The current report examines a range of products and services developed by operators in Japan and South Korea in a bid to reach previously under-penetrated, yet sizeable, niche segments.
Our analysis of these markets highlights how operators have been particularly resourceful in developing and marketing:
- Location based services combined with segment specific handset designs to reach both extremes of the age pyramid - the very young and senior citizens.
- Female segment offers combining appropriately styled handsets with fashion conscious content services.
- Designer Phones showcasing operators' ability to anticipate and lead demand for handsets and services among the fashion elite in these markets.
- Larger screen devices with features designed to meet the growing needs of bloggers (whose membership extends to over 5 million in Japan today).
- Services targeting the cinema fanatic - including real-time ticket reservation and billing services with associated membership discounts.
- Mobile banking services in Korea where low mobile transaction costs lead to a dramatic growth in the number of mobile banking customers initially on the network of LG Telecom (the pioneer of this service) and later on the networks of KTF and SKT.
Detailed product and service descriptions are complemented with analysis of the impact of these initiatives to date.
