3G, the huge enabler that made true mobile internet a reality, is beginning to show its age. As the network groans under the demands put upon it by an ever increasing population of data-hungry smartphone and tablet owners, the next generation is coming quicker than you think.
Ofcom’s decision to allow Everything Everywhere (EE) to launch the UK’s first high speed 4G data network, a whole 13 months before their rivals O2 and Vodafone, has inadvertently benefited consumers. Initially met with anger from rival carriers, there is now an agreement in place to allow the nationwide rollout of the network to be brought forward by 6 months, meaning the UK could benefit from a fully-fledged 4G service by the end of the summer 2013.
Even on the surface, this will be a fantastic upgrade in users’ experience of mobile internet – speeds that can outstrip even home broadband connections offer a wealth of new applications that harness this new found power. Sharing via established social apps such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram will now become even more seamless. More importantly, the arrival of 4G might finally unlock the key to that previously elusive application – truly mobile (and social) video.
http://youtu.be/gUg4yTkoqQw
The chequered history of mobile video, from Apple’s decision not to support flash when it originally launched the iPhone, to the relatively slow uptake of HTML 5 as an industry standard for mobile viewing, has hampered development. Put on top of this the heavy data and strong 3G signal reliance to make viewing on the go worthwhile, and you have an area that is ripe for development and innovation.
The hardware is certainly ready, the newest crop of smartphones (with an apparent obsession with bigger and better screens), and the now crowded 7” tablet market, all sport 4G connectivity. For many start-ups, this is becoming the billion dollar question. In the cut throat world of app development, those who can create a simple, elegant and more importantly addictive social video app might well have the next Instagram on their hands.
With the US getting a head start on 4G, apps are starting to appear that try to address this gap in the market.
Viddy
Viddy is an Instagram-esque application that attempts to make sharing video a painless and inherently social process. Users can upload and edit video clips, adding filters and accompanying music, to share with followers and external social networks. Clips are restricted to 15 seconds long, posing the very Twitter-like challenge of creating engaging content within a restricted space/timeframe. Social media trailblazers are already dipping their toes in, with Red Bull, Justin Bieber and MTV registering sustained activity on the channel.
Social Cam
Social Cam, taking the appearance of a souped up YouTube (no longer pre-loaded on iOS6), again adopts similar filter effects and editing and sharing functions. However, unlike Viddy, there is no time limit on the length of videos that can be submitted. Early adopting brands have seen impressive follower counts and engagement, with Lipton Iced Tea, The Oprah Winfrey Network and General Electric all boasting over 700,000 followers.
Streamweaver
Not yet available in the UK, Streamweaver offers a different take on social video. Using what they call ““split-screen synchronicity”, friends can submit up to 4 videos from the same event. The app will then display these simultaneously, offering a unique “360” view of an event.
The opportunity for brands and organisations is, on the one hand, clear. The arrival of a dedicated and accepted channel for social video could offer a more rewarding platform than the current obsession with virality as a method for promotion and engagement. This, coupled with the relative infancy of mobile video advertising, could well provide a lucrative channel for brands to get their message across. Of course, as is generally the case with anything social, content that is personable and values engagement over a traditional marketing message will work best.
However, questions still linger over what the true coverage and availability of 4G will be. The reality so far appears to point at a network very much in its infancy. An on-going survey, conducted by The Guardian, is finding that even with the relatively long established 3G network, coverage remains patchy. The last unanswered question surrounds the issue of data and cost – will users have to be selective with what content they consume? Having access to impressive speeds and HD video becomes less appealing when that is clipped for fear of exceeding your monthly data allowance.
What is certain is that any new era of mobile video will be shaped by those crucial early adopters who make full use of this latest technology. The tipping point will come with widespread availability and awareness, opening up a new channel that could offer countless new opportunities in the social space.
Tempero on Google+
