Business Channel 2007-02-22&24

There were plenty of fancy new music playing phones on view at the big mobile phone trade fair in Barcelona. But not the one everyone is talking about. Apple didn't bother to show up to show off its iPhone. But London-based Omniphone did come and launched its MusicStation software. Unlike the iPhone, MusicStation will allow users to download music directly to a host of different handsets through different network operators, all for a flat fee.

"What we are trying to do is to enable the operators who spend vast amounts of money building DAS networks to remain center stage of music role in Apple."

But music executive Edgar Bronfman says many people aren't using their mobiles to even download ringtones, never mind full music tracks because it takes more clicks and more time than doing it on an iPod.

"If you could actually make that two or three clicks, if you could make that, you know, ten seconds. My goodness! The amount of revenue that, that would unlock is just extraordinary and that's just around a ringtone."

But it's not just music that tech companies expect customers to access through their new 3G phones. Videos, live TV, all kinds of content is being customized for the small screen.

"It's natural that you can imagine listening to music on your phone. It's maybe a little bit less natural to think that you're gonna watch TV and videos on your phone. But I'll tell you when you actually see it operating, you do understand it."

In fact, even MTV says music may have kicked off the computer download craze, but it won't be the driver in mobile downloads.

"Music videos are kind of, they proliferate¹ to everywhere. So it's not nearly as a unique thing. So we offer Sponge Bob or South Park. And these things are very unique things that we can only offer."

Offering unique content. Using advertising² instead of high data charges to pay for all this. And finally, making the new 3G phones easy to use. That is what industry leaders say will make the billions of mobiles in use the digital device of choice.

Jim Boulden, CNN, Barcelona.


Vocabulary


proliferate v. If things proliferate, they increase in number very quickly.
In recent years commercial, cultural, travel and other contacts have proliferated³ between Europe and China.

1 proliferate   

vi.激增，(迅速)繁殖，增生

参考例句：

• We must not proliferate nuclear arms.我们决不能扩散核武器。
• Rabbits proliferate when they have plenty of food.兔子有充足的食物就会繁衍得很快。

2 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

3 proliferated   

激增( proliferate的过去式和过去分词 )； （迅速）繁殖； 增生； 扩散

参考例句：

• Books and articles on the subject have proliferated over the last year. 过去一年以来，论及这一问题的书和文章大量涌现。
• Influenza proliferated throughout the country. 流感在全国蔓延。