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The i-mode Wireless Ecosystem |
| Takeshi Natsuno (NTT DoCoMo, Japan) |
| i-mode is the packet-based service for mobile phones offered by Japan's leader in wireless technology, NTT DoCoMo. Unlike most of the key players in the wireless arena, i-mode eschews the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) and uses a simplified version of HTML, Compact Wireless Markup Language (CWML) instead of WAP's Wireless Markup Language (WML). Ever since its introduction in February 1999 i-mode has been the most successful mobile internet technology of the World. i.e. the quickness by which the technology has spread over Japan. In Japan, the number of i-mode users is close to a sensational 13 million. This means that 10% of Japan’s total population are using i- mode after not even 2 years of its existence.
As a progression from his first book i-mode Strategy the author describes how i-mode has evolved. He focuses on the i-mode ecosystem (the metaphor he uses to describe such a self developing business) from concept to reality, the effect of i-mode, the evolution of Cell phones, partnerships with real businesses, such as the collaboration with Coca Cola in Japan, the struggle for dominance in the net business and the globalisation of the i-mode business arena from a Japanese only ecosystem to the global arena. < | | |
