RockeTalk a mobile social networking application which had recently opened up to public has added a feather to its cap by tying up with LG Electronics India to bundle the RockeTalk mobile social networking application on all new LG KT610 and KF750 (Secret) mobile phone models. These bundled mobile phones shall be available with all LG retailers in India.
Thats not all going forward RockeTalk application would be preloaded on several other LG mobile handsets in India throughout 2008 and 2009. The pre loaded rockeTalk version also includes the Instant Messenger (IM) chat feature which is compatible with Yahoo, Google Talk, MSN, AIM and ICQ.
The rise of the mobile social networks
There are quite a few Mobile social networking players that are there in India now as the web players have launched their mobile versions across sms, gprs and client as well. Also international players like Qeep have entered India who boast of an already existing userbase.
Why pre-loading the app may have little impact
The pre loaded app strategy by RockeTalk though a great one doesnt necessarily mean that usage of the app would rise as just because the app is on the phone doesn’t mean users use it. Most people will agree that Users which download an app are far more likely to use the app that those who buy it with the phone. Also given the slim market share that LG has in phones currently this would be just one step for rockeTalk. I think it will take more than just this tie up to make it big in the mobile social networking scene. As the mobile social networking scene is pretty much an open space for anyone to dominate.
Quoting Rajiv- “I think it will take more than just this tie up to make it big in the mobile social networking scene. As the mobile social networking scene is pretty much an open space for anyone to dominate.”
True- I totally agree. The key here is that it is an open space and there are no clear winners. The fact that they are on LG as a pre-load adds to the credibility. The chances of picking up users is a function of awareness about the pre-load.
For a mobile manufacturer like LG with rather low market share (the 5th player? Nokia @62% followed by SonyEricson, Samsung.. Motorola…LG?) LG should, in fact play up the fact that they are the only ones (for now) with a fully intergrated social network on the phone – where users never need to go to a computer for anything. Right from registration to uploading and sharing- it is all from the phone!
I have not used it on the LG phone but it works well on my Nokia phones- N70, N73, N95 and N81..lol.. Yep. I’m the phone lady and a Nokia fan.
Now if it were a pre-load on Nokia, Rajiv- what would you say?
@Amy Well if it was nokia it would be a diff story altogether!
@ Rajiv – Yep! But then… Nokia has OVI and Mosh… its the others who are hungry
Rajiv – Thanks for writing about us.
Its not a home run but, an excellent start and a testimony to the product we bring to the market.
Of course, it’ll take a lot more to be successful and we are all geared up to do whatever it takes.
You’ll hear a few more similar announcements in next couple of months.
Rajiv- Thanks for covering our Story.
Preloads with LG is just a start and validates the quality of the RockeTalk Application. I agree that Preload alone will not do it and RockeTalk is surely working on other Marketing/distribution deals apart from OEM preloads to boast user initated downloads leading to higher usage.
we will keep you updated on new developments.