Wireless 2.0

One of platforms I help manage is eBay_Wireless (the only wireless application which lets you actually bid and buy something via phone. Check it out on your phone - wap.ebay.com). While there's not much I can say about our future plans specifically, what I can say is that the potential for Wireless in general is huge. And no, I'm not basing this on the level of VC investment going into Wireless these days... that's completely effect not cause.

With the huge penetration of wireless phones and services worldwide (multiples larger than PC usage), the carriers, handset manufacturers and wireless solutions providers know they are sitting on something explosive. In the past, handsets were highly constrained in terms of the wireless OS and end-applications available for users (the reason RIM even exists to some degree). Having seen what's coming on the software side of things, the separation between PC and wireless phone is about to close completely. With the launch of EVDO and other super-fast wireless data access points, aggressive moves from Microsoft for both wireless OS and the 'mobilization' of MS Exchange (great article on this by Bill_Burnham), and the increasing concentration of wireless OS in general (Symbian/iMode/CE), ubiquitous/fast wireless Internet access (and in turn availability and usage of Web 2.0 applications on the handset) will become the norm within less than five years. This is all coming together quickly folks -- driving in part the fast emergence and focus on Web 2.0 applications and the increasing focus of so many major wireless and Internet players in the space. Wireless 2.0 is the here and now.