Mobile Social Networks:
Leading the Evolution of
Communication
Julie A. Äsk
Vice President, Principal Analyst
Forrester Research
December 2008

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Agenda
• Mobile Social Networking on the path ahead
• Today’s evolving landscape
• What’s missing
• How to get there
• What it means going forward
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Social Networks Help Build the Graph
Our Mutual Connections
Susie
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The Contact List Is a Natural Entry Point
into One’s Social Graph
Lord
Nelson’s
WagaMama
San Francisco,
California
7
George
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Marcia

The Cell Phone Lies at the Inner Core of
One’s Circle of Trust
People We Know
Friends from
Abroad
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Social Networks are Becoming Hubs of Online
Activity
Weekly average visit time
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Social Networks Offer a Convenient
Platform to Connect with One Another
Anatomy of a Social Network
Share Consume
Candidates for Mobile
(e.g., publishing for
(e.g., consuming
anonymous consumption or
media or information)
in a one-to-many broadcast)
Communicate
(e.g., sending messages to
friends or people I know)
Follow Join/Connect
(e.g., tracking friends, news, (e.g., find or meet people with
music bands, etc.) common interests. Both one
to many or one-to-one.)
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Source: JupiterResearch (07/08)

Not All Manifestations of Mobile Social
Networks Offer Equal Outcomes for the
Ecosystem
Mobile Social Network Paradigms
Social Network Mobile-Centric Mini-Me of
Aggregator Social Network Online Network
Network
Index
Status Alerts
Photos
Profiles
Messages
Broadcast Mechanism Virtual Social Network
Latitude/Longitude (Connected Camera) (Contacts)
Soci
al
Net
wor
Ph k PC-
on Based
e Contact
s
Phone
E
Capabilities m
ai
l
SMS/
MMS
I Other
M
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Increasing Sophistication

Today’s Solutions Are Inhibited by Artificial
Limitations That Fail to Put the Consumer
First
Challenges Faced by Mobile Social Networks
Alerts
Many Few
• Network
Online Loose
Integration • Applications
Social
Networking • Mobile Web Site
Giants • Distribution
Photos Tools
Posts
Videos
Few Few/Some
Tight Integration
Traditional • Native
Hardware + applications on
handsets
New
Services • PC Tools
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experience

Cell Phones Can Help Build the Social
Graph by Connecting the Dots
Role of Cell Phone in Building the Social Graph
Aggregate User Generated Content
Fun Nightclub
Good food
Susie
Cell Phone
Location
Eric
13 Add Location to Content & User
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The Emerging Importance of Mobile Social
Networking Has Broad Implications
• The wireless industry has evolved far beyond selling cell phones and
service plans
• Competition is coming from unexpected players (e.g., Apple, Google,
Disney, myspace, etc.)
• Profitability drivers differ among major players and range from
hardware sales to services to advertising which complicates business
models
• Regardless of where one sits in this ecosystem, the key success
factors are evolving. Successful companies will:
– Own the consumer contacts and associated context
– Have billing relationships
– Attract a large audience regularly
• At stake is a massive advertising market, customer loyalty (at a time
when subscriber growth will slow), and brand dominance
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Thank you
Julie A. Äsk
+1 415/ 355-6002
jask@forrester.com
Blog: http://weblogs.jupiterresearch.com/analysts/ask/
www.forrester.com
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