Mobile Podcasting - The basics

The cellular industry has repeatedly attempted to port popular consumer services to the mobile environment. Internet became Mobile Internet. Television became Mobile TV. Despite the investment of billions of dollars in data networks, spectrum, devices, and marketing campaigns, very few services have ported successfully.

Yet digital music and podcasting prove that users will go to great lengths to mobilize entertainment, including actively connecting a media device to a PC and transferring to it content downloaded from the internet. But can podcasting become a service enjoyed on mobile phones? Clearly, podcasting has certain attributes which make it suitable for the mobile environment. First, it is an “on-the-go” experience. Second, enjoying audio content is not effected by the handset’s small display screen. In fact, given the prevalence of mobile phones, and the ability to deliver content directly to the handset without any user action required, the mobile industry might have difficulty explaining a porting failure. Indeed, one may argue that such a failure should challenge the concept of phones as media devices, and convergence. The first part of this article discussed some of the inherent “mobile-environment” constraints that will impact and define the service.

The manner in which mobile users discover and receive content will have a huge impact on the nature of the service. There are two alternative models: network-based solutions, and client-based solutions. Network-based solutions offer users access to podcast menus on the Operator’s WAP Portal. Users, locate the appropriate podcast, then initiate a download or stream of the podcast in real-time.

Network-oriented delivery models have failed to appeal to the mass-market user. The click and wait, menu-intense experience of Mobile Internet has proven unappealing. It is doubtful whether posting podcast files on a Portal will be an effective way of increasing awareness and usage of the service. First, a podcast service offering a growing number of podcasts implies a catalogue-intense user-experience, forcing the user to browse through several WAP pages before finding a podcast of interest. Furthermore, given the relatively large size of a podcast file, adding a lengthy download wait to a cumbersome Portal experience will kill the experience all together.

Podcasts can also be streamed off the Portal. Here, however, in addition to the cumbersome Portal-Pull issues, the user-experience becomes dependent on consistent and sufficient data transmission during the stream. For reasons beyond the scope of this article, providing bandwidth for short streams, not to mention lengthy podcasts is technically challenging. A user listening to a podcast while commuting by train will frequently lose coverage. Securing bandwidth in peak-hours or in congested areas is very difficult. It is thus doubtful whether streaming can deliver the mass-market with an acceptable level of service.

Whether downloaded or streamed, obtaining content via pull assumes that a user will regularly poll for content. Not only does the active user concept runs counter to the Podcast model of automatic content delivery, but a compelling mobile experience must be simple and automated. One must consider that the potential mass-market mobile user is not as “early-adopted” oriented as a current podcast user. Thus, the user-experience on mobile user must offer a “Better than iPod” experience if the mass-market is to accept it.

Client solutions reduce the amount of browsing associated with content discovery, delivery and consumption, and provide a more immediate, user-friendly experience. The first type of solution, offered by Melodeo, involves a client that displays a catalogue-list of available podcasts. The user scrolls down the list and selects one, which initiating a content delivery session (download or streaming). Content discovery is easier than in Network-based solutions, as WAP browsing to the portal is avoided. However, real-time delivery is required, resulting in either consumption delays, streaming-related problems, or coverage loss. With this solution, an active user is assumed, as a consumption decision must be made daily.

The second client solution, offered by Bamboo Mediacasting, employs background download. Users subscribe to a podcast once, and then files are delivered to the user transparently, without any user involvement required. Delivery of the latest show can be overnight, or when the phone is in your pocket. As content delivery is not in real-time, very large files, such as full length audio and video podcasts can be delivered. Fresh content is available for immediate consumption for the morning commute with no network access required. Background download usually require subscription.

It must be noted that the transition from pull to push involves a conceptual shift among operators. Operators have invested heavily in WAP portals such as Vodafone Live. One key Operator goal is to drive users to the Portal, which strengthens operator brand. From a user-perspective, however, it is crucial to reiterate the assumption that the average Podcast user is more technically-orientated than the average mobile user. Ease of use is absolutely essential if mobile podcasting is to gain any degree of mass-market traction in the mobile world.

Finally, the user registration and account management process is a crucial aspect of the service. Users can be offered on-client, Web, WAP or SMS interfaces by which to subscribe to services, and modify their account. Operators may have a tendency to create a WAP/SMS (i.e. mobile-only) environment, though the user experience may suffer. A Web interface is easier for the user, and allows for attactive and simple browsing. But a web interface requires users to use a PC, in addition to the mobile phone. This may hurt adoption. An on-device client-based catalogue, which presents the available channels and allows users to manange their accounts, may be the best solution from the operator and user point of view.

Monte Silver