Is BREW's unbundling also its undoing?

Last week I attended Qualcomm's BREW 2008 conference in San Diego, an annual event that brings together BREW developers, content companies  and carriers. I've been going to the event for many years and each time I hear more about how BREW is evolving and changing.

This year that theme was prevalent again. BREW is becoming less of a one-stop shop and more of a piecemeal solution intended to give carriers and media brands a bevy of choices. While I think it's imperative that Qualcomm listen to its customers and adapt its technology to fit their needs, I also wonder if BREW's evolution from an end-to-end solution to a series of one-off products  (BrandXtend for off portal, Plaza for widgets, UiOne for the user interface, BREW Zones for content delivery, etc.) is actually helping its customers or just confusing them.

BREW's appeal in its early days was that it streamlined the developer, carrier and handset relationship.  It smoothed over all the bumpy spots by making it easier for developers to develop an application once and have it spread across multiple carriers' networks. It helped app developers track the popularity of their applications and make sure they were getting the appropriate revenue split. 

One of the big announcements at BREW 2008 was the introduction of the BREW Mobile Platform, a teaming of BREW and Adobe to give developers a better way to develop Flash-based apps for mobile phones. The name alone confuses me. I thought BREW was always a platform so the name BREW Mobile Platform doesn't mean anything to me and it certainly doesn't make me think of Flash-based applications. 

Qualcomm also is trying to build on the new "open network, open application" mentality that is sweeping the industry. During his keynote address at BREW, Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs talked about how the company was embracing the open environment.  But he failed to give specifics other than to mention that  BREW now enables Skype-to-Skype mobile calling.  Like so many firms that are touting an "open" agenda, he left us wondering what "open"  actually means and how BREW will fit into this model.

BREW seems to be at a crossroads. Can it evolve to meet the needs of carriers, developers and content brands but still stay true to its roots as an enabling technology? Perhaps. But it is going to take a lot more work to make that message clear to the industry. -Sue