To say that the slightly off-looking Lobster 700 TV phone from Virgin Mobile has had a disappointing year is like saying that the Apple iPhone is going to sell like hotcakes. It’s obvious and totally misguiding.
Virgin spent 2.5 million pounds promoting Lobster 700(TV) and even came out with a chepear. If you are a Virgin Mobile subscriber, the phone comes free, which should give Virgin a clue about how much Brits want to watch TV on their mobiles.
But Virgin is saying it’s the lack of handsets that dissuades people from mobile TV. That’s a rational enough theory, but why push it by coming out with a handset like the Lobster 700 to launch your TV offering? To read a longer article about the matter, here’s The Guardian.
On a related note, Understanding & Solutions predicts mobile TV revenues reaching $18 billion or an 800 increase from 2006 revenues.
Understanding & Solutions’ David Sidebottom says that the success of mobile TV depends largely on the type of shows you give mobile users. Brevity is key. Few peopl would want to watch a two-hour historical drama on their mobile (exact number probably close to the number of people who reads War and Peace on the train). Interactivity is also important. It looks like game shows are coming back, again, and more American Idol type of shows. Let’s all hope it’s not YouTube idol.
