TECHNOLOGIES TO watch - Consumer Electronics Association

31Download Game Revenues: Service andTransport Charges ($ Millions)2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008WesternEurope 66.7 145.1 262.6 398.1 591.9 979.8NorthAmerica 50.2 153.4 303.0 488.5 726.9 1,227.6SoutheastAsia 536.2 1,117.2 1,664.0 2,219.3 2,911.9 3,686.9Centraland EasternEurope 2.3 6.6 14.1 27.7 57.6 133.1CentralAmerica,LatinAmerica - 9.3 19.6 36.7 65.3 116.8Rest ofWorld 0.4 6.1 12.0 23.7 46.3 94.1Totals: 655.9 1,437.5 2,275.3 3,194.0 4,399.8 6,238.2Source: Strategy Anaytics, July 2003Wireless Gaming Decks – Game On?Taking aim at maturing Game Boy players and adult gamers,the avant garde wireless/mobile gaming deck segment is thelatest craze to hit the mobile gaming market. What distinguisheswireless gaming decks from other wireless devices that canplay games (like cell phones) is that gaming is their primaryfunction. Also, like portable consoles, these devices will havegames developed exclusively for them. The first wave of thesedevices should arrive in late 2003 with the debut of Nokia’sNGage and Tapwave’s Helix. The much ballyhooed NokiaNGage is one of the better known products in the evolvingwireless gaming deck segment. Set for introduction in Q42003, the NGage will offer in addition to gaming, a digitalmusic player, FM stereo and tri-band cellular phone.Multiplayer wireless gaming is possible via Bluetooth. Gamesfor the NGage are based on the Symbian OS (operating system)and will come on multimedia cards the size of a postagestamp. Among the software publishers developing titles for theNGage are THQ, Activision, Sega and Ubisoft. Nokia is evenpublishing some of its own titles for the device. Tapwave’sOCTOBER 2003Global Gaming Revenues by Segment ($ Millions)MessageGaming2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008156 223 206 188 171 155ThinClient 530 811 915 1,079 1,212 1,220GamingThickClient 656 1,438 2,275 3,194 4,400 6,238GamingTotals: 1,342 2,471 3,397 4,462 5,783 7,613Source: Strategy Anaytics, July 2003Helix is a PDA gaming device that employs the Palm OS, openingthe device to an already large volume of software applications(and games). In Europe, other wireless gaming decks indevelopment include TTPCom’s B’ngo and Atelab’sChameleon.These emerging devices are, in truth, convergence products – acrossroads of functions and features. With slick screens, craftycontrols and a laundry list of features, this new breed of gamingdevice certainly has appeal. But realistically, the success ofthese devices ultimately will depend on the brand strength ofthe games available for them. It remains to be seen whetherthese products will be embraced by a large group of consumersor be relegated to a small niche of hardcore gamers.Analysts expect wireless gaming decks likely will face the samepositioning challenges as other convergence products – is it aPDA, a cell phone or a gaming device? Some consumers mayappreciate the all-in-one convenience of a multi-functionaldevice, while other individuals may not see the value. AMobility Needs study conducted by CEA last year found thatamong respondents with a mobile lifestyle, 49 percentexpressed interest in a combination wireless phone, pager andPDA device; 33 percent expressed interest in phones thatinclude a digital camera. Given these results, it appears thatconvergence products are a fit with a reasonable number ofmobile consumers.5 TECHNOLOGIES TO watch