Rise of the Mobile Video Blog

According to Funnell (2009), the average mobile phone has evolved from the humble voice-box to the total media centre. As a result, the mobile video blog (vlog) has become popular almost overnight. Vlogs are beginning to infiltrate the mainstream media, part of the increasingly seismic shift in the way we get our news and entertainment.

These statements are suppored by Harnick (2009) who quoted that

“According to Nielsen’s Three Screen Report, the number of people watching mobile video increased 70 percent, from more than 9 million to more than 15 million in the last year. Findings also include children 12-17 years old spend the most watching video on their mobile devices at 6 hours and 30 seconds. Young adults ages 18-24 spend 3 hours and 15 minutes while ages 25-34, 45-54 and 55-64 spend 2 hours and 10 seconds.”

Click on the image to enlarge.
Source: http://www.thirdpresence.com/blog/mobile-broadband


Mobile vlogs already helped to create the first internet celebrities (Simmons, 2008). So if your video blog is good, you might be the next internet celebrity. Also, mobile vlogs helps delivering news to your hands faster than ever.

So what are the factors which made mobile vlog a massive trend?
According to Simmons (2008), faster mobile connections, all-inclusive data packages, and better mobile phones (Nokia N95, iPhone 3GS, HTC HD2) are the factors.

There are two new video sharing services – Qik and Seesmic. Qik is all about streaming live video from your mobile phone in real time, whereas Seesmic is all about recording video on the seesmic website via a webcam on your computer. [Hobson, 2008]

A screenshot of Qik.
Source: http://www.crunchbase.com/assets/images/original/0000/6289/6289v1.png

A screenshot of Seesmic.
Source: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2051/2189814384_4eb0761be8.jpg

The services were referred to as "a vision of the future of online video” (Waters, 2008).
In my opinion, these two video sharing services will be popular in Asia soon. People love new trends and with the presence of better mobile phones, users will enjoy recording videos then share it with their peers. Moreover, pictures are only able to capture one moment but videos can explain the whole experience.

So, keep an eye on mobile vlogs!


References

Funnell, J 2009, LTE - The Rise of the Mobile Prosumer, iTVcon.com, viewed on 18 November 2009, <http://www.itvcon.com/node/1171759>.

Harnick, C 2009, Mobile video consumption on the rise: Nielsen, Mobilness.wordpress.com, viewed on 18 November 2009, <http://mobileness.wordpress.com/2009/10/09/mobile-video-consumption-on-the-rise-nielsen/>.

Hobson, N 2008, The rise of instant movile video, NevilleHobson.com, viewed on 18 November 2009, <http://www.nevillehobson.com/2008/01/21/the-rise-of-instant-mobile-video/>.

Simmons, D 2008, Rise of the mobile video blog, BBC News, viewed on 18 November 2009, <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/7392594.stm>.

Waters, D 2008, Seesmic killed the Youtube star?, BBC News, viewed on 18 November 2009, <http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/technology/2008/01/seesmic.html>.