Editor's Corner

Now that the hubbub over the RealNetworks/Wider Than deal and the NewsCorp/Jamster deal has died down, the realization has set in that this year's CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment expo has been relatively even paced (read: kinda slow). I'm not sure that's necessarily a bad thing. The hype of years past has been replaced by healthy skepticism, careful planning and measured steps. I say, it's about time.

One of the big takeaways for me is that mobile aggregators/middlemen are getting increasingly pressured by the entry of bigger players into the game. NewsCorp developing their own mobile content is just one. Take another look at Disney's Starwave division scoring the rights to develop and sell mobile content based on Scarface and Beyonce. These big media firms have the relationships and the leverage with wireless carriers that aggregators/distributors could only dream of, and they're getting right up in everybody's business with their own mobile strategies. Again, it's about time.

Both developments are positive news for an industry ready to break into the big time. But big plans mean big changes. The entry of big media into our little wireless world means a dramatic change in the landscape, and I predict that the ground will be littered with bodies over the next year as the smaller, mobile-only players die off from a lack of oxygen. Remember: content is king, and the kingmakers are here. That's my view of this year's CTIA conference, which is now, almost over. Say it with me... it's about time. -Antony