Application Explosion: What's the right business model?

In recent years, the mobile data explosion and the evolution of the Web have changed the market landscape. New players are participating and creating a new value chain shaped by new business relationships and new and valuable enhancements to end user applications and experiences. As a result, finding a way to promote an environment of innovation and investment stability is a key requirement for our industry. To be successful in this new market reality, network providers must understand the strategic implications, strengths, risks and costs of typical and emerging business models, and also understand where they can be used most effectively to create market differentiation. This paper reviews the state of the industry, trends and lessons learned from the new environment to promote business models where innovation and investment co-exist in the new value chain. Using primary market research with network providers, end users, enterprises, and application and content providers (ACPs) the paper uncovers what each value chain player values, emerging industry norms, and the innovative business models being deployed for new revenue streams. It offers a new way to look at these business models to determine strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges.