HONG KONG-Convergence holds one of the keys for third-generation growth in the wireless industry, spawning applications such as custom ringtones, three-dimensional games, multi-megapixel cameras, video and digital TV, according to Doug Rasor, vice president and manager for worldwide strategic marketing at Texas Instruments.
“We must miniaturize the living room entertainment experience in size, but not in performance,” he said. “We need to take the high-end electronics experience consumers have come to expect from their state-of-the-art digital cameras, camcorders, and game consoles, and integrate that experience into the cell phone.”
Explaining that the wireless handset is no longer a gizmo for voice calls but a “universal remote control’ for an on-the-go society, he said operators will benefit from more traffic and revenue, and handset makers will differentiate themselves with what they offer in those devices.
“Indeed, these exciting services will be the cornerstone of accelerating 3G uptake, driving increased average revenue per user for mobile operators and creating opportunity for every part of the wireless value chain as we deliver a multimedia experience on the cell phone that equals a consumer electronics experience,” said Rasor.<p
