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EuropeanEuropean Wireless Operator Vodafone, Google Partner on Mobile SearchAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on February 14, 2006 - 10:21am.
London - European mobile network operator Vodafone announced on Tuesday that it has partnered with Google to develop mobile search services. Vodafone, which counts 179 million customers across 31 countries, plans to integrate Google search into its Vodafone live 3G consumer service, and share in search ad revenue generated by Google mobile searches.
Software Giants Lobby to Eliminate European "Double Tax" on Digital MusicAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 14, 2005 - 3:56am.
Brussels - "Private copy levies" imposed on digital song downloads in Europe are no longer necessary, as digital rights management security technology now embedded in most downloads sold negates the need for levies set up to compensate artists and copyright holders for potential piracy losses, the Business Software Alliance (BSA) trade group said this week at a gathering of industry leaders in Brussels. Currently, European consumers pay a royalty for online music downloads both at the point of purchase, and in the form of levies imposed when purchasing PCs, and CD and DVD burners -- which are seen as facilitating the download and burning of free music from file-sharing networks. "With DRM technology's expanding role in the market, levies have become a superfluous double tax on consumers," said Francisco Mingorance, director of public policy, Europe for the BSA. "Governments have an opportunity to bring real consumer benefits by applying the European Copyright Directive rules and phasing out the outdated levies system." The Business Software Alliance is a software industry trade group whose members include Microsoft, IBM, Intel, Apple, Cisco, Dell and Adobe.
Report: European DVB-H Mobile TV Revenue to Hit $8.3 Billion in 2011Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 6, 2005 - 9:32am.
London - The digital video broadcasting (DVB-H) standard for delivering mobile TV to cell phones will gain momentum in Europe by 2008, and grow to reach $8.3 billion in annual revenues by 2011, according to a report from market research firm Frost & Sullivan. Ambiguities regarding spectrum allocation are expected to be worked out by manufacturers, who are forecasted to begin DVB-H mobile TV trials by 2008. While initial pricing may be kept lower to attract new customers, by 2010 European service providers are expected to be offering mobile TV for between $8.50 and $15 per month. "By 2011, video services like downloading would be used as a sales channel for specific video content while DVB-H takes over as the primary channel for mobile video services," said Frost & Sullivan analyst Pranab Mookken.
Report: European Online Advertising Market Set to BoomAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 3, 2005 - 3:47am.
London - According to a new report by market analysis firm JupiterResearch, the European online advertising market is set to boom over the next five years, with revenues likely increase threefold from approximately $2.74 billion this year to more than $7.75 billion in 2010. The report also predicts that paid search advertising will dominate the market, generating more than $3.45 billion and accounting for about 44% of total online advertising revenues in 2010. "As European consumers across the demographic spectrum spend ever greater amounts of time on the Internet, advertising investment in online media will continue to grow, and the digital channel will become increasingly integrated into marketers' customer acquisition strategies," said JupiterResearch analyst Julian Smith.
HP and Dell Express Indifference to European Stripped-Down WindowsAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 1, 2005 - 4:42am.
Brussels -- HP and Dell Inc., two of the largest PC makers in the world, have thrown a recent EU ruling against Microsoft into question after they expressed indifference to the stripped-down version of the Windows operating system, due to hit stores within weeks. In a recent interview with Dow Jones Newswires, Dell said it had no plans to offer Windows XP Home and Professional Edition N -- which come without Microsoft's Media Player -- at all. HP said it might offer the versions, but added that it did not expect them to be in great demand, as there is no price difference between versions with Media Player and those without. Because Windows Media Player is a free download from Microsoft's website, many pundits argue that it makes little sense to sell the N version more cheaply. The European Commission said it was still considering pricing issue and that it could fine Microsoft if it decides the software maker has acted in bad faith.
Report: Digital Video Recorders to Reach 20% of European Homes by 2008Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 1, 2004 - 9:29am.
London -- Twenty percent of Western European homes will have digital video recorder (DVR) services like TiVo by 2008, offering a cost-effective alternative to true video-on-demand, according to a report from Boston-based market research firm Yankee Group. The firm noted that high subscription fees initially might deter users from existing services like Sky+ and Pilotime, which themselves will be aided by set-top box price cuts. "DVR services will be more widely and frequently used by digital TV subscribers than regular video-on-demand offerings that are limited to the less ubiquitous cable and broadband platforms," said Yankee Group senior analyst Jonathan Doran. In a separate report released on Monday, Yankee Group predicted that annual video-on-demand and near video-on-demand revenue in Western Europe will increase fivefold by 2008, to $2.8 billion. "Both video-on-demand and DVR will coexist as complementary options for digital TV customers," said Yankee Group's Doran. "Given the fact that substantial demand for true video-on-demand remains unproven, many cable operators will also keep their options open by not committing to a single on-demand strategy, offering customers a choice of video-on-demand, DVR or both."
Report: European Song Download Market to Reach $5.7 Billion by 2009Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 28, 2004 - 4:46am.
Paris -- According to a new report by research and analysis firm Generator, the digital song download market in Europe will reach $5.7 billion (4.5 billion euro) by 2009, a figure that would account for about 40% of the total recorded music market. The report also predicted that the mobile channel will soon figure largely as a sales vehicle for digital music. "Depending on how the mobile operators play their hand, European consumers could spend as much as $777 million (610 million euro) on song downloads during 2009, about 13.5% of the total, and ringtones will be on top of that," said Generator research director Andrew Sheehy. To encourage the successful use of the mobile channel, however, Europe will first need to change its usage-based mobile data tariffs and adopt flat-rate 3G tariffs similar to those introduced in Japan by DoCoMo and KDDI, Sheey said.
Microsoft Outlines Arguments Against European Antitrust RulingAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on April 22, 2004 - 3:46am.
Redmond, Washington -- Microsoft has issued a blunt seven-page response to the European Commission's finding against the company, arguing that last month's ruling creates new laws that will damage intellectual property rights and curtail innovation. The document outlines the legal arguments Microsoft will make as it begins a lengthy appeals process. "The Commission is seeking to make new laws that will have an adverse impact on intellectual property rights and the ability of dominant firms to innovate," Microsoft said in the document. "This adverse impact will not be confined to the software industry or to Europe." Last month, the European Commission fined Microsoft over $600 million and required the company to make a version of its Windows operating system that does not include Media Player software.
European Indie Labels Vow to Fight Proposed Sony-BMG MergerAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 27, 2004 - 2:31am.
Brussels -- Impala, a trade group representing more than 2,000 independent record labels in Europe, announced this week that it would fight the proposed merger between music heavyweights Sony and BMG. Impala claims the newly merged behemoth would command more than a quarter of the Continent's music sales, as well as lead to the elimination of thousands of jobs. Impala Vice President Patrick Zelnik said that the smaller labels would be "further marginalized, and access to radio play lists, television programs and retail outlets will become impossible". The group threatened to launch legal action in both Europe and the U.S. should the European Commission approve the merger.
Napster Comes Out Swinging After European Launch DelayedAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 26, 2004 - 2:39am.
Paris -- Internet music service Napster has struck out at European licensing groups, claiming that arcane and convoluted regulations are getting in the way of legal online music companies on the Continent. The attack comes after bureaucratic red tape over the weekend held up the planned European launches of Napster and Apple's iTunes. Napster CEO Chris Gorog said: "As each day passes that Napster isn't operating in Europe, substantial amounts of money are lost to pirates because there is no legal alternative available." According to industry experts, the recording labels worldwide lost nearly $2.5 billion to online piracy last year.
Yahoo Drops European Paid Search Partner Espotting for OvertureAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 31, 2003 - 8:51am.
London -- Yahoo announced on Friday that it has replaced Espotting Media with Overture Services for the provision of ad-sponsored search links on its sites in the U.K. and other European countries. In a statement, Yahoo said that Overture's search results would be available on Yahoo's sites in the U.K., Ireland, France, Spain, Italy and Germany, effective immediately. Overture already enjoys similar partnerships with Wanadoo, Tiscali and Time Warner's AOL Europe division. Industry experts have expected the move since Yahoo's $1.6-billion acquisition of Overture three weeks ago.
European Broadband Connections Double in 2003Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 16, 2003 - 4:05am.
Brussels -- According to EU Telecommunications Commissioner Erkki Liikanen, broadband Internet connections in Europe have doubled over the past year, with several European countries even surpassing the U.S. "If there is one area in the European economy where there has been very dramatic change in the last six to 12 months, it is in broadband," Liikanen said. "The growth rates in broadband are about 100% per year at the moment, and there seems to be no slowing down." The Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark currently boast higher connection rates than the U.S., Liikanen said. In the third quarter of this year, broadband connections across the EU neared 20 million lines, with 41% of line provisions coming from new entrants, the EU reported.
Microsoft, Tiscali, OD2 Sued Over Patent for European 'Net Music ServicesAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on October 15, 2003 - 4:16am.
Port Washington, N.Y. -- New York-based E-Data has sued Microsoft and a number of European music download services, asking a judge to shut them down for violation of a patent it holds on music downloads onto physical devices. E-Data says its patent covers "the downloading and recording of information, such as music, from a computer onto a tangible object, such as CDs, DVDs and MP3 players." The company says Microsoft's MSN Music Club and similar services offered by European ISP Tiscali and On Demand Distribution (OD2) violate its patent, and has asked for injunctions against the companies in Germany. All three services offer essentially the same a la carte downloads as does Apple's iTunes in the U.S., but E-Data's patent has expired in the region. E-Data said that it has won licenses from 30 companies in the U.S., and recently settled a patent dispute in Europe with Satellite Newspapers.
Nokia Strikes European Cell Phone Micropayments Deal with VisaAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on September 23, 2003 - 11:10am.
Helsinki -- Finnish cell phone maker Nokia announced on Tuesday that it has joined forces with Visa EU in a deal that will allow customers to use their phones to make secure card payments. The deal will make use of Nokia's "wallet" application, which enables the user to store personal information -- such as usernames and passwords, Visa payment card details, addresses and personal notes -- on a mobile phone, enabling users to pay for ringtones, games and other content automatically on a Visa account. The two companies plan to demonstrate the application and Verified by Visa at the Mobile Commerce World Europe 2003 event in London, Sept. 23-24, 2003.
Nokia Strikes European Cell Phone Micropayments Deal with VisaAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on September 22, 2003 - 11:23am.
Helsinki -- Finnish cell phone maker Nokia announced on Tuesday that it has joined forces with Visa EU in a deal that will allow customers to use their phones to make secure card payments. The deal will make use of Nokia's "wallet" application, which enables the user to store personal information -- such as usernames and passwords, Visa payment card details, addresses and personal notes -- on a mobile phone, enabling users to pay for ringtones, games and other content automatically on a Visa account. The two companies plan to demonstrate the application and Verified by Visa at the Mobile Commerce World Europe 2003 event in London, Sept. 23-24, 2003.
Report: European Mobile Services to Generate $25 Billion by 2005Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 22, 2003 - 1:31am.
London -- According to a recent study by Strand Consult, mobile services in Europe will generate more than 23 billion euro ($25 billion) by 2005. The report says that Europe is in a paradigm shift toward color, multimedia mobile handsets with larger processors and more memory that are capable of using multiple technologies, such as SMS, MMS, Java and video. The report also speculates on the 10 most important mobile services by 2005: games and mobile entertainment; news and sport; adult entertainment; contests, competitions and lotteries; community, chat and dating; mail and Web mail; directory and location-based services; TV voting, TV integration; VOD, AOD, video clips; and other types of services.
Video Game Developer Sega Forms European Game Publishing DivisionAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on March 31, 2003 - 3:44am.
London -- Japanese video game developer Sega announced that it will begin publishing its own titles in Europe, forming a new division within Sega Europe to handle the operations. The company will now publish its own titles in the U.K. and France, while continuing to rely on third-party publishers in other regions. The first titles published by Sega Europe will be "Phantasy Star Online" for Xbox, due for release in May. "Sonic Adventure DX: The Director's Cut" for GameCube and "Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution" for PlayStation 2 will be published by Sega Europe in June.
European Venture Capital Investment Drops More Than 50% In 2002Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 13, 2003 - 3:13am.
London -- European startups raised only 4.4 billion euro ($4.8 million) in venture capital last year, less than half the amount they raised in 2001, according to a survey by Ernst & Young and VentureOne. Software shared the limelight with biopharmaceuticals: together, the two segments attracted 53 percent of all the money invested in venture-backed companies. In 2002, just 35 percent of the venture capital transactions completed were seed and first rounds; 65 percent were second and later rounds, as VCs concentrated on stabilizing existing portfolio investments.
Telewest to Build European Online Game Network for Sony PlayStation 2Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 3, 2003 - 4:11am.
London -- Telewest, a U.K.-based provider of broadband, cable TV and telephone services, announced that it has signed an agreement with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, to jointly develop and implement technologies to enhance the consumer experience for PlayStation 2 networked gaming. Telewest formed a new venture, Network Gaming Consulting Ltd., to handle the consultancy and technology transfer agreement. The company will work to launch the service this year, enabling networked gaming across a number of European countries. Unlike rival Microsoft's Xbox Live online game service -- set to launch in Europe on March 14 -- which will be operated by Microsoft, Sony has partnered with various firms to launch individual networks for its PlayStation 2 online games. Sony and Telewest also see the broadband connection as a gateway into consumers' living rooms. "By the time you get to PlayStation 3, it becomes a platform and a brand identity and opens up a host of possibilities for music and video downloads. It's very exciting and more important than the future of ITV," newly named head of Network Gaming Consulting David Docherty told The Guardian.
Report: U.S. Broadband to Grow 40% in 2003; European Homes Doubled in '02Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 29, 2003 - 4:41am.
Boston -- The number of U.S. households connecting to the Internet via a high-speed broadband service will increase by more than 40 percent during 2003, rising from 17.9 million homes today to 25.3 million homes by the end of this year, according to a forecast from Boston-based Strategy Analytics. The report also predicts that by the end of 2008, broadband subscribers will soar to 64 million, serving 59 percent of all U.S. homes "Over the next five years, high-speed access will become the norm for residential Internet users as broadband becomes more widely available, more flexibly priced and a more powerful vehicle for new kinds of entertainment, content and services," said Strategy Analytics' James Penhune. The firm also reports the number of broadband households in Western Europe more than doubled in 2002, adding 6.3 million new customers for a total of almost 12 million, or 1 out of every 13 homes. Belgium has the highest rate of broadband penetration, at 1 in every 5 households.
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