Mmmmoving into the future
We've said it before and we'll say it again, the key to m-commerce is targeting the service to specific customers who would be interested. Customising the m-commerce functions that they view on their mobile device can be done via the Web. At the end of the day, it is about usability and maintaining simplicity. Of course with the development of the technology some issues will be improved, like speed and display resolution, while some may get worse.
The user interface has an influence over how much the customer can see at one time and how they interact with the device through menu structures and links.
On one hand it is likely there will be a steady increase in the purchasing of PC's for personal use. On the other hand, mobile computing is getting better and handheld devices are a lot cheaper than buying a PC and much more personal.
Also expect to see a growth in the PDA device form factor over the phone. As phones start to take on other functions there will be a shift toward the phone becoming a secondary function with screen size and resolution becoming more important. After all a screen can be a keyboard, but a keyboard can't be a screen. Take a look at the Handspring Visor and its GSM phone adapter, available in the US, for a great solution that can address many people's wireless device needs.
It's important to learn the lessons from e-commerce, especially that simple designs are often the best. Even though m-commerce is still young, now is the time to learn from others' mistakes. Don't rush to market just because you have to, ensure you have a useful, quality service and gain that critical market share.
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