I happen to like INQ (their Skype phone was very innovative and they have a great backer) although I’ve never used one of their phones for more than a couple of minutes. So, it was refreshing to listen to their CEO and get a feel for where they are going. Naturally nothing much more than “Android” comes next was given away.
The Facebook Phone and Social Mobile
With industry claims that 40 percent of all mobile data traffic is social app-related, we are forced to ask a simple question: Should social applications be considered a core service for a carrier?
Frank Meehan CEO, INQ Mobile and Om Malik
INQ makes some neat phones. Om starts with a story. Met at his house, he calls the OmBox. Frank wanted to create a Facebook phone. He’d already created the SkypePhone. “I don’t know” says Om. Since then… everyone else has been following INQ and the Facebook phone…
What’s next for INQ?
Apple makes the other handsets a little dull. The internet will disrupt things even more. INQ is only 120 people, nimble, and fast. The old manufacturers are stuck in a hardware cycle. That is no longer good enough to stay ahead. You have to get the next facebook on your phone quickly.
It’s not that easy…
In the handset game it is not just about software… it is also about the brand and the naming.. the toal package it all has to be good. Have to focus on every single element. Apple does well. (Nokia is…) Nokia is a big very good co but (like GM) Operators are also very keen to differentiate. Everyone is setting a stall up. Now you must have different options. We give the operator and the customer a great experience.
In Europe who’s your competitor.
Currently after the feature phone market. The $200 market. It’s boring and dull.. they don’t get data etc. On ours you can do data and it is easy. INQ will also launch Android phones. Who do you select and conclude that Android is the right thing to do. Android doesn’t yet sell against the iPhone. You need to get the experience so it is better so the iPhone user will switch. (WOW I AGREE!)
So what will Android do for you…
The current INQ phones are three year old thinking. Need a hit every year. So over the next six month will see the catch up on social networking. But that isn’t the only thing that happens.
What web services do you like today…
Our investors… In europe “spotify” will come to the US and shake up the Music market. (Is spotify is a phone now?). Hoping that location services will turn up. There’s a space that is interesting.
How are people using your devices?
In the European market everyone is chasing the same customers. 78 million connections in the UK. 65% of INQ base use Facebook on mobile.
What can we expect next.
The Qwerty device is big and so is the touch screen but there is opportunities for wrap around devices.. But really it is moving towards touch.
Check this video where CEO Frank Meehan talks of Facebook and the Cell phone being a perfect match. Follow @inqmobile on Twitter
