How Do I Segment the Market?
It’s important to approach the mobile market systematically, rather than by trying a one-size-fits-all approach, or trying to offer a product for every type of user with every type of device. The amount of fragmentation in the market simply makes these unfeasible.
There are many different ways to segment the market and make it more manageable.
Here are a few ways.
By geography: - What parts of the world, or what countries do I want to operate in? Who are the relevant players in the market that will influence my approach? Who are the leading operators? Which handset vendors have the most market share? How will operator and device pricing in these areas affect my offering?
By handset vendor or device: - Which devices are the most popular, in general or with my target audience? Which devices support the relevant technologies I need for my product? Which platforms or devices have the best development environment for what I want to achieve?
By operator: - Are there operators who offer a particularly attractive route to market for my product? What are their requirements and constraints? What resources do they offer developers? What devices and products are popular with their user base?
By technology: - What form will my product take? For instance, if I’m making an application or service, can it work as a mobile web site, or does it require a standalone application? Are there widget platforms or runtimes that will allow me to do what I want?
By demographic: - Am I developing a product for a particular part of the market, such as the enterprise? What are the characteristics of this market that I need to be aware of—device market share, corporate policies, pricing models?