“Smart” is becoming an overused buzzword, as Internet connectivity extends beyond personal computers and phones to virtually every type of digital product, including televisions, cameras and household appliances.
In 2011, the concept of “smart” is expected to have greater influence, continuing to shape and define the personal technology experience in 2011.
This growth, irrespective of whether it is defined as evolution or revolution, is facing challenges that are stronger in intensity.
Whether these challenges are adequately met with responses will affect the future narrative in smart evolution.
For instance, the government’s attempt to limit online anonymity by requiring Internet users to register with verifiable real names when leaving comments on websites, which the authorities claimed was unavoidable to curb “cyber-bullying,” is now close to being rendered irrelevant.
Controlling content posted from smartphones is proving to be trickier than it was with PCs, and an increasing number of websites are enabling users to skip the log-in process entirely and post comments through their Facebook (www.facebook.com) and Twitter (www.twitter.com) accounts.
The country’s pre-release censoring of video games looks outdated as Apple and Google are pumping out a wave of games through their mobile content platforms every day.
“It’s inevitable that mobile computing will become the mainstream medium for connecting to the Internet, and the business strategies of companies and policies of the government should be attentive to that. There are still a number of regulations the government should ease to enable the growth of futuristic services,” said Kang Jung-soo, a professor of business management at Yonsei University.
This next stage in “smart evolution” explosiveness can only be fathomed by what happened last year.
According to figures from Korea’s three mobile-phone carriers — SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus, the country’s number of smartphone users reached the 7 million mark at the end of 2010.
It’s hard to believe that the smartphone population was just 700,000 at the end of 2009, or barely over 300,000 entering November that year, when KT finally brought the highly-anticipated Apple iPhone to Korean shores. And the rest, as they say, is mobile history.
Industry observers believe the rocketing in smartphone sales will extend into 2011, fuelled by the public’s insatiable appetite for social networking services and price falls in handsets.
Apple and Samsung Electronics, whose Galaxy S has emerged as the top-selling Android handset here, have been providing most of the sparks in the smartphone market. LG Electronics has been working feverishly to overcome its sluggish start in smartphones and is beginning to generate serious noise with its Optimus line of handsets, which are making Android phones more affordable for cost-conscious consumers.
KT has garnered around 850,000 users for Apple’s iPhone 3G smartphones and the number of its iPhone 4 subscribers is over 700,000 and counting. Samsung has managed to sell around 2 million Galaxy S handsets since releasing them last summer, while Pantech, LG and HTC have been enjoying a boost in their premium model sales as well.
(The Korea Times)
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