The Russian mobile retail is scrutinizing the possibility to sell different software to their clients. Currently practically all large players are offering the antivirus software for smartphones. Some companies are still considering the possibility to sell software, while Euroset is already selling Windows Vista. According to specialists, in the near future the retailers will enlarge their assortment with various types of software for handsets. At the same time the prospects for computer software to be sold in the given networks are vaguer.
Large mobile retail networks are paying more attention to software in search for additional income. It should be noted, in early October Euroset, the largest mobile retailer in Russia and CIS, started selling Windows Vista OS. The latest Microsoft OS might currently be bought in 32 retail outlets and internet-shops, CNews was told in Euroset. The company is generally satisfied with Vista sales, but it says nothing about the approximate amount of realisation. ‘Meanwhile, it is too early to speak about the sales momentum, as the accounting period is insignificant to be analyzed’, – our conversable says.
Some other players are scrutinizing the software market, but are not ready yet to start selling OS for computers. ‘The given product is rather attractive. However, in the near future we do not plan to sell the computer OS’, – the company Dixis says. – The customers come to our shops to buy handsets and various digital devices’. ‘We study the market and as soon as we find a product that might be attractive to our customers we start selling it’, – another retailer Egrad informs.
‘The computer software is unlikely to be very popular in the mobile retail networks, – Sergey Savin, J’son & Partners Senior Analysts, says. – But it has certain prospects. That is first of all within the civilized trade in the large shops of Euroset and Svyaznoy 3, where a customer might buy various electronic devices. The computer software is bound to fail in small retail outlets’.
The main software offered currently by the mobile retailers is the antivirus programs for smartphones. Svyaznoy, which has been cooperating with Kaspersky Lab. for more that a year and a half, was the first to start providing such a service. Meanwhile, the antivirus for Symbian smartphones is available. But Svyaznoy assures in the near future it will start selling Kapsersky Lab. programs for Windows Mobile. Such services are also available for Egrad clients. The retail network Dixis has started selling the antivirus for smartphones and communicators. One can upload Kapsersky Lab. program sending SMS to a short number. The approximate fee for the monthly subscription is $6 including VAT.
‘Regarding the growing popularity of smartphones and communicators, we have decided to offer our customers with an easy and convenient way to buy the antivirus software, – Ruslan Filatov, Dixis Director General says. – We hope, the given step will help the customers to protect their mobile devices from the possible attacks of cyber-malefactors’.
‘Today, under the increase in harmful programs attacks on smartphones and communicators, the issue of antivirus protection is becoming more and more important for most of handset users’, – Sergei Nevstruev, Head of Mobile Services at Kaspersky Lab., says.
‘Mobile retailers are a reasonable and logical channel to sell the antivirus software to mobile users, – Anna Alexandrova, Marketing Director of Eset Representation Office in Russia, says. – A man coming to buy a new handset might buy the software for it’. The maximum amount of the antivirus smartphone software market value in Russia is estimated at $500 thousand by 2007 results. ‘The given market capacity is likely to grow, but currently the given segment is not of particular interest to the antivirus vendors’, – Mrs. Alexandrova says. – The virus problem for smartphones is a little bit exaggerated. There are too many various platforms for smartphones currently, which complicates the task for those who write virus programs’.
According to specialists, the smartphone segment is one of the most promising directions in the mobile handset market. The given sector continues developing sustainably against the decrease in the sales of ordinary handsets. Thus, according to the Agency J’son & Partners data, following the results of 2007 first half smartphones have occupied more than 10% in the Russian handset market. According to analysts’ forecast, in the near future smartphones might occupy about a quarter of the handset market. As the given multifunctional devices market is expanding, the demand for various software is also to increase, analysts are sure. ‘In the near future in addition to the antivirus software the software business will also focus on the sales of localization programs for handsets, their management, various navigation software (for example, smartphone cards with GPS)’, – Sergey Savin believes.
Source: cnews.ru