2008 summary and 2009 prediction of mobility in Vietnam

2008 is a quite interesting year of mobility in Vietnam. This is my summary of what happened here this year:

• Big network providers started to deliver value-added services to their customers, such as DataSafe from VinaPhone, Fast Connect from MobiFone.
• There were many marketing campaigns. Now it is easy to own a mobile phone than ever.
• Some mobile services were failed like mobile TV, Mobile Music.
• Mobile download via SMS (8xxx) is rubbish but it was still surprisingly popular to many users.
• Mobile Internet was improving with EDGE and 3G connection.
• 3G, WiMAX made no progress.
• Many persons were still thinking "mobile software" mean "mobile game".
• Online mobile application was not popular yet. However, some companies started to invest on this, such as Ola Chat, ViTalk, Tamtay Chat, Socbay Mobile Search.
• Mobile Social Network was emerging with ViHuni from ViSky, EGO(a virtual society game) from Viettel Meida and Punch.
• No Location-based Services in Vietnam yet (they are all mobile map viewers).
• iPhone, Android, BlackBerry was hot in Vietnam (by un-official means).
• Java ME was still the most popular mobile development platform in Vietnam.
• BREW was coming on S-Fone but no one noticed it.
• Some big smart-phone names disappeared, e.g. O2, dopod.
• There were few Vietnamese mobile phone brands target at low-budget users.
• Quality of some mobile programming contests were stabilized, but still no remarkable applications.

My predictions for 2009:

• More and more value-added services from network providers.
• Official iPhone, Android and BlackBerry in Vietnam.
• Nokia will still remain as the biggest mobile brand.
• Mobile Internet will be much faster and cheaper.
• 3G, WiMAX will be slow developed. WiFi will appear everywhere in big cities.
• Java ME is still steady as a popular mobile platform. MIDP 3 will be announced.
• Other mobile platforms will gain more notice (except Symbian). Mobile Software Company will develop more for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry.
• There will be more mobile social networks, some will be built from famous Vietnamese social network websites.
• LBS will not mature yet.
• SMS-based services will be hot. "Twitter Vietnam" with free SMS will be available. Yay!

They are my personal opinions. Your amendment is welcome.