The first thing you?d realize when you get there, is that the world is already moving toward bringing the Physical World and the Digital World together with mobile devices. Instead of building and designing a cell phone like a mini-computer, companies ARE coming up with new ideas utilizing its characteristics ? mobility and relatively low cost to manufacture. The idea of what a cell phone can do has dramatically changed.

Cell phones? popularity is surpassing that of computers in Japan. Telephone companies are struggling to sell services for landlines. In cities, payphones are disappearing. To take advantage of this popularity, wireless providers added new functions and features to their cell phones. I?m sure everyone knows some of them already. You can use your cell phone to buy soda at vending machines or groceries at stores just like using credit cards. You can scan your cell phone instead of your monthly pass at subway stations. These are already integrated in their daily life.

But now QR code reader has become a standard feature for cell phones. Users can scan the QR codes with their cell phones like using a barcode scanner. You can get information right into your cell phone, or you can bring up the web page right there to get more details. For example, you can get the nutrition facts on a package of food by putting your cell phone against that little square code. (I heard that only Smart Phones like iPhone could add the function here in this country.)

The QR-Codes are changing marketing strategies too. One day, I was on the toilet looking at the calendar that my mom had hang on the wall. It?s a promotional gift from a milk company. There in the April page, featured was a dish you can make with milk and a spring vegetable. Then I saw a QR code at the corner of the page. Too bad I didn?t take my cell phone with me to the toilet, but that?s not the point here! If you want the recipe, you can scan the code with your cell phone. You don?t need to write it down or copy it. How convenient! Right? What made me interested in getting the recipe was this ?Not-Widely-Known Facts??? above milk. Did you know that milk actually helps you get slim?

Note: This QR codes have become quite popular in Japan. ANA is the first airline to get rid of a magnetic stripe from boarding passes and has started using tickets with QR codes. As you know, paper tickets are a better choice in terms of recycling.

People are applying new technologies and creativity to further forward the capability of cell phones. I heard someone discussing the possibility of wireless company collaborating with a healthcare products company like Omron. What if you can use your cell phone to check your body temperature or heart rate or even blood pressure? If you combine that function with a videophone, you can have a quick checkup with your doctor remotely, for example. And these ideas are not far fetched at all. They are being seriously considered and probably already being developed.

I do agree with the point this presentation is making. The mobile websites are a watered down website right now. However, we have to keep our eyes and ears open to what?s going on in the rest of the world too. We need to be aware of the potential of mobile phones, and do not limit ourselves with what we already know or have.

Before I go, I must admit that it?s probably easier for a new technology to take off in Japan than in America. After all Japan is a small homogeneous country (and a land full of geeks!) And they also produce several thousand silly, outrageous and sometimes stupid creations or inventions before coming up with 1 incredible one. BUT, they never seem to quit!

“Projection for 2017:
– incredible access to large amounts of content and services
– single point and/or interface for many services/requests
– individuals known and recognized by different service operators or third parties
– access to and can mange personal stuff (heating, care, video recording, etc.)
– control of services, info and data depending on individual constraints and needs
– pay for parking, pay for groceries, get into personal and public parking – all with a mobile device
– personal terminal that can be plugged into any network anywhere, and your services are optimized based on location, terminal and network capabilities
– services interfaces are customizable and adjustable to your needs

Imagine a world where users are in control through intuitive interactions with applications, services and devices – not just one wirelesss device like a mobile phone. Services and applications are personalized, ambient-aware, and adaptive (I-centric) – ubiquitous from point of view of user; emotive; semantic.”

From a marketers and advertisers standpoint, they are asking themselves how much effort is required to execute this and how much is this going to cost. Then they are asking, what their ROI is on this…

PaulA