Digital Media Conference Panel on the Future of Mobile Music

06.27.08 | No Comments | by: Dave Jeyes

This panel of mobile insiders will discuss the latest developments in the mobile music market, including mobile marketing initiatives, portable devices and other mobile-related innovations and revenue-generating opportunities such as music videos, full-track streaming of music, ring tones and “ringbacks.” What mobile innovations are having the greatest impact on the way consumers discover, purchase and listen to music, network with fans and artists, learn about concert information and release dates from their favorite artists and interact during the concert experience? What are the developments that will shape the industry in the years to come?

How is the experience?

Ted Cohen of TAG Strategic feels that cell phone music and video services need 3G to be a smooth and seamless experience. He also feels that playlists and and discovery is critical for the user experience. Right now it’s more of a technical experience instead of entertainment. Dick Wingate agreed that music discovery experiences on the mobile are poor, but that interfaces designed for the mobile handset will improve it.

Overall the process of searching and discovering new content on a mobile handset is weak. This problem is worse from a music standpoint with so many bands, songs, genres and hopefully getting a feel for the bands at the same time. Ron Faris of Virgin Mobile makes an excellent point that the technical and legal considerations kill the passion of fans for discovering new music which is a total bummer.

So what’s the future look like?

Virgin Mobile is doing some really awesome things with mobile technology around the Virgin Festival. They had an SMS voting competition to see who will open the show and has done Q&A with bands. They’re also looking at making a mobile social networking experience along with information about the schedule and special events at the show.

It’s really good that the entertainment execs and music distributors are looking at user experience, because they’re right. It sucks. The only problem is that they’re still the industry folks that throttle distribution channels and are scrambling to get a piece of the pie. Ted Cohen thinks that an all you can eat service plans. Ron Faris of Virgin Mobile is all about the experience, but doesn’t think an ad-supported model will work. He’s probably right though, ad-supported models won’t work if the music companies and mobile carriers get a piece of the pie.

Possibly the funniest part of the panel was a summation by the moderator Aydin Caginalp of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips:

“As live becomes more important,
mobility enhances the experience,
helps to build the community
and the entertainment industry merges with the airlines.”

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