The mobile OS landscape

Recently while I attended the Mobile world Congress, I was left amazed at the scope of possibilities that the mobile market holds before the powers get settled and some company claims right to the throne. The time of PCs (and hence Microsoft monopoly) is gone, the market leader of the changed world order of tablets and smart phones remains disapproved.

Although iOS and Android are quickly gaining market share, while others look to find one game changing idea, the financial and marketing capabilities along with established ecosystem of each player takes care that no prediction can be made at ease. It is this sheer size of market disrupting capabilities of each player involved that makes it hard for audience to place their bets.

According to Gartner report, Android should experience a period of (continued) rapid growth, increasing its market share to 22.2 percent in 2011 and 29.6 percent in 2014. And that should put it within striking distance of Symbian, which Gartner claims will have seen its market share shrink to 30.2 percent by then.

Everything even…right? Not so easy.

An important assumption, was not included into making the report - “The fact that Nokia and Microsoft would be an alliance changes the power equation altogether. Shakespeare quoted once “Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows”- Holds true till date.

To analyze the situation, first we must look into the terms of this partnership

Under the proposed partnership:

•	Nokia would adopt Windows Phone as its principal smartphone strategy, innovating on top of the platform in areas such as imaging, where Nokia is a market leader.
•	Nokia would help drive the future of Windows Phone. Nokia would contribute its expertise on hardware design, language support, and help bring Windows Phone to a larger range of price points, market segments and geographies.
•	Nokia and Microsoft would closely collaborate on joint marketing initiatives and a shared development roadmap to align on the future evolution of mobile products.
•	Bing would power Nokia’s search services across Nokia devices and services, giving customers access to Bing’s next generation search capabilities. Microsoft adCenter would provide search advertising services on Nokia’s line of devices and services.
•	Nokia Maps would be a core part of Microsoft’s mapping services. For example, Maps would be integrated with Microsoft’s Bing search engine and adCenter advertising platform to form a unique local search and advertising experience
•	Nokia’s extensive operator billing agreements would make it easier for consumers to purchase Nokia Windows Phone services in countries where credit-card use is low.
•	Microsoft development tools would be used to create applications to run on Nokia Windows Phones, allowing developers to easily leverage the ecosystem’s global reach.
•	Nokia’s content and application store would be integrated with Microsoft Marketplace for a more compelling consumer experience.

To get a better view into the direct benefits for each company through the partnership, I have prepared a table enlisting benefits for each company.

Advantages for Microsoft	Advantages for Nokia
Nokia expertise on mobile phone market	Loads of dollars to pump up the ante
Nokia penetration and reach to the masses especially in developing economies	The Windows, Office and other Microsoft applications such as Mobile email
Nokia designs and UI capabilities	Microsoft research and innovation
	Mobile search and ad platform
	Leveraging the Microsoft ecosystem

This means that the world’s largest mobile hardware seller loosing market due to lack of intuitiveness in its OS, partners with the world’s popular OS maker that was losing out on device sales.

Does this partnership make sense? …… Surely it does. A lot on bet for both companies

Will it succeed? ....let’s see. Both companies have not lot on stake but rather everything.

For the consumers, it’s a pleasant scenario, for the situation puts the ball into the hands of the consumers, in terms of choices they have. No company can afford to become complacent and hence this launches a perfect ground for innovation and for thriving startups.

As far as my verdict is concerned, I believe Android should become the No 1 platform soon, given to the openness of the platform, the growing enthusiasm and energy among developers and the goodwill enjoyed by Google among consumers. Communication service providers' (CSPs') marketing and vendor support for Android-based smartphones will drive the platform to the leadership position.

Mokia (Nokia+Microsoft) should finish a close second or rather be an alternative to Android in the market. Microsoft support and Nokia devices should make for a good handset. As smart phones mature enough to become alternatives to PCs, people will love to have their old foes – the Windows look and feel and Microsoft Office.

iOS shall remain at the same stature, what Apple has been in the PC market – an affluent yet niche player with market size more or less constant due to the loyalty it enjoys from its audience.

Blackberry- The future seems difficult for Blackberry (BB). The BB mail – its USP is already fragile now and its marketing campaign gives a confusing message. Are they trying to woo the punks? BB will need to make sure that its already acquired share of mind with business community does not decline.

To end, I remember a quote by Lily Tomlin

“Don't be afraid of missing opportunities. Behind every failure is an opportunity somebody wishes they had missed.”

That’s what these companies should keep close to heart.

Basic Ingridients of a successful MBA

Recently, got a great chance to interact with budding MBAs from Sharda Group of Institutions. I delivered a speech on 'Basic skill set that the corporate world expects from fresh MBAs to bring to the table and how they can make the best use of the time at hand to prepare themselves.

Had a 2 hour session with the students that revolved around everything from marketing, the events around the world and even Bollywood. Below is the presentation attached. Let me know your views.

Ingridients of a successful mba

As always, Things I presented seem so obvious. Still so many people manage not to embrace them.

View more presentations from Ayush Jain.

Next Innovation in social networks

Recently a friend of mine posted on his wall (read facebook wall) that his mom is on facebook, and hence he will have to be wary about what he posts. Added to the agony is the fact that we also will have to be rather careful since his mom will also get our updates.




With growing penetration of internet, friend lists have been growing in all directions. With no filter put, It’s a natural concern that people have acquaintances added on their friend lists, whose friend requests they could not put off, but also to whom they would not prefer their updates to go. When we post on Facebook or Twitter, a common thought that remains at the back of our mind is like X should definitely see it, or the other way, this update should not go to Y anyhow.

Paul Adams of Google created a similar picture 3 months back available in his presentation.




The point is, in contrast to the online homogenous friend list, in real life we have segregated lists. There are people with whom we want to talk about jobs, business the serious side. Then there are people who are old pals from school with whom we share jokes that only they or us can understand and nobody else who gets the update.
There is a set of people to show your sophisticated side, another to go wild with.
A boys group to share some funny restricted content, while another to give updates to the family. Don’t we need this, what say? Obviously Yes.

This one is a real jolt to the growth of social networks, a barrier that modern technology will have to find ways to cross over or go around, because otherwise the whole idea of social networking comes crashing down. Virtual realities will have to embrace the real realities.

Now let us have a quick introspection on how our social networks are dealing with it?

Facebook: Has got a concept called lists already but anybody barely uses it. On 6th of October 2010, Facebook announced some improvements in this regard. A new concept called groups has been introduced. You can have a look on the official post from Facebook here.
The concept seems promising, but how it fares still remains unpredictable.

Orkut: Who cares ofcourse!! Orkut is dead, because it has lost its exclusivity. Period.
But remember, in Web business, it’s just one product that turns the power table upside down. It has happened every now and then and it will continue to do so. That’s the beauty of the war of web.

Given to the marketing and financial power of Google, along with the intellectual breath, Google cannot be denied as a company to watch in social networks market. For Google it’s a golden opportunity, if it can create a system, where people can easily optimize their profile for different visitors. Google already has our data, it has the power of algorithms, now it is all about matching these capabilities. Facebook failed in its first attempt with lists, because of the lack of user engagement, Can Google use its innovation and headway?

Linkedin: Is not facing such problems because till date Linkedin means business. No frills, which is a good thing. Atleast people know what to expect.

Twitter: I am still exploring Twitter these days. Its fascinating, but I haven’t come across any such feature on twitter. If there is, please do let me know.

So we see here that a substantial design is yet to be searched to meet this growing concern. There is an obvious need of context based social networks, where users can optimize their profile according to the preferences that they have set for the visitors. Innovation expected!!

The perils of a small business marketing collateral

Things are quite different when you are a small company and you are looking forward to pitch to clients that are quite bigger than any business that you have ever done before. In this post I am going to point out my 3C test that has to be part of your marketing collaterals in order to maximize your efforts

3C stands for the three most important and obvious things that your client wants from you. These are so obvious that one can rather take them for granted and miss the opportunity.

Credibility: Have you done such things before. Whats your track record. Are there any known client stories that you have already worked on.
Competency: Can you do the stuff. Are you comfortable with the required technology
Completeness: Can you provide me solutions for all my needs for present and future. Do you have plans to scale up with my demands of future after I implement your present solutions.

For a small business, one needs to comprehensively answer these 3Cs throughout their communication with the client. i.e through their online presence as well as in their client presentations. Just ask these 3 questions honestly to your self before you get into the market.

1. How am I going to show that I am credible
2. How will my client believe in my competency over others
3. How am I going to show my completeness in terms of providing end to end implementation.

These 3 Cs are a benchmark for you when you plan to meet a new client or make a plan for your future marketing communication. Always make sure that your efforts pass the 3C questionnaire satisfactorily. Spare a thought or two on these obvious factors before every client communication opportunity.

Why Linkedin will push job search sites out of business

Yesterday I was filling a web form to apply for a position in an organization. Those same questions and those long answers to write every time. ' What additional information would you like to add'? Had it been 6 months back, I would have to spend an hour or so, weaving a story around my experience and success but today I had a prompt and succinct reply to it. I just wrote

'Please refer to my linkedin profile at http://in.linkedin.com/in/ayushj
to get a more holistic view about my capabilities'. That’s it. No more stories, no more fear to miss on a important point . Linkedin does that all.

I have been using Linkedin since quite a while. To express how much it amazes me with its power I will refrain myself to just one adjective - Disrupter. As Friedman's flat world evolves to 2.0 version (just like technologies increment in numeric each time to indicate improvisation), and continues to break convictions, market disrupters continue to break and make the shape of the industries.

The disruption that I am talking about is the same what publishing industry is facing today when surge in online reading habits mean falling demand of a age old habit, or what impact growth of Facebook had on Orkut. Although end users have the same product in terms of definition (newspaper or sharing with friends), the packaging and the end user experience creates a large rift. Same is the fate that I predict for job search websites in the next 3 years. Linkedin will just change the present business of job search via internet and may even push job search sites out of business even sooner if strategic steps in the right direction are not taken by these companies.

Today its no hidden secret that potential employers go through your Linkedin/Facebook page before hiring, but still people tend to ignore what could become their greatest weapon in their quest for job. Imagine you missed to elaborate on one of your success stories during the job interview, the same can be illustrated in a dazzling manner on your linkedin page. Success has always been and will always be about communicating the best information in the most succinct, convenient and presentable manner. Hence job web portals going out of business seems obvious

Linkedin gives you everything that you always wished your job search site to deliver on your free account- credibility, contacts, extra information, customizable search that can filter out companies for you and above all a platform to showcase your expertise to your potential employer.

So if you are one of those who are wondering about how to get through the boardline numbers of a company and reach the HR, or how to add more pitch points in a single mail to the potential employer then these are must to do immediate steps.

Sign up on Linkedin, complete and embellish your profile with recommendations, achievements and participation on groups. Join groups of your interest, Follow companies and people who you think could be of help and start forwarding your Linkedin profile link in your signature.

While we sit at the advent of Jobs 3.0 market (1.0 being before the advent of internet, 2. 0 was before social networking phenomenon and 3.0 is beyond 2010 when social networking gets serious). Lets take advantage of it, before it becomes too common to benefit!!

Edit on 29/09/2010- Another nail in the coffin of job sites. Linkedin introduces job board as an added facility to all groups. Now can job sites do other other way round. Make their job portals like Linkedin..NO!!

Initially I had said 3 years, changes should be apparent earlier.