At first, cell phones were just cell phones. You talked to people, you charged your phone frequently, and that was about it. Messaging followed closely thereafter. Then came the enormous advancement of mobile data and smartphones. That trend has been running strong for a number of years now, and doesn’t appear to be slowing. It’s been supplemented, however, by a new phenomenon: netbooks. These are essentially mini laptops geared towards Internet and other light computer usage. Cellular operators are now treating these like cell phones, subsidizing them and packaging them with two-year contracts. They’re quite important to the industry now and in the future, to the point where they’ll be fueling the growth of mobile broadband.
How much change will the industry see as big carriers like AT&T and Verizon Wireless start to offer subsidized netbooks? Cristiano Laux of Pyramid Research has an idea:
“There is growing evidence that netbooks are catching on with the under-21 crowd; if that trend develops, the adoption rate for netbooks could accelerate even more, which means these cheap and approachable devices could have a huge impact on how network operators make money off their services.”
He goes on to predict that netbook sales could exceed those of traditional laptops by 2010. That’s a fair prediction, since netbooks will be riding a trend. Some people might even opt to have a netbook and a laptop. Perhaps this will also change the landscape for notebooks, which could grow a bit larger because of their mini counterparts.
So when you walk into your wireless dealer looking for advice on a new cell phone, don’t be surprised if they try to sell you on a netbook. They all know how important it is for the future of their industry.
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