I have been hearing about Convergence since I was in my post-graduate programme. It has been over five years now but where is it?I am yet to come across any product that does it all. Many of us still say that there would be that one device that would do everything and it’s only a matter of time before it is made available & affordable.
I want to believe it. But till such time that convergence becomes a reality, Bivergence seems to be ruling. Bivergence is about a personal communication device or technology with two key driving features.
Most of the products that are available today are live examples of this. Most of these devices are best suited for doing one or at best two things. Look at i Pod (Music & or Movies, but still mainly entertainment), The new series of phones from Nokia boast of a twin feature - Mobile connectivity & Music which effectively communication & entertainment, Sony Ericsson with Cybershot is a Mobile phone with a Camera but it still continues to be predominantly a communication device. Even Blackberry - the iconic mobile business backbone - is fundamentally a mobile phone with arguably the best emailing application (connectivity).
Step away from mobile handheld devices & we see that IP TV continues to be micro niche and DTH platform persists to be predominantly a Television service.
Despite all the future gazing about convergence, we are still living with products that are at best a duet of two kinds of applications. One of these applications is primary and the other only an additional feature.
What is still not very clear is are we only a product away from convergence or would we have to wait longer for a mindset change that would help us accept a more ‘universal’ convergence product better and thus give marketers reason enough to introduce that one ‘device’.
3 comments:
A recent issue of The Economist pretty much made the same point about convergence being a misguided goal. Interestingly the editiorial of the issue crystal-gazed into the mobile phone's future by comparing it to the history of cars - and arrived at divergence as its ultimate destination.
You can read the editorial here:
Phones are the new cars
As usual, you'll need to be subscribed to read the above article. I can mail it across if someone doesn't have access.
Would like to see that, blaiq. (Sorry, no subscription yet)
I keep wondering if convergence is really a desired goal. At the risk of stirring up a hornet's nest, it's almost like the debate between specialists and the all encompassing generalist. The nice-to-have versus must-haves.
Saurabh's pretty spot on about the mind set change, i suspect. I'm thinking of simple stuff like reading books online (great in theory, but lousy interface, compared to old pulp)
Ah well, but what wouldn't i do for a trusty light saber..
i desparately need one device which will solve my following needs:
- communication with others (telephony/smsing/internet, perhaps)
- good bank of my favorite mp3s
- good movie/still camera, so that i can keep clicking, whenever i spot something clickworthy (like a snapshot of nice looking/smeeling fish being friend inside the chawls of Dharavi...i used to pass that locality everday)
- is highly convenient to use while solving the above needs
there isnt any device which answers these :(
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