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Mobile App Stores for
Telecom Operators
The Next Battlefield
Pierre Péladeau
Roman Friedrich
Mohssen Toumi
Olaf Acker
Perspective
Booz & Company
Contact Information
Beirut
Bahjat El-Darwiche
Partner
+961-1-985-655
bahjat.eldarwiche@booz.com
Hilal Halaoui
Principal
+961-1-336433
hilal.halaoui@booz.com
Dubai
Karim Sabbagh
Partner
+971-4-390-0260
karim.sabbagh@booz.com
Düsseldorf
Roman Friedrich
Partner
+49-211-3890-165
roman.friedrich@booz.com
Düsseldorf/London
Dr. Michael Peterson
Partner
+49-211-3890-140
michael.peterson@booz.com
Frankfurt
Olaf Acker
Principal
+49-69-97167-453
olaf.acker@booz.com
Mumbai
Jai Sinha
Partner
+91-22-2287-2001
jai.sinha@booz.com
Munich
Gregor Harter
Partner
+49-89-54525-554
gregor.harter@booz.com
Martin Reitenspiess
Partner
+49-89-54525-522
martin.reitenspiess@booz.com
New York
Christopher Vollmer
Partner
+1-212-551-6794
christopher.vollmer@booz.com
Paris
Pierre Péladeau
Partner
+33-1-44-34-3074
pierre.peladeau@booz.com
Mohssen Toumi
Senior Associate
+33-1-44-34-3131
mohssen.toumi@booz.com
San Francisco
Karla Martin
Partner
+1-415-263-3712
karla.martin@booz.com
Shanghai
Edward Tse
Senior Partner
+852-3650-6100
edward.tse@booz.com
Sydney
Simon Gillies
Partner
+61-3-9221-1903
simon.gillies@booz.com
Tokyo
Paul Duerloo
Partner
+81-3-6757-8615
paul.duerloo@booz.com
1Booz & Company
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
The mobile applications business has grown exponentially in
just the past three years. On the back of the hugely popular
iPhone, Apple’s App Store has quickly come to dominate the
market, but rivals such as Google, Microsoft, Nokia, and
Research in Motion Ltd. (RIM) are betting billions that they
can catch up. So far, telecom operators have been late to the
game. If they want to avoid the fate of becoming mere pipes
for the ever more popular app stores, they must devise and
implement strategies that take advantage of the very real assets
they possess.
Because of their limited customer
bases relative to the massive numbers
being put up by Apple and other
operating system vendors, operators
playing alone lack the inherent ability
to attract large numbers of applica-
tion developers to their own stores,
and they lack experience in manag-
ing open ecosystems of developer
communities. What they do have are
powerful brands, a strong relationship
with their subscribers, and the ability
to monetize that relationship. For
operators, the key is not to try to reap
the direct revenues from app sales,
but rather to develop a strong apps
offering that can help them increase
average revenue per user (ARPU),
improve customer acquisition, and
reduce churn.
To capture these benefits, operators
have three options in building their
own app stores: “closed” storefronts
offering only apps that they develop
or source themselves; “open” store-
fronts that offer access to third-party
apps and app stores, with which they
share revenue; and app stores for
phones other than smart phones, pri-
marily in developing markets through
SIM services. Operators are by no
means limited to any of these options;
rather, they should pick and choose,
depending on the OS and device
providers they partner with, and on
geography. What is critical is to ensure
they play a key role as a retailer of
apps by devising strategies—and
executing them—now, before it’s
too late.
Booz & Company2
TELECOM’S
OPPORTUNITY
Here are some numbers sure to
impress every corporate executive
looking for sources of new growth.
Within 10 months of its launch in the
summer of 2008, Apple’s App Store
had reached 1 billion downloads. The
next billion took five more months;
then, just three months later, in
January 2010, customers had down-
loaded yet another billion apps. Apple
doesn’t break out revenues for its App
Store, but observers estimate that it
could generate as much as US$3 bil-
lion in sales for Apple and its develop-
ers in 2010.
The success of Apple’s App Store
has been driven largely by the global
popularity of its iPhone. With more
than 35 million units sold since its
inception in 2007, the iPhone is the
linchpin of a entire ecosystem of
products—from the OS X operat-
ing system to Macintosh hardware
to consumer-friendly applications to
Internet services like iTunes. Numbers
like these are certain to attract com-
petitors, and indeed, the App Store’s
numbers have. We expect that more
than 1 billion smart phones of all
kinds will be in use by 2013, driving
increased usage of data services, with
end-users spending as much as $22
billion on mobile apps, not including
additional revenues to be gained from
mobile advertising in apps and games.
So far, however, telecom operators
have not benefited from the popularity
of mobile apps, other than through
the increased use of their data services.
While many mobile operators have
tried to jump on the mobile apps
bandwagon by opening their own app
stores, they have not yet gained much
traction in the market. Are mobile
operators doomed to serve as little
more than bit pipes for ever-more-
powerful manufacturers of smart
phones and their operating systems?
Mobile operators do indeed face real
challenges in their efforts to partici-
pate in the fast-growing apps busi-
ness, but we believe they can compete
successfully if they can determine how
best to position themselves within
the mobile apps ecosystem, develop
the right strategies, and execute them
carefully. The best strategies must
focus on capturing the customer’s
attention by becoming the entry point
into the world of applications, not
on capturing revenues from applica-
tion sales.
3Booz & Company
SUCCESS
FACTORS
Exhibit 1
The Evolution of Mobile Apps
Source: Booz & Company
Strategic
Objectives
Typical
Business
Deliverables
criss-
cross
. 7 values
100% 25% lines75% 50% dots
IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, I INTEND TO REVERT BACK TO MY PRE-RECESSION BUYING HABITS IN THIS CATEGORY
(PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS WHO AGREED)
9% Utility bills & services
2008Earlier Q1/092007 Q2/09 Q4/09Q3/09
HOW MOBILE APPLICATION STORES HAVE EVOLVED
Gold Rush
Take Off
Emergence
Q1/10
Early pioneers, mainly
independent players,
have little to no success
The game changer:
linking the device to
the apps
New competitors hurry
to stake a claim
GetJar
Handango
Handmark
PocketGear
SlideME
Mobango
MobiHand
Apple
Android
BlackBerry
Samsung Application Store
AppliStore
Bouygues Telecom
Verizon Wireless Media Store
China Telecom
O 360
Palm
Nokia Ovi
Windows Marketplace
LG
PlayNow Arena
Mobile Market
Sprint
Orange
SK Telecom
PocketGear
acquires
Handango
Apple’s success in the mobile apps
market was by no means predestined.
After the first mobile apps were
introduced by independent players in
the late 1990s, any number of smaller
players quickly entered the market.
But it wasn’t until Apple entered the
mobile app business, a year after the
introduction of the iPhone, that the
world came to understand its value as
a driver of both revenue and smart-
phone sales (see Exhibit 1).
What made Apple’s App Store take
off? First of all, the company had a
head start—a powerful brand whose
customers had a strong emotional
attachment to its Macintosh comput-
ers and its iPod and iTunes ecosys-
tem. That degree of loyalty was only
deepened with the introduction of
the iPhone, thanks to its revolution-
ary design and interface. Attracting
developers to the App Store proved
easy with a generous revenue-sharing
agreement and easy-to-use develop-
ment tools and technical assistance;
the result was an explosion of rich
content, more than 140,000 apps in
less than two years. Finally, by selling
apps through its popular iTunes store,
with a readily available billing system,
and then in turn using the apps’
popularity to help make advanta-
geous deals with telecom carriers to
offer iPhones, Apple found a way to
monetize its iPhone ecosystem with
impressive efficiency. The result: a
retail powerhouse based on key suc-
cess factors that competitors are find-
ing very difficult to replicate.
Since Apple introduced the App Store,
lots of competitors have appeared on
the scene—other makers of mobile
devices, vendors of mobile operat-
ing systems, telecom operators, and
independent app stores—with vary-
ing degrees of success. No one has
yet come close to rivaling Apple, in
part because every competitor has
to attract two audiences—not just
customers but also developers—and
few rivals to Apple’s App Store have
succeeded in doing so.
Booz & Company4
THE OPERATOR
ADVANTAGE
Telecom operators looking to benefit
from the popularity of mobile apps
cannot expect to rival Apple in the
revenue it generates from the App
Store. Nor should that be where
operators aim to participate, since the
potential incremental revenues are
so small. We expect that in 2013, all
application store providers worldwide
will capture just a 30 percent share
of overall apps revenues, or about $7
billion, with the remaining 70 percent
going to developers. This is a drop in
the bucket compared with the telecom
industry’s projected overall 2013
revenues of $1.6 trillion.
The real economic value for operators
lies in the increased revenues to be
captured through the rising use of data
services linked to mobile apps and
the customer loyalty that app usage
has the potential to generate. Users of
iPhones use their phones more than
other mobile phone users do, and
most of that extra time is devoted to
downloading data. As smart phones
become more and more popular, data
usage will only increase—and that, in
turn, will be the source of real revenue
increases for mobile operators.
But those added revenues will appear
only if operators can acquire and
retain the customers most likely to
use their phones to download mobile
apps. Here is where the value propo-
sition for operators can be found—
along with the risk. And operators
that do succeed in offering customers
attractive ways to access mobile apps
will benefit in three ways.
Customer acquisition: Easy access to
attractive app stores can attract new
customers, as can customizing mobile
devices to get customers to app stores
more directly, through exclusive deals
linking specific devices to app stores,
much like Apple’s deal with AT&T for
the iPhone.
Higher ARPUs: Customers with smart
phones that can easily access attractive
app stores are significantly more valu-
able to operators. In the U.S., iPhone
users generate 1.63 times the ARPU
of the average customer; in western
Europe they generate 2.45 times the
average. The difference lies in varying
consumption patterns—though iPhone
users are typically high-value custom-
ers, much of the higher ARPU can be
attributed to their higher data usage.
Reduced churn: As mobile apps
become more popular, easy access to
attractive app stores will likely help
retain customers, especially as they
become more dependent on their
device interfaces. If an operator with
25 million subscribers and an ARPU
of €35 (US$47.40) can reduce churn
by just 1 percentage point, it can
retain 250,000 subscribers who
generate about €100 million in
revenue annually.
The key for operators is to maintain
and strengthen their relationships with
customers, more and more of whom
will view access to mobile apps as a
critical component in choosing and
staying with their operator. Thus,
every operator must devise a strategy
for incorporating mobile apps into
its offerings; those that do not come
up with a winning strategy risk losing
customers to rivals that do. Worse yet
is the possibility of losing the end-
customer relationship to third-party
app stores, which would have poten-
tially dire consequences for operators’
core business.
5Booz & Company
As we have seen, every player, includ-
ing operators, looking to build a
successful mobile app store needs to
attract two audiences: customers, of
course, but also the developers willing
to create the critical mass of applica-
tions needed to attract those custom-
ers and keep them coming back for
more (see Exhibit 2). In addition to
the sheer number of applications avail-
able, successful app stores need both a
constant source of popular new apps
and a long tail of less popular applica-
tions to maintain consumer interest.
The most popular category of apps
at Apple’s App Store, for instance, is
gaming, but it still constitutes just 17
percent of all available apps.
Operators are limited in their ability
to generate the capabilities needed
to attract and keep a strong devel-
oper community. Although there
is nothing holding them back from
offering developers attractive busi-
ness terms—most app stores allow
developers to keep 70 percent or more
of the revenue brought in by their
apps—other factors are more challeng-
ing. Managing a thriving developer
ATTRACTING
THE RIGHT
AUDIENCES
Exhibit 2
The Virtuous Circle in App Stores: A Strong Customer Base Attracts More Developers, and More Apps from
Developers Attract More Customers
Source: Booz & Company
Strategic
Objectives
Typical
Business
Deliverables
criss-
cross
. 7 values
100% 25% lines75% 50% dots
Operators’ Strengths and Challenges in
Attracting Developers and Sourcing Apps
Operators’ Strengths and Challenges in
Making Use of Customer Assets
9%
Natural Challenge
More Developers More Customers
Powerful Brand & Marketing
- Operators can benefit from their strong
brand in their local marketsQuality Technical Support
- Managing a developer community
is a high-cost business
- Operators are not used to the
software business
High Reach & Exposure
- Most operators have relatively
small subscriber bases,
compared to the global installed
bases of many OEMs
Generous Business Model
- Operators can implement
revenue-sharing model similar
to the market standard
Broad & Diverse Offerings
-The limited number of developers,
fragmented across several platforms,
limits the breadth of offerings
- But in some markets, operators
can leverage local content
Quality Storefront
- By managing their networks, operators
can improve the quality of their data traffic
- Knowing customers’ needs and behavior,
operators can develop friendly, locally
relevant app stores
- But other app stores could also analyze
customer behavior
Easy Monetization Engine
- Operators can use subscriber accounts
for payment, making the process easy
for customers
Natural Strength Neutral
Booz & Company6
community and offering the high-
quality technical support developers
need is an expensive operation, and
few operators have experience in the
software business. And compared with
makers of mobile devices or mobile
operating systems, few operators have
the huge global installed base needed
to provide enough customers to
attract developers, unless they partner
with other operators.
In contrast to their difficulties in
attracting strong developer communi-
ties, telecom operators do have the
strengths necessary to attract a critical
mass of customers.
Powerful brands and marketing
expertise: Operators could benefit
from their strong brands in their local
markets and their ability to steer traf-
fic to their app stores by customizing
devices to send users there directly.
Quality of storefront: Because opera-
tors have control over their networks,
they can provide customers with dif-
ferentiated offerings based on quality
of service. High data users could be
given the option of paying more for
reliable connections and downloads.
By the same token, operators could
leverage their local and operator-
specific capabilities to provide content
such as mobile TV or telecom-specific
apps for uses such as consumption
tracking and service control.
Monetization: Operators’ close
relationship with their customers will
allow them to develop simple pay-
ment tools, including direct debiting
of subscriber accounts and mobile
payment (m-payment) systems.
Such tools would promote access to
app stores and smooth the buying
process—a particularly attractive
solution in emerging markets, where
few subscribers have their own bank
accounts.
Based on these strengths, mobile
operators have several levers they can
pull in devising a strategy to build an
app store (see Exhibit 3). Operators’
use of these levers will determine their
strategic direction for the future.
Exhibit 3
Assets and Potential Levers for Operators in the Mobile Apps Market
Source: Booz & Company
Strategic
Objectives
Typical
Business
Deliverables
criss-
cross
. 7 values
100% 25% lines75% 50% dots
ASSETS STRATEGIC LEVERS
9% Utility bills & services
Ability to Steer
Traffic
Local/Operator-
specific Content
Control of Network
Quality
Steer Traffic toward Preferred Stores
- Steer traffic through soft keys or other handset customization levers
Provide Own Applications
- Provide apps utilizing operator-specific or local content (e.g., consumption
tracking, TV)
Provide Convenient Payment Tools
- Be a monetization engine for third parties’ app stores through simple
m-payment systems
Payment Tools
Differentiate Service-level Data Packages
- Create data packages based on partnerships with third-party app stores to
guarantee (for a premium) network quality for data-intensive apps
1
2
3
4
7Booz & Company
An App Store Consortium
One solution to the problem of attracting developers might be for
operators to band together, and two separate initiatives are intended to
do just that. A group of four mobile operators—China Mobile, SoftBank,
Verizon Wireless, and Vodafone—has made plans to create the Joint
Innovation Lab (JIL). By bundling all of its customers into one large
audience, the JIL hopes to persuade developers to create rich content of
all kinds.
The second effort involves a consortium of 24 mobile operators, called
the Wholesale Applications Community (WAC), to allow developers to
distribute applications across a number of delivery platforms through
a single point of entry. As with any consortium, the challenge will be to
coordinate the WAC’s numerous partners and their many, sometimes
competing initiatives; if the WAC can overcome that, it will have created a
very substantial audience with which to attract developers.
Both initiatives are supported by a number of handset manufacturers,
including LG Electronics, RIM, Samsung Electronics, and Sony Ericsson.
Telecom operators have the
strengths necessary to attract
a critical mass of customers.
Booz & Company8
Despite the many considerable assets
operators possess in their efforts to
compete in the mobile apps markets,
perhaps the most serious challenge
they face is their lack of control
over the many mobile operating
systems running on the vast number
of different devices available to
consumers. No matter what app store
strategy they devise, operators must
take this diversity—and the different
market dynamics of each OS—into
account, pulling different levers
depending on the OS.
iPhones: Despite accounting for 11
percent of the mobile device market
in 2009, the iPhone accounted
for two-thirds of the mobile
apps downloaded. Given its tight
integration with Apple’s own App
Store and controlling stake in the
market, the iPhone offers little in the
way of opportunities for operators
to benefit. Operators that have
made deals with Apple to offer the
iPhone have certainly seen increases
in subscribers. Other possibilities,
however, may be limited to developing
iPhone-specific applications that are
close to operators’ core business,
such as mobile TV for subscribers, or
devising differentiated service-level
plans for iPhone users who consume
lots of data.
BlackBerrys: The popular BlackBerry
offers more opportunities for
operators. As with the iPhone,
operators could develop their
WORKING
WITH THE OS
No matter what app store strategy
operators devise, they must take into
account the vast number of different
devices available to consumers.
9Booz & Company
own subscriber-specific apps, and
differentiate traffic from applications
or subscribers by service levels. They
could also offer their monetization
engines to the BlackBerry store,
although we believe it could be more
appropriate for them to include
BlackBerry apps in their own app
stores in order to retain customer
ownership.
Other operating systems: The app
stores landscape in other operating
systems, including Android, Symbian,
and Windows Mobile, is more
fragmented, with many players—
equipment manufacturers, operators,
and independents—having their own
app stores, although the OS owners
have the richest ones at the moment.
This fragmentation potentially gives
operators more freedom of movement
in the mobile apps space. In this case,
operators could potentially have a
right to win by building their own
app storefront, provided they can
feed it with apps from developers.
This storefront could take several
forms. The simplest form would
provide subscribers with access to the
thousands of apps offered at other
stores, perhaps including tools to
smooth the purchasing process.
Operators could also build their
own stores, offering apps developed
for a variety of systems, as well
as subscriber-specific apps for
local content or data consumption
management. Ambitious operators
could also build a niche for themselves
by providing differentiated content
through customized apps targeted to
specific customer segments.
The most complex option would
involve an integrated strategy, in
which an operator would offer its
own smart phone, and partner with
the maker of the phone’s OS to
develop its own app store, and the
apps to go with it. The success of this
option would depend on generating
the critical mass of apps needed to
attract more developers and, in turn,
more customers. For instance, China
Mobile, with more than 500 million
subscribers, is planning to launch its
own smart phone equipped with a
customized OS to be supplemented by
the operator’s own app store.
Non-smart phones: Mobile devices
that don’t offer the latest Web-surfing
and apps capabilities of smart phones
provide a further opportunity for
operators, especially in emerging
markets, where their use is most
common. Smart phones make up no
more than 10 percent of all mobile
devices in these markets. In addition,
end-users may see little need to pay
for entertainment apps, given the
prevalence of piracy. However, users
do see the high value that certain
practical apps—such as e-government
(perhaps funded by local governments
themselves), health, and education
services—can bring to them.
Operators could also leverage the
increasing development and spread of
m-payment services in these markets
to monetize their applications.
Booz & Company10
Setting the iPhone juggernaut aside,
the world of mobile apps is highly
fragmented, with no app store
yet owning a significant share of
the market. That presents a real
opportunity for mobile operators
looking to get into the business.
Operators can leverage their
relationships with subscribers by
following one of several strategies, all
of which are designed to aggregate, to
varying degrees, the quickly growing
number of third-party apps already
available. Each of these strategies
depends on one or more of the assets
that operators can leverage in pursuit
of an app store play, and they can be
tailored to the device and operating
system under consideration. It is
conceivable that all of them could be
carried out simultaneously, depending
on device and geography.
In every case, the key for operators
is to maintain the relationship with
end-users if they want to avoid being
relegated to a mere bit pipe.
Closed storefront: The first possibility
is to build a closed storefront that
offers only applications developed
or sourced by the operator, and
competes head-on with third-party
app stores; examples include Orange
and Telefónica. These storefronts
could be integrated with a specific
device, like the iTunes App Store with
the iPhone. In this case they would
depend on the creation of a mobile
device in combination with dedicated
apps; both Vodafone and China
Mobile have taken this approach. The
storefronts could also be tailored to
niche markets, dedicated to a specific
handset, OS, or customer segment,
such as teenagers.
Closed storefronts might also contain
special areas featuring apps for which
developers pay a premium for greater
visibility or apps being promoted to
particular user segments, as identified
through customer intelligence. And
they would also offer convenient
purchase models via customer
accounts or instant m-payment
solutions.
Open storefront: An open storefront
would offer access to third-party app
stores, in addition to the features and
components of a closed storefront. An
easy interface would facilitate access
to third-party stores through soft
keys and other links, and revenues
would be shared with the third-party
partners. An open arrangement
would allow operators to provide
their subscribers with access to the
large and diverse catalogs of apps
available on a variety of OS and
device platforms, while avoiding the
challenge of building a developer
community on their own.
SIM app store: Finally, operators
could build a SIM app store for
phones other than smart phones.
This strategy is especially attractive
for operators that want to gain a
competitive edge in emerging markets
by offering attractive apps along with
workable m-payment solutions. An
added bonus: These markets are not
yet on the radar screen of the large
independent app stores, since more
than 80 percent of the world’s smart
phones are located in developed
markets.
No matter which strategy an operator
chooses, the key is to offer subscribers
a quality storefront they will be happy
to return to, and to build into the
storefront the features that will help
the operator maintain its relationship
with subscribers and generate
incremental revenue at the same time
(see “Components of a Successful App
Storefront”).
THREE
STRATEGIES
11Booz & Company
Components of a Successful App Storefront
Local content: Apps and other services designed for subscribers in
particular geographies served by the operator. Examples include mobile
TV, news, and information. Local content may be especially successful as
part of SIM-based app stores in developing markets.
Operator-specific apps: Apps intended to help subscribers manage their
relationship with the operator, including account management; billing;
and voice, message, and data consumption, as well as services such as
mobile TV.
Premium apps: Apps that are given premium placement on the storefront
in exchange for payment by their owners.
Apps catalog: A collection of apps sourced through partnerships with
developers and companies promoting apps, which could be paid for
through revenue-sharing agreements.
Payment: Tools that allow users to pay for apps and services through
convenient m-payment solutions or through their mobile accounts.
Mobile advertising: Space on app storefronts or within apps themselves,
sold by operators to advertisers, with content often keyed to the current
interests and browsing habits of subscribers.
Gateways to third parties: Links to other app stores owned by third-party
apps developers, OS owners, device makers, and independents—
redirecting traffic to cobranded spaces in third-party stores, for example.
Booz & Company12
CONCLUSION As the competition to provide
consumers with more and better
mobile apps heats up, telecom
operators run the risk of becoming
mere conduits to the successful
app stores of others. To avoid that
fate, operators must play the game,
building storefronts attractive enough
to maintain the critical relationship
with their subscribers. The real upside
for operators, beyond targeting
additional revenues from selling
apps, is churn reduction, increased
ARPU, and improved subscriber
acquisition. Succeeding in this arena
requires operators to master the
business of retailing mobile apps
and getting access to a large network
of developers or partners, in order
to feed their subscribers with large,
regularly renewable catalogs of apps.
The mobile apps business is moving
and evolving quickly. Operators that
act now stand to reap significant
advantage.
13Booz & Company
About the Authors
Roman Friedrich is a
Booz & Company partner
based in Düsseldorf and
Stockholm. He leads the
communications, media,
and technology practice in
Europe, and specializes in
the strategic transformation
of fixed-line and mobile
communications, technology-
based transformation, and
sales and marketing in the
communications, media, and
technology industries.
Pierre Péladeau is a
Booz & Company
partner based in Paris.
He works primarily in
the telecommunications,
media, and high-technology
industries. His focus
areas include strategic
transformations, operating
models, growth, innovation,
sales and marketing, and
technology strategies.
Olaf Acker is a
Booz & Company principal
based in Frankfurt. He focuses
on technology strategy for
communications, media, and
technology companies.
Mohssen Toumi is a
Booz & Company senior
associate based in Paris.
He works primarily with
high-tech companies
and telecommunications
operators. His focus areas
include growth, innovation,
sales and marketing, and the
development of technologies
in emerging countries.
©2010 Booz & Company Inc.
Booz & Company is a leading global management
consulting firm, helping the world’s top businesses,
governments, and organizations.
Our founder, Edwin Booz, defined the profession
when he established the first management consulting
firm in 1914.
Today, with more than 3,300 people in 60 offices
around the world, we bring foresight and knowledge,
deep functional expertise, and a practical approach
to building capabilities and delivering real impact.
We work closely with our clients to create and deliver
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Mobile app stores_for_telecom_operators

  • 1. Mobile App Stores for Telecom Operators The Next Battlefield Pierre Péladeau Roman Friedrich Mohssen Toumi Olaf Acker Perspective
  • 2. Booz & Company Contact Information Beirut Bahjat El-Darwiche Partner +961-1-985-655 bahjat.eldarwiche@booz.com Hilal Halaoui Principal +961-1-336433 hilal.halaoui@booz.com Dubai Karim Sabbagh Partner +971-4-390-0260 karim.sabbagh@booz.com Düsseldorf Roman Friedrich Partner +49-211-3890-165 roman.friedrich@booz.com Düsseldorf/London Dr. Michael Peterson Partner +49-211-3890-140 michael.peterson@booz.com Frankfurt Olaf Acker Principal +49-69-97167-453 olaf.acker@booz.com Mumbai Jai Sinha Partner +91-22-2287-2001 jai.sinha@booz.com Munich Gregor Harter Partner +49-89-54525-554 gregor.harter@booz.com Martin Reitenspiess Partner +49-89-54525-522 martin.reitenspiess@booz.com New York Christopher Vollmer Partner +1-212-551-6794 christopher.vollmer@booz.com Paris Pierre Péladeau Partner +33-1-44-34-3074 pierre.peladeau@booz.com Mohssen Toumi Senior Associate +33-1-44-34-3131 mohssen.toumi@booz.com San Francisco Karla Martin Partner +1-415-263-3712 karla.martin@booz.com Shanghai Edward Tse Senior Partner +852-3650-6100 edward.tse@booz.com Sydney Simon Gillies Partner +61-3-9221-1903 simon.gillies@booz.com Tokyo Paul Duerloo Partner +81-3-6757-8615 paul.duerloo@booz.com
  • 3. 1Booz & Company EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The mobile applications business has grown exponentially in just the past three years. On the back of the hugely popular iPhone, Apple’s App Store has quickly come to dominate the market, but rivals such as Google, Microsoft, Nokia, and Research in Motion Ltd. (RIM) are betting billions that they can catch up. So far, telecom operators have been late to the game. If they want to avoid the fate of becoming mere pipes for the ever more popular app stores, they must devise and implement strategies that take advantage of the very real assets they possess. Because of their limited customer bases relative to the massive numbers being put up by Apple and other operating system vendors, operators playing alone lack the inherent ability to attract large numbers of applica- tion developers to their own stores, and they lack experience in manag- ing open ecosystems of developer communities. What they do have are powerful brands, a strong relationship with their subscribers, and the ability to monetize that relationship. For operators, the key is not to try to reap the direct revenues from app sales, but rather to develop a strong apps offering that can help them increase average revenue per user (ARPU), improve customer acquisition, and reduce churn. To capture these benefits, operators have three options in building their own app stores: “closed” storefronts offering only apps that they develop or source themselves; “open” store- fronts that offer access to third-party apps and app stores, with which they share revenue; and app stores for phones other than smart phones, pri- marily in developing markets through SIM services. Operators are by no means limited to any of these options; rather, they should pick and choose, depending on the OS and device providers they partner with, and on geography. What is critical is to ensure they play a key role as a retailer of apps by devising strategies—and executing them—now, before it’s too late.
  • 4. Booz & Company2 TELECOM’S OPPORTUNITY Here are some numbers sure to impress every corporate executive looking for sources of new growth. Within 10 months of its launch in the summer of 2008, Apple’s App Store had reached 1 billion downloads. The next billion took five more months; then, just three months later, in January 2010, customers had down- loaded yet another billion apps. Apple doesn’t break out revenues for its App Store, but observers estimate that it could generate as much as US$3 bil- lion in sales for Apple and its develop- ers in 2010. The success of Apple’s App Store has been driven largely by the global popularity of its iPhone. With more than 35 million units sold since its inception in 2007, the iPhone is the linchpin of a entire ecosystem of products—from the OS X operat- ing system to Macintosh hardware to consumer-friendly applications to Internet services like iTunes. Numbers like these are certain to attract com- petitors, and indeed, the App Store’s numbers have. We expect that more than 1 billion smart phones of all kinds will be in use by 2013, driving increased usage of data services, with end-users spending as much as $22 billion on mobile apps, not including additional revenues to be gained from mobile advertising in apps and games. So far, however, telecom operators have not benefited from the popularity of mobile apps, other than through the increased use of their data services. While many mobile operators have tried to jump on the mobile apps bandwagon by opening their own app stores, they have not yet gained much traction in the market. Are mobile operators doomed to serve as little more than bit pipes for ever-more- powerful manufacturers of smart phones and their operating systems? Mobile operators do indeed face real challenges in their efforts to partici- pate in the fast-growing apps busi- ness, but we believe they can compete successfully if they can determine how best to position themselves within the mobile apps ecosystem, develop the right strategies, and execute them carefully. The best strategies must focus on capturing the customer’s attention by becoming the entry point into the world of applications, not on capturing revenues from applica- tion sales.
  • 5. 3Booz & Company SUCCESS FACTORS Exhibit 1 The Evolution of Mobile Apps Source: Booz & Company Strategic Objectives Typical Business Deliverables criss- cross . 7 values 100% 25% lines75% 50% dots IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, I INTEND TO REVERT BACK TO MY PRE-RECESSION BUYING HABITS IN THIS CATEGORY (PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS WHO AGREED) 9% Utility bills & services 2008Earlier Q1/092007 Q2/09 Q4/09Q3/09 HOW MOBILE APPLICATION STORES HAVE EVOLVED Gold Rush Take Off Emergence Q1/10 Early pioneers, mainly independent players, have little to no success The game changer: linking the device to the apps New competitors hurry to stake a claim GetJar Handango Handmark PocketGear SlideME Mobango MobiHand Apple Android BlackBerry Samsung Application Store AppliStore Bouygues Telecom Verizon Wireless Media Store China Telecom O 360 Palm Nokia Ovi Windows Marketplace LG PlayNow Arena Mobile Market Sprint Orange SK Telecom PocketGear acquires Handango Apple’s success in the mobile apps market was by no means predestined. After the first mobile apps were introduced by independent players in the late 1990s, any number of smaller players quickly entered the market. But it wasn’t until Apple entered the mobile app business, a year after the introduction of the iPhone, that the world came to understand its value as a driver of both revenue and smart- phone sales (see Exhibit 1). What made Apple’s App Store take off? First of all, the company had a head start—a powerful brand whose customers had a strong emotional attachment to its Macintosh comput- ers and its iPod and iTunes ecosys- tem. That degree of loyalty was only deepened with the introduction of the iPhone, thanks to its revolution- ary design and interface. Attracting developers to the App Store proved easy with a generous revenue-sharing agreement and easy-to-use develop- ment tools and technical assistance; the result was an explosion of rich content, more than 140,000 apps in less than two years. Finally, by selling apps through its popular iTunes store, with a readily available billing system, and then in turn using the apps’ popularity to help make advanta- geous deals with telecom carriers to offer iPhones, Apple found a way to monetize its iPhone ecosystem with impressive efficiency. The result: a retail powerhouse based on key suc- cess factors that competitors are find- ing very difficult to replicate. Since Apple introduced the App Store, lots of competitors have appeared on the scene—other makers of mobile devices, vendors of mobile operat- ing systems, telecom operators, and independent app stores—with vary- ing degrees of success. No one has yet come close to rivaling Apple, in part because every competitor has to attract two audiences—not just customers but also developers—and few rivals to Apple’s App Store have succeeded in doing so.
  • 6. Booz & Company4 THE OPERATOR ADVANTAGE Telecom operators looking to benefit from the popularity of mobile apps cannot expect to rival Apple in the revenue it generates from the App Store. Nor should that be where operators aim to participate, since the potential incremental revenues are so small. We expect that in 2013, all application store providers worldwide will capture just a 30 percent share of overall apps revenues, or about $7 billion, with the remaining 70 percent going to developers. This is a drop in the bucket compared with the telecom industry’s projected overall 2013 revenues of $1.6 trillion. The real economic value for operators lies in the increased revenues to be captured through the rising use of data services linked to mobile apps and the customer loyalty that app usage has the potential to generate. Users of iPhones use their phones more than other mobile phone users do, and most of that extra time is devoted to downloading data. As smart phones become more and more popular, data usage will only increase—and that, in turn, will be the source of real revenue increases for mobile operators. But those added revenues will appear only if operators can acquire and retain the customers most likely to use their phones to download mobile apps. Here is where the value propo- sition for operators can be found— along with the risk. And operators that do succeed in offering customers attractive ways to access mobile apps will benefit in three ways. Customer acquisition: Easy access to attractive app stores can attract new customers, as can customizing mobile devices to get customers to app stores more directly, through exclusive deals linking specific devices to app stores, much like Apple’s deal with AT&T for the iPhone. Higher ARPUs: Customers with smart phones that can easily access attractive app stores are significantly more valu- able to operators. In the U.S., iPhone users generate 1.63 times the ARPU of the average customer; in western Europe they generate 2.45 times the average. The difference lies in varying consumption patterns—though iPhone users are typically high-value custom- ers, much of the higher ARPU can be attributed to their higher data usage. Reduced churn: As mobile apps become more popular, easy access to attractive app stores will likely help retain customers, especially as they become more dependent on their device interfaces. If an operator with 25 million subscribers and an ARPU of €35 (US$47.40) can reduce churn by just 1 percentage point, it can retain 250,000 subscribers who generate about €100 million in revenue annually. The key for operators is to maintain and strengthen their relationships with customers, more and more of whom will view access to mobile apps as a critical component in choosing and staying with their operator. Thus, every operator must devise a strategy for incorporating mobile apps into its offerings; those that do not come up with a winning strategy risk losing customers to rivals that do. Worse yet is the possibility of losing the end- customer relationship to third-party app stores, which would have poten- tially dire consequences for operators’ core business.
  • 7. 5Booz & Company As we have seen, every player, includ- ing operators, looking to build a successful mobile app store needs to attract two audiences: customers, of course, but also the developers willing to create the critical mass of applica- tions needed to attract those custom- ers and keep them coming back for more (see Exhibit 2). In addition to the sheer number of applications avail- able, successful app stores need both a constant source of popular new apps and a long tail of less popular applica- tions to maintain consumer interest. The most popular category of apps at Apple’s App Store, for instance, is gaming, but it still constitutes just 17 percent of all available apps. Operators are limited in their ability to generate the capabilities needed to attract and keep a strong devel- oper community. Although there is nothing holding them back from offering developers attractive busi- ness terms—most app stores allow developers to keep 70 percent or more of the revenue brought in by their apps—other factors are more challeng- ing. Managing a thriving developer ATTRACTING THE RIGHT AUDIENCES Exhibit 2 The Virtuous Circle in App Stores: A Strong Customer Base Attracts More Developers, and More Apps from Developers Attract More Customers Source: Booz & Company Strategic Objectives Typical Business Deliverables criss- cross . 7 values 100% 25% lines75% 50% dots Operators’ Strengths and Challenges in Attracting Developers and Sourcing Apps Operators’ Strengths and Challenges in Making Use of Customer Assets 9% Natural Challenge More Developers More Customers Powerful Brand & Marketing - Operators can benefit from their strong brand in their local marketsQuality Technical Support - Managing a developer community is a high-cost business - Operators are not used to the software business High Reach & Exposure - Most operators have relatively small subscriber bases, compared to the global installed bases of many OEMs Generous Business Model - Operators can implement revenue-sharing model similar to the market standard Broad & Diverse Offerings -The limited number of developers, fragmented across several platforms, limits the breadth of offerings - But in some markets, operators can leverage local content Quality Storefront - By managing their networks, operators can improve the quality of their data traffic - Knowing customers’ needs and behavior, operators can develop friendly, locally relevant app stores - But other app stores could also analyze customer behavior Easy Monetization Engine - Operators can use subscriber accounts for payment, making the process easy for customers Natural Strength Neutral
  • 8. Booz & Company6 community and offering the high- quality technical support developers need is an expensive operation, and few operators have experience in the software business. And compared with makers of mobile devices or mobile operating systems, few operators have the huge global installed base needed to provide enough customers to attract developers, unless they partner with other operators. In contrast to their difficulties in attracting strong developer communi- ties, telecom operators do have the strengths necessary to attract a critical mass of customers. Powerful brands and marketing expertise: Operators could benefit from their strong brands in their local markets and their ability to steer traf- fic to their app stores by customizing devices to send users there directly. Quality of storefront: Because opera- tors have control over their networks, they can provide customers with dif- ferentiated offerings based on quality of service. High data users could be given the option of paying more for reliable connections and downloads. By the same token, operators could leverage their local and operator- specific capabilities to provide content such as mobile TV or telecom-specific apps for uses such as consumption tracking and service control. Monetization: Operators’ close relationship with their customers will allow them to develop simple pay- ment tools, including direct debiting of subscriber accounts and mobile payment (m-payment) systems. Such tools would promote access to app stores and smooth the buying process—a particularly attractive solution in emerging markets, where few subscribers have their own bank accounts. Based on these strengths, mobile operators have several levers they can pull in devising a strategy to build an app store (see Exhibit 3). Operators’ use of these levers will determine their strategic direction for the future. Exhibit 3 Assets and Potential Levers for Operators in the Mobile Apps Market Source: Booz & Company Strategic Objectives Typical Business Deliverables criss- cross . 7 values 100% 25% lines75% 50% dots ASSETS STRATEGIC LEVERS 9% Utility bills & services Ability to Steer Traffic Local/Operator- specific Content Control of Network Quality Steer Traffic toward Preferred Stores - Steer traffic through soft keys or other handset customization levers Provide Own Applications - Provide apps utilizing operator-specific or local content (e.g., consumption tracking, TV) Provide Convenient Payment Tools - Be a monetization engine for third parties’ app stores through simple m-payment systems Payment Tools Differentiate Service-level Data Packages - Create data packages based on partnerships with third-party app stores to guarantee (for a premium) network quality for data-intensive apps 1 2 3 4
  • 9. 7Booz & Company An App Store Consortium One solution to the problem of attracting developers might be for operators to band together, and two separate initiatives are intended to do just that. A group of four mobile operators—China Mobile, SoftBank, Verizon Wireless, and Vodafone—has made plans to create the Joint Innovation Lab (JIL). By bundling all of its customers into one large audience, the JIL hopes to persuade developers to create rich content of all kinds. The second effort involves a consortium of 24 mobile operators, called the Wholesale Applications Community (WAC), to allow developers to distribute applications across a number of delivery platforms through a single point of entry. As with any consortium, the challenge will be to coordinate the WAC’s numerous partners and their many, sometimes competing initiatives; if the WAC can overcome that, it will have created a very substantial audience with which to attract developers. Both initiatives are supported by a number of handset manufacturers, including LG Electronics, RIM, Samsung Electronics, and Sony Ericsson. Telecom operators have the strengths necessary to attract a critical mass of customers.
  • 10. Booz & Company8 Despite the many considerable assets operators possess in their efforts to compete in the mobile apps markets, perhaps the most serious challenge they face is their lack of control over the many mobile operating systems running on the vast number of different devices available to consumers. No matter what app store strategy they devise, operators must take this diversity—and the different market dynamics of each OS—into account, pulling different levers depending on the OS. iPhones: Despite accounting for 11 percent of the mobile device market in 2009, the iPhone accounted for two-thirds of the mobile apps downloaded. Given its tight integration with Apple’s own App Store and controlling stake in the market, the iPhone offers little in the way of opportunities for operators to benefit. Operators that have made deals with Apple to offer the iPhone have certainly seen increases in subscribers. Other possibilities, however, may be limited to developing iPhone-specific applications that are close to operators’ core business, such as mobile TV for subscribers, or devising differentiated service-level plans for iPhone users who consume lots of data. BlackBerrys: The popular BlackBerry offers more opportunities for operators. As with the iPhone, operators could develop their WORKING WITH THE OS No matter what app store strategy operators devise, they must take into account the vast number of different devices available to consumers.
  • 11. 9Booz & Company own subscriber-specific apps, and differentiate traffic from applications or subscribers by service levels. They could also offer their monetization engines to the BlackBerry store, although we believe it could be more appropriate for them to include BlackBerry apps in their own app stores in order to retain customer ownership. Other operating systems: The app stores landscape in other operating systems, including Android, Symbian, and Windows Mobile, is more fragmented, with many players— equipment manufacturers, operators, and independents—having their own app stores, although the OS owners have the richest ones at the moment. This fragmentation potentially gives operators more freedom of movement in the mobile apps space. In this case, operators could potentially have a right to win by building their own app storefront, provided they can feed it with apps from developers. This storefront could take several forms. The simplest form would provide subscribers with access to the thousands of apps offered at other stores, perhaps including tools to smooth the purchasing process. Operators could also build their own stores, offering apps developed for a variety of systems, as well as subscriber-specific apps for local content or data consumption management. Ambitious operators could also build a niche for themselves by providing differentiated content through customized apps targeted to specific customer segments. The most complex option would involve an integrated strategy, in which an operator would offer its own smart phone, and partner with the maker of the phone’s OS to develop its own app store, and the apps to go with it. The success of this option would depend on generating the critical mass of apps needed to attract more developers and, in turn, more customers. For instance, China Mobile, with more than 500 million subscribers, is planning to launch its own smart phone equipped with a customized OS to be supplemented by the operator’s own app store. Non-smart phones: Mobile devices that don’t offer the latest Web-surfing and apps capabilities of smart phones provide a further opportunity for operators, especially in emerging markets, where their use is most common. Smart phones make up no more than 10 percent of all mobile devices in these markets. In addition, end-users may see little need to pay for entertainment apps, given the prevalence of piracy. However, users do see the high value that certain practical apps—such as e-government (perhaps funded by local governments themselves), health, and education services—can bring to them. Operators could also leverage the increasing development and spread of m-payment services in these markets to monetize their applications.
  • 12. Booz & Company10 Setting the iPhone juggernaut aside, the world of mobile apps is highly fragmented, with no app store yet owning a significant share of the market. That presents a real opportunity for mobile operators looking to get into the business. Operators can leverage their relationships with subscribers by following one of several strategies, all of which are designed to aggregate, to varying degrees, the quickly growing number of third-party apps already available. Each of these strategies depends on one or more of the assets that operators can leverage in pursuit of an app store play, and they can be tailored to the device and operating system under consideration. It is conceivable that all of them could be carried out simultaneously, depending on device and geography. In every case, the key for operators is to maintain the relationship with end-users if they want to avoid being relegated to a mere bit pipe. Closed storefront: The first possibility is to build a closed storefront that offers only applications developed or sourced by the operator, and competes head-on with third-party app stores; examples include Orange and Telefónica. These storefronts could be integrated with a specific device, like the iTunes App Store with the iPhone. In this case they would depend on the creation of a mobile device in combination with dedicated apps; both Vodafone and China Mobile have taken this approach. The storefronts could also be tailored to niche markets, dedicated to a specific handset, OS, or customer segment, such as teenagers. Closed storefronts might also contain special areas featuring apps for which developers pay a premium for greater visibility or apps being promoted to particular user segments, as identified through customer intelligence. And they would also offer convenient purchase models via customer accounts or instant m-payment solutions. Open storefront: An open storefront would offer access to third-party app stores, in addition to the features and components of a closed storefront. An easy interface would facilitate access to third-party stores through soft keys and other links, and revenues would be shared with the third-party partners. An open arrangement would allow operators to provide their subscribers with access to the large and diverse catalogs of apps available on a variety of OS and device platforms, while avoiding the challenge of building a developer community on their own. SIM app store: Finally, operators could build a SIM app store for phones other than smart phones. This strategy is especially attractive for operators that want to gain a competitive edge in emerging markets by offering attractive apps along with workable m-payment solutions. An added bonus: These markets are not yet on the radar screen of the large independent app stores, since more than 80 percent of the world’s smart phones are located in developed markets. No matter which strategy an operator chooses, the key is to offer subscribers a quality storefront they will be happy to return to, and to build into the storefront the features that will help the operator maintain its relationship with subscribers and generate incremental revenue at the same time (see “Components of a Successful App Storefront”). THREE STRATEGIES
  • 13. 11Booz & Company Components of a Successful App Storefront Local content: Apps and other services designed for subscribers in particular geographies served by the operator. Examples include mobile TV, news, and information. Local content may be especially successful as part of SIM-based app stores in developing markets. Operator-specific apps: Apps intended to help subscribers manage their relationship with the operator, including account management; billing; and voice, message, and data consumption, as well as services such as mobile TV. Premium apps: Apps that are given premium placement on the storefront in exchange for payment by their owners. Apps catalog: A collection of apps sourced through partnerships with developers and companies promoting apps, which could be paid for through revenue-sharing agreements. Payment: Tools that allow users to pay for apps and services through convenient m-payment solutions or through their mobile accounts. Mobile advertising: Space on app storefronts or within apps themselves, sold by operators to advertisers, with content often keyed to the current interests and browsing habits of subscribers. Gateways to third parties: Links to other app stores owned by third-party apps developers, OS owners, device makers, and independents— redirecting traffic to cobranded spaces in third-party stores, for example.
  • 14. Booz & Company12 CONCLUSION As the competition to provide consumers with more and better mobile apps heats up, telecom operators run the risk of becoming mere conduits to the successful app stores of others. To avoid that fate, operators must play the game, building storefronts attractive enough to maintain the critical relationship with their subscribers. The real upside for operators, beyond targeting additional revenues from selling apps, is churn reduction, increased ARPU, and improved subscriber acquisition. Succeeding in this arena requires operators to master the business of retailing mobile apps and getting access to a large network of developers or partners, in order to feed their subscribers with large, regularly renewable catalogs of apps. The mobile apps business is moving and evolving quickly. Operators that act now stand to reap significant advantage.
  • 15. 13Booz & Company About the Authors Roman Friedrich is a Booz & Company partner based in Düsseldorf and Stockholm. He leads the communications, media, and technology practice in Europe, and specializes in the strategic transformation of fixed-line and mobile communications, technology- based transformation, and sales and marketing in the communications, media, and technology industries. Pierre Péladeau is a Booz & Company partner based in Paris. He works primarily in the telecommunications, media, and high-technology industries. His focus areas include strategic transformations, operating models, growth, innovation, sales and marketing, and technology strategies. Olaf Acker is a Booz & Company principal based in Frankfurt. He focuses on technology strategy for communications, media, and technology companies. Mohssen Toumi is a Booz & Company senior associate based in Paris. He works primarily with high-tech companies and telecommunications operators. His focus areas include growth, innovation, sales and marketing, and the development of technologies in emerging countries.
  • 16. ©2010 Booz & Company Inc. Booz & Company is a leading global management consulting firm, helping the world’s top businesses, governments, and organizations. Our founder, Edwin Booz, defined the profession when he established the first management consulting firm in 1914. Today, with more than 3,300 people in 60 offices around the world, we bring foresight and knowledge, deep functional expertise, and a practical approach to building capabilities and delivering real impact. We work closely with our clients to create and deliver essential advantage. For our management magazine strategy+business, visit www.strategy-business.com. Visit www.booz.com to learn more about Booz & Company. The most recent list of our offices and affiliates, with addresses and telephone numbers, can be found on our website, www.booz.com. Worldwide Offices Asia Beijing Delhi Hong Kong Mumbai Seoul Shanghai Taipei Tokyo Australia, New Zealand & Southeast Asia Adelaide Auckland Bangkok Brisbane Canberra Jakarta Kuala Lumpur Melbourne Sydney Europe Amsterdam Berlin Copenhagen Dublin Düsseldorf Frankfurt Helsinki Istanbul London Madrid Milan Moscow Munich Oslo Paris Rome Stockholm Stuttgart Vienna Warsaw Zurich Middle East Abu Dhabi Beirut Cairo Dubai Riyadh North America Atlanta Chicago Cleveland Dallas DC Detroit Florham Park Houston Los Angeles Mexico City New York City Parsippany San Francisco South America Buenos Aires Rio de Janeiro Santiago São Paulo