest developments in mobile: from robots and smart-fridges, to medical apps and phone accessories.
The Mobile World Congress (MWC) is often dominated by new product launches and major announcements, but in 2013 it was just as interesting to see what wasn't being promoted.
The absence of Android from the show after the attention it grabbed last year, told a big story in itself. Manufacturers using Android have been struggling to create real points of differentiation in the eyes of consumers.
By disappearing from view, Android has allowed the handset manufacturers the opportunity to showcase their own brand and content to consumers, without the constant reminder that all devices on the platform are essentially working from the same software.
Elsewhere, the announcement of the new FireFox Mobile OS, aims to capitalise on fast rising levels of Smartphone adoption in emerging markets, particularly Latin America. In a market dominated by iOS & Android, the new OS has been welcomed by a number of major carriers such as Telefonica hoping to wrestle power back towards the operators. Carrier support is vital to help get the new OS off the ground, but convincing consumers of its merits is likely to prove challenging - with a dearth of apps, and no clear benefits over what exists already.
After a hands-on experience with the Firefox OS at MWC, it's undoubtedly a good looking, slick system, but I saw nothing to worry Android. Prices will undoubtedly be attractive, helped by a partnership with ZTE, but with Nokia announcing the Lumia 520 and Samsung already churning out a number of entry level Smartphones, it will be difficult to undercut the competition by any significant margin.
※記事のオリジナルはこちらです。