A Study of Multimedia Service Delivery in the Home
for Femtocells
By
Kelly Yedinak
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
Submitted to the System Design and Management Program
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Master of Science in Engineering and Management
ARCHIVES
at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
May 2009
@ 2009 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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SEP 2 3 2009
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This author hereby grants to MIT permission to reproduce and to distribute
publicly paper and electronic copies of this thesis document in whole or in part.
Signature of Author
Kelly Yedinak
/
System Design and Management Pr6gram
May 2009
Certified by__
Michael Davies, 1hisS ~perisoZ
Senior Lecturer, Sloacp-Scool of Management
Accepted by
Pat Hale
J "
Director, System Design and Management Program
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A Study of Multimedia Service Delivery in the Home for
Femtocells
by
Kelly Yedinak
Submitted to the System Design and Management Program in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Engineering and
Management
This thesis considers the case of Ubiquisys Ltd., a femtocell company, and the ability for
its products to provide added services to users in the home. The findings include
recommendations for software applications, application delivery, timing, and pricing. The
actions that should be taken as a result of this study include a few things in both
application architecture as well as long-term strategy. First, the femtocell needs to allow
communication between the smartphone, the home network, and other smart devices.
Secondly, the femtocell has no self-contained interface to the user, and thus will require
platform specific applications sold through the smartphone OS or handset vendor. Lastly,
Ubiquisys needs to decide on a strategy, including both place and timing, for rolling out
services. Femtocell applications require femtocells, which in the next few years will only
reach an installed base several orders of magnitude smaller than the smartphone. It is
recommended that mobile advertising based free applications should be provided initially
while slowly phasing in paid applications in 2011 and 2012.
Through application of system architecture analysis and Design Structure Matrices
(DSM) to the current and emerging architectures, this paper provides a template for
analyzing ecosystems for home cloud services and content delivery. This is achieved
through an in depth analysis of two current product architectures. Information drawn
from analysis of these systems is then used to make conclusions and recommendations
about how a femtocell can provide the greatest value in the home.
Abstract
Thesis Supervisor: Michael Davies
Senior Lecturer, Sloan School of Management
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Acknowledgements
First and foremost I would like to thank my fianc6, who has shown infinite
patience and support for the late nights and occasional periods of living in
separate zip codes that were necessary to complete this degree.
I would like to thanks to my parents, who instilled in me the determination to
follow my passions in life.
To the System Design Management program and its teachers, administrators,
and cohorts, my deepest thanks for introducing me to a world of possibilities.
To Michael Davies, my thesis advisor, for keeping me grounded and providing a
wealth of knowledge for me to build off of.
...I.11-~~1~I.~_~*I1-VI~LV~III..
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Table of Contents
Abstract .....................................................................................................................
3
Acknowledgments ...................................................................................................
5
Table of Contents .....................................................................................................
7
Table of Figures ..............................................
.........................................................
10
1. Introduction ..............................................................................................................
1.1. M otivation.........................................................................................................
1.2. Research M ethod and Approaches..........................................
1.3. Introduction.......................................................................................................
12
12
13
14
2.
18
Home M edia Architecture .............................................................................
2.1.
2.2.
2.3.
2.4.
Entertainment, Communications, and Information Overview ....................... 18
Overview of the Landscape ..................................... ......
............... 20
Smartphones................................................................................................... 20
Home Entertainment System ...................................................
22
2.4.1. Television Screens ................................................................................
23
2.4.2. Audio............................................ ...................................................... 23
2.4.3. Set Top Boxes .......................................................................................
24
2.4.4. Video Players and Gaming Consoles................................
..... ... 26
2.4.5. Personal Computing and Peripherals ........................................
..... . 27
2.4.6. Data Pipe and the Cloud .....................................
....
.............. 29
2.4.7. Portable Electronics, Peripherals, and Other ........................................... 31
3. Voice Convergence: Technology Overview .......................................... 33
3.1. The Fixed M obile Convergence.............................................................
33
3.2. VOIP Software......................................... ................................................... 34
3.3. VOIP Hardware and Software Combination ..................................... ...
.35
3.4. VOIP Using 3G........................................ ................................................... 35
3.5. Femtocells ..................................................
........ ................................... 36
3.6. Application and Advantages in the Home ......................................
....
.. 36
4. Putting It All Together ............................................................................................
4.1. Overview ..........................................
.....................................
.........................
4.2. Linking Computers and Consumer Electronics .......................................
4.3. Interfaces: Applications, Web Browser, File Browser ..................................
4.4. Synchronizing: In the Cloud or Through a Device ...........................................
4.5. A Distributed System Architecture......................... ................
38
38
39
40
42
42
5. Applying the Ecosystem Information to Femtocells .....................................
5.1. Linking the Ecosystem: A Design Structure M atrix.........................................
5.2. The Femtocell in the DSM ................................................................................
5.3. Overview........................................................................................................
5.4. Core Ecosystem Pieces ..........................................................................
43
43
49
49
50
5.5. The Femtocell Market.....................................................
.........
5.6. Recommendations and Conclusions ........................................
51
55
58
6. Appendices ................................................................................................................
6.1. Ecosystem Matrices ....................................................................................... 58
6.1.1. Home Data Sources............................................................................... 58
6.1.2. Home Consumer Electronics and Computing Devices......................... 59
6.1.3. Home Devices Functional Description ................................................... 61
6.1.4. Home Devices Applications ................................................................. 63
.......... 65
6.1.5. Home Devices User Interface ........................................
68
6.1.6. Home Devices Platforms and Software ........................................
............ 70
6.1.7. Case 1: Apple Incorporated .........................................
6.1.8. Case 2: Sony Corporation of America ..................................................... 72
..................................... 74
6.2. M atlab D SM s........................................................
74
6.2.1. Matlab DSM for Sony Corporation ...................................... ............
................................ 75
6.2.2. List of clusters....................................................
6.2.3. Larger view of Excel based Sony ecosystem........................................76
7. Bibliography .............................................................................................................
8
77
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Table of Figures
Figure 1: Excel manually partitioned DSM of Apple Incorporated ecosystem....... 45
Figure 2: Matlab automated partition of DSM for Apple Inc ................................
46
Figure 3: List of products in Figure 2 clusters, starting from left to right........... 47
Figure 4: Excel manually partitioned DSM of Sony Corp. ecosystem.................. 48
Figure 5: Calculation of total number of available customers ............................... 53
Figure 6: Calculation of femtocell application market size .................................... 54
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1. Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1. Motivation
During the fall term of 2008, I participated in Massachusetts Institute of Technology's
Entrepreneurship Lab course. I joined with four other students with varied backgrounds
to work on an internship style project for the semester that was unique to the group and
start-up company that we were working with. Specifically, we were to solve a problem
for Ubiquisys Ltd and their femtocell product. A femtocell is essentially a miniature
cellular wireless network that plugs into a broadband connection and is targeted for home
or small business use. It allows a user to make phone calls and use mobile data over their
own broadband connection rather than using a cell tower signal, or in places where little
or no cellular signals are received. Our group was tasked specifically with determining a
strategic direction and identifying markets for future enhanced functionalities for the
product. Although we ended up identifying and targeting a more pressing need for the
company and our project, which was the customer value proposition, a very relevant
question was brought to light. In the midst of home network, home consumer electronics,
and voice convergence, how can consumer electronics devices such as the femtocell
deliver services or content to users. In addition, the question of how services and content
can be monetized is a pressing concern for a variety of companies.
The convergence of mobile communications with the data rich environment of the
internet is providing a wealth of opportunities for content and service providers,
application developers, and many others. The emergence of the "always connected"
culture, through smartphones and digital media players, has the opportunity to drive
integration and changes in the home network. This paper seeks to understand what the
product architectures for the home network currently are, and what the trends are for the
future. Particular attention will be paid to the new role of the smartphone in the home and
the emergence of fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) applications. By applying system
architecture analysis and tools such as Design Structure Matrices (DSM) to the current
and emerging architectures, I hope to identify characteristics of competing architectures,
such as level of integrality or modularity and alignment with customer needs, that provide
opportunities for service delivery.
1.2. Research Methods and Approaches
As this is a rapidly changing market and technology environment, the most viable
resources are unlikely to be published books but rather journal papers, news articles,
standards publications, etc. Current and future standards for interoperability will be an
important part of understanding the interactions between a wide variety of devices within
the system to be examined. Objects, processes, and connections will be represented in
matrix format using data gathered through reading and research. Information will be
drawn from previous work with Ubiquisys Ltd and other market research whenever
possible. In order to create a relevant and specific analysis, two cases will be analyzed
that demonstrate real and current home network and entertainment architectures. These
are relevant as either one of the two companies presented in the cases are likely to be
represented in part in many consumer homes.
1.3. Introduction
There has been a substantial shift from the cellular phone being a tool for mobile
communication to being a multi-purpose tool, augmenting and in many cases replacing
fixed, wired systems. Mobile communication is shifting to a data-centric rather than a
voice centric point of view, as evidenced by Verizon's recent intent to initially launch
their fourth generation (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) network without a Code
Division Multiple Access (CDMA) signal (Patel, 2009). Within this shift to data centric
operation, there are some opportunities to be gained by both the consumer as well as the
mobile network operators (MNO), consumer electronics (CE) companies, and application
developers. Smartphones offer far more opportunities than just mobile internet. The
iPhone apps store is giving the public a glimpse of all that can be accomplished with a
smartphone for a platform, as well as proving that the smartphone can be popular among
the general public as opposed to only business customers.
Portability and compactness are key requirements for portable devices, which is probably
why so many device functionalities have been integrated into the smartphone. In seeming
opposition to the need for mobility however is shift of the mobile phone back into the
home. Slowly, many people are dropping the use of landlines in favor of a mobile phone
that provides not only a singular point for receiving communication but also a wealth of
information such as contacts, calendars, alarms, and more wherever you happen to be.
Into this newly data-rich home environment is where the femtocell aims to be. Its primary
value is in its ability to provide improved signal coverage or potentially reduced rates for
calls and mobile data. In addition, there are two key functionalities that it will likely
provide. The first is a secure connection for the smartphone to the home or business
network, and the second is presence detection.
Presence detection is similar to location services but with potentially more power to
automate or trigger services in the home or office. A simplistic example of a presence
based application is a program that allows a femtocell to send a text to a parent at work as
soon as a child returns home through detection of the child's cell phone presence. (Day,
2008) Other examples within the home are focused on synchronization and automated
downloading from a connected network or Internet. The following is a list of potential
application categories for femtocells (Kemppainen et al. 2008). Many are not home
specific but assume the ability to have a femtocell almost anywhere.
1. Monitoring: The monitoring category encompasses the features of determining
and notifying whether a person, pet, or belonging is "home" or not, and may
include monitoring in neighborhood or retail locations.
2. Home Automation: This category is based around the idea of the phone and
femtocell as the command center for your home, with the ability to monitor or
control things like thermostat, garage door, appliances, etc.
3. Security: The security category is similar to home automation but is based
around a home or business security systems such as Brinks or ADT (US based)
and adds features such as notification and recording of information obtained from
nearby cell phones.
4. Social Networking: This category encompasses interaction with social
networking sites and applications such as facebook, yelp, Linkedln, etc. to
interact and provide updates, especially location based updates that measure who
or how many people may be at a certain club, restaurant, or venue.
5. Advertising: The advertising category includes information pushed to phones
or pulled by users based on location (ex: nearby retail etc.), applications (ex:
calendar), profile info, etc.
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6. Information Reference: This category is quite general and includes the lookup
of reference documentation which may be located on the internet or a femtocell
networked computer. An example would be a "tour guide" (text, audio, or video)
that could be pulled by a user near a historic site or museum.
7. Synchronization: Synchronization through a femtocell should be a largely
passive process, where items such as calendars, profiles, settings, video game
characters or avatars, etc. are updated and synchronized amongst all devices
passively while a user is connected to a femtocell.
8. Micro-Payments: Essentially this category seeks to bring paypal or credit card
like functionality to the phone through its connection to a store femtocell. Other
behavior which may be enabled through this would be advanced ordering and
payment or "be your own waitress".
9. Device Control: The general idea of this category is to turn off ingoing and
outgoing call or texting capabilities for nearby cell phones. This is applicable in
theaters, schools, and potentially homes as well.
10. Tracking: This category is partially linked with social networking. It focuses
on knowing the location of a person, pet, or object within a home, neighborhood,
mall, etc. and tracking their movement between femtocell zones.
11. Capacity Utilization: This is another category that could be partially linked
with social networking. The idea is to monitor how full a restaurant, venue, or
club is, based upon the number of cell phones present, as well as potentially
categorizing those people. An example is to link with "Open Table" to find out
what restaurants are or aren't full tonight.
Especially for the category of synchronization, which is likely the most usable and easily
implemented category, there is a requirement to understand both the computer
architecture and the consumer electronics products that can link to a phone through a
femtocell. Also, there is a larger question of where applications and functionality should
reside. Several organizations have been formed specifically with the purpose of
identifying future functionality for Fixed Mobile Convergence. Specifically, the Fixed
Mobile Convergence Alliance (FMCA) has created a suggested requirements document
designed around convergence of mobile phones with the internet and home network
("FMCA Convergence Application Scenarios"). The focus of this document is primarily
on synchronization and multimedia delivery and communication services. For the most
part, the functionality that is discussed hinges mostly on mobile network capabilities,
with some mention of WiFi primarily for pointing out the ability to reduce mobile
broadband costs to the user by using WiFi instead. There is very little discussion of how
intelligent mobile devices will interact with fixed infrastructure, such as the home
network and entertainment systems.
In the following chapters I lay out the home networking and entertainment systems as
they are today, and mention some of the key points for convergence that is happening
now. Following that I provide a brief overview of mobile and fixed voice systems, as
well as illustrating the shift of voice from a single method of delivery to multiple ways to
deliver voice utilizing data connections. After discussing some of the software and
networking infrastructure that connect these systems, I present two specific cases to be
analyzed more thoroughly. The first is the product ecosystem of Apple Incorporated, and
the second case is the product ecosystem of Sony Corporation of America. Information
drawn from analysis of these systems is then used to make conclusions and
recommendations about how a femtocell can provide the greatest value in the home.
2. Home Media Architecture
2.1. Entertainment, Communications, and Information Overview
Bandwidth to the home is increasing and mobile networks are beginning to converge with
fixed infrastructure. Primarily these networks are providing communication,
entertainment, and information. These are very broad categories but it is important to
note that the consumer purchasing a data plan through their cable, DSL, or fiber optic
provider is purchasing a connection to an information network, but has little value in the
connection itself. Thus, above a certain minimum level of quality, differentiating the
connection among different providers becomes difficult. Services provided over a
network, however, provide high levels of value and in some instances, such as cable
television, can provide increasing levels of revenue rather than the decreasing numbers
commonly found in commodity products. According to the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) cable TV rates have risen at about three times the rate of inflation
("Cable rates' endless rise"). More than one industry has picked up on this trend for
offering services to consumers, however in a converging environment an integrated
services platform has the ability to offer far more customer value than disparate services
for each personal computing and consumer electronics device.
Within the home, the size of a data connection has only an indirect correlation with the
price of a product. This can be easily seen by going to any cable company's website and
reviewing their pricing. For a search conducted in March 2009 in the Boston, MA area
cable tv offerings ranged from $63 - $115, voice was $30, and broadband internet was
$20 (all prices are per month). On the surface, it appears that price correlates less with the
bandwidth of the service provided, and more with complexity and variety of the services
themselves. Although this isn't a huge surprise, the long-term implications may surprise
cable and voice providers more that they'd like to admit. As users gain access to large
amounts of bandwidth at cheap prices, the internet becomes an open platform for
communications and media delivery. TV and voice services delivered over the internet
will be able to compete using the same cable or telecom infrastructure of the standard
cable TV and voice providers. Many established firms, however, have the power to offer
multi-play offerings, i.e. offer bundles including more than one service, and also have an
established presence in the consumer's home. In the near future, services and content
provided to the home will prove to be a competitive and dynamic marketplace for the
customer, especially for premium content such as Video On Demand (VOD) and
premium movie channels like Home Box Office (HBO) or Starz.
Content providers are targeting not only the home but also mobile devices like
smartphones as platforms for delivering better and more personalized services.
Increasingly, the desire to be "always connected" is bringing the phone into the home and
making it a part of the home network. A wide variety of device architectures, software
platforms, and connection standards can make the integration of any device into the home
network challenging. In the near future there are going to be changes in the architecture
of the home network, which will both impact and be impacted by the smartphone. With
the range of services and consumer electronics available in the home, a truly open and
integrated architecture may be very difficult to achieve. The increased openness of
proprietary platforms, such as application stores, may pose a significant challenge to open
architecture standards. There are a wide variety of pieces to fit together in order to enable
seamlessly converged services and applications.
2.2. Overview of the Landscape
There are roughly five components of the home media architecture that have different
functionalities yet are integral pieces of the complete home media system. Although any
architecture could be broken up in various ways, this manner highlights the connections
and interdependence of various pieces of the system. The categories are:
A. Smartphones
B. Home Entertainment System
C. Personal Computing
D. Data Pipe and the Cloud
E. Portable Electronics, Peripherals and Other
Category E, "Portable Electronics, Peripherals, and Other", contains products that are less
integral to the home media system, however it is useful to consider items in this category
as they may benefit from integrating into one or multiple of the other four categories.
Also, they may play a role in how the standards for interoperability in the home.
2.3. Smartphones
The smartphones category includes similar devices like PDAs, blackberries, pagers, etc.
however the most crucial piece for the home media system is the smartphone itself. For
the purpose of simplification, single function devices, i.e. those providing only email
20
instead of email and voice, won't be considered individually in this analysis.
Smartphones are increasingly driving an "always connected" culture and are shifting
focus away from fixed phones and computers as portals for communication and
information access. Increasingly, smartphones are also becoming portals for multimedia
delivery. There are several features that are key for integrating into and shifting the home
media system.
First, the smartphone offers an "always connected" or always accessible feature that was
previously absent in the home network. Unlike the cultural phenomenon of losing the
television remote control, the smartphone tends to be something a person keeps with
them, often in a pocket, on a belt clip, or at the least within reach or earshot. As a
connected device, either through WiFi or cellular data, smartphones offer the capability
to access applications in the cloud or devices on the home network. It can very easily
shift to becoming the primary control and occasional access point for home media.
Another important feature of the Smartphone within the home is personalization. A
majority of homes for which one household member owns a Smartphone also have at
least one other cellular phone or smartphone owner in the house. Moving content and
access control to a smartphone allows the owner of that device to personalize his or her
content. No longer do "favorites" have to be logged for every member of the household.
A user may soon be able to control and prioritize only their own content without having
to manage or sort through information from others.
A final feature to take note of is the storage capability and portability of a smartphone.
This feature allows multimedia, including movies, songs, etc., to be downloaded when a
fast wired or wireless connection is available, and played back at a later time. The iPod
feature on an iPhone is perhaps the most prominent example of this, allowing users to
play back music on airplanes or the iHome docks now found in some hotels. Even with
the advent of 4G cellular data technologies such as LTE, price and signal availability may
hinder ubiquitous access. Instead of bringing a DVD over to a friend's house to watch,
you may simply upload and download it from your smartphone, or stream the movie from
its location on your Set Top Box (STB) via a Slingbox from Sling Media. It is unclear
how important the Smartphone may be in future media mobility as services and content
move into the cloud. Its role as a mobile control and access portal to the home network,
however, should not be overlooked.
2.4. Home Entertainment System
The Home Entertainment System is a relatively large and diverse category. It includes a
variety of consumer electronics that often fall into either a video or an audio system
category. Television screens, stereo receivers, speakers, Blueray players, and DVD
players all fall into this category. Perhaps the most intelligent device in this category is
the Set Top Box (STB) that is commonly used to deliver television and other cable TV
programming. The distinction between movies and television programming has begun to
blur as networks add movies to their programming, service providers add video on
demand, and STB's add the ability to record movies and shows for later playback.
Among these changes, the commonality is that of shifting the timing of a program. A less
common but increasing trend is shifting the place of a program, ie recording or playing a
movie or show on one device and then transferring it to another.
2.4.1. Television Screens
The trend in television screens is nothing if not larger and wider, with HDTVs having the
newer, wider 16:9 width to height ratio than the previous standard of 4:3 for television
sets. Channel switching and selection has largely moved off of the television set and onto
the set top box, leaving the screen as nothing more than a 'dumb' box which plays
whatever is streamed into it. By eliminating functionality now provided by STBs, screens
have become less integrated and more modular in the home media system thus allowing
multiple screens to be connected in a variety of locations throughout a home. This allows
media and recording functions to be centralized yet accessible throughout a home.
Shifting to a centralized system for content delivery is not yet entirely realized in most
home media systems however. The Set Top Box is evolving while peripherals are
increasing its capabilities, however the dominant standard remains as a relatively simple
cable box, with DVR functionality becoming an increasing standard with 31%, and
growing (Endeavor Partners, 2009) of US households having a DVR.
2.4.2. Audio
Audio systems are often closely linked with TV and video systems to provide high
quality audio for movies or TV programs, however they operate independently from
video systems when providing solely audio content. Systems are usually comprised of a
stereo or Audio and Video (AV) receiver and speakers, with a variety of integrated and
distributed systems available. Input to the system, either integrated or distributed with the
AV receiver, can include CD players, satellite radio receivers, terrestrial radio receivers,
or input from digital music players or computers. Constraints on wiring and the inability
to run multiple programs (ie play more than one input) means that audio systems are
often constrained to a single room in a home. Other rooms often have small radios, iPod
or portable device speaker docks for playing music, or separate full audio systems.
These disparate audio systems create an inconsistent music experience and add
complexity and complication for users due to nonstandard interfaces and the need to store
music in multiple locations. Functionality such as hearing the same song throughout a
house, or being able to access the same song, CD, or playlist from any point in a home,
has traditionally required expensive wiring and high-end custom installations. Shifts in
technology are changing the way these systems are implemented however, with the
ability to synchronize music through programs like iTunes, integration with home
networks, the ability to plug portable digital music players into receivers, and distributed
audio solutions such as Sonos. The Sonos system uses WiFi and mesh technology instead
of wiring to extend a single audio system throughout a home.
2.4.3. Set Top Boxes
Set Top Boxes used to connect a television to a satellite or cable feed are pretty much the
equivalent of a black box to most users. Wires go in, wires go out, but the control and
interface is through a remote control and the user interface displayed on the television
screen. The experience delivered to the user is determined by the user interface and the
content delivered. Interfaces have traditionally offered very little in terms of
differentiation, making content, price, availability, and bundling keys points for
differentiation. Several shifts in the way content is delivered, viewed, and stored are
enabling a variety of smarter uses and extended functionality in STBs as well as enabling
addition peripheral products. Perhaps one of the most well known products creating a
shift has been the Tivo box, which introduced programmable digital video recording
(DVR) to mass-market consumers for satellite and cable television. Cable companies
noticed the trend and adopted DVR functionality into their STBs. As of 2008, 31%
(Endeavor Partnets, 2009) of US households had DVR functionality, up from 25% in
2007.
The popularity of DVRs demonstrates that in the busy culture of the modern day
American, having control over not only what you watch but when you watch it is
important. High-end customers especially have busy schedules and are not willing to
dedicate a permanent space in their schedules for a TV show when they can pay for a
more flexible option. A more recent trend is to shift the place where television or a video
can be watched. The SlingBox from Sling Media allows users to watch streaming or
recorded programming from their STB on a variety of other platforms, including
computers, smartphones, and other TVs. This allows a person to keep up with a favorite
show while travelling, or pause a video and continue watching it in another room. In
general, both time and place shifting are set to become essential technologies for the next
generation home. Alternate STB and television offerings, such as Verizon's Internet
Protocol TV (IPTV) over their fiber optic FiOS network, and STBs like AppleTV and
Vudu, may offer some advantages in time and place shifting compared to traditional
cable, in addition to other potential advantages in pricing, synchronization, networking,
and device interoperability.
2.4.4. Video Players and Gaming Consoles
In 2007, 77% of US households contained DVD players (Endeavor Partners, 2009).
Although Blu-ray promises to be the next standard in video disks, overall penetration
remains low at only 9% of US households (Interpret LLC, 2008). Other than shifting
standards, there are no major shifts in the way DVD and Blu-ray players provide content
to users. Perhaps a more relevant shift that has already begun is the increasing popularity
of video delivery independent of disk players, such as video on demand (VOD), online
purchase or rental from applications such as iTunes, and streaming alternatives such as
those offered from Netflix. Some of the online and streaming alternatives are very closely
linked with STBs, such as those offered by Apple (AppleTV) and Vudu, and also provide
High Definition (HD) quality picture and sound, albeit in the 720p (iTunes) format as
opposed to the 1080p maximum capable on many Blu-ray devices. Considering the low
penetration of Blu-ray however, downloaded and even some streaming media can provide
better or equivalent picture and sound quality than the current viewing experience of
most households. In most cases though, an STB must be purchased in order to view
online videos on TVs.
Perhaps more interesting than stand-alone video players are video gaming consoles.
Although not every household population has a 'gamer', still, approximately 42% of
households in 2008 (Endeavor Partners, 2009) had gaming consoles. These consoles
inherently have a relatively high level of complexity driven by detailed graphics and
online gaming capabilities, however this complexity also enables the console to be a
highly converged device. Sony's Playstation 3 is an excellent example. The Playstation 3
uses the Blu-ray format for games, and so also doubles as a Blu-ray video player. In
26
addition, the device can be hooked up to the internet via WiFi or ethernet, and can access
TV and video content from the online Playstation store. Nintendo's Wii is also internet
capable, with an Opera web browser and the ability to play videos from YouTube,
although videos from newer sites with full TV episodes, like Hulu.com are not yet
supported. The Xbox from Microsoft offers users access to streaming content from
Netflix and also can be connected to a Windows XP Media Center to play stored content.
Though gaming isn't as popular as simply watching videos, there still is a relatively high
penetration in US households, and the capabilities of a game console can easily overlap
with the functionality of some STBs and home media centers. In addition, there are many
free applications and instructions available on the web that can be installed on these
consoles to expand their functionality and networking capability, although many of these
applications are unsupported by the original equipment manufacturers.
2.4.5. Personal Computing and Peripherals
Personal computing is a category that is beginning to overlap with a few other categories,
largely due to the need for intelligent processing in order to increase functionality for
smartphones, video game consoles, and media players. What started out as a basic
desktop computer for applications and data storage has evolved into its own portal for
viewing multimedia content, evidenced by the popularity of sites like YouTube, and has
seen significant merging with other home entertainment products. The challenge with
PCs is that they are used for many purposes other than video, audio, and gaming
applications. However, their inherent storage and processing capability makes them
excellent platforms for developing multimedia applications. Another key issue is that
desktop computers are rarely collocated with a TV and audio system in a home. Recently,
27
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however, standards have begun to emerge that link the PC with other home media
products, and the ability to share multimedia over home networks is helping to overcome
spatial issues.
With the increasing trend of home networks, personal computing is moving from a small,
wired, integrated system into a dispersed, wireless, distributed system. Content,
documents, etc. can be stored on a network drive and accessed by desktop or laptop
computers, or even a smartphone (such as the Pogoplug application for the iPhone).
Media can be streamed from a media center hub to your TV, laptop, or any other
compatible device. High definition content is still largely relegated to wired connections,
however the increasing availability of products with the IEEE 802.1 In draft standard and
Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) interoperability standard means bigger pictures
and better product performance is moving towards the convergence standard of being
accessible anytime, anywhere.
Of course some computers are made with the explicit intent of delivering multimedia to a
home entertainment (audio and video) system. Often referred to as media hubs or media
centers, these range from storage focused devices to fully functional computer systems
and can be used to store and display photos, play stored audio and video, store and play
DVD or Blu-ray discs, download or stream online content, and more. Home media
centers are far from becoming a standard in US homes however. Although not entirely
integrated, the functionality provided through a media hub by and large can already be
performed by existing pieces in a networked home, namely a PC, STB, or a gaming
console.
Other peripherals such as printers, scanners, fax machines, etc. are also part of the PC
category but are not as integral to the home media system. The standards these
peripherals employ are of interest however, since they may influence which standards
succeed and the level of integrality media systems will employ as they become more
converged.
2.4.6. Data Pipe and The Cloud
The biggest driver of change in the home media system is the internet. Perhaps a better
term to use instead of internet is the 'cloud' because it implies a wider range of uses and
services than what people think of when they hear 'internet'. The term 'cloud' is
something that gets used quite a bit although it has no single agreed upon definition, and
can imply a variety of capabilities depending on the context of discussion. Here I use the
term 'cloud' to imply not only internet content accessed through a browser, but content
accessed and interacted with through software applications (ex: iTunes), services that
operate over data connections (ex: VoIP), and a variety of other multimedia content and
communication functionality that can be accessed through a data connection in a home,
such as broadband, or anywhere else, such as a 3G cellular data. The term 'internet' often
brings to mind an impression of web browsing, while the term 'cloud' implies much
more.
In the home, broadband is the major method for accessing the internet, with broadband
penetration in the US reaching ~63% in 2008 (Endeavor Partners, 2009). Broadband can
be delivered over DSL, cable, or more recently fiber optic cable, and is usually bundled
with either voice or cable TV service. Many Cable TV and telephone companies have
had well over a decade to build infrastructure for delivering only voice or TV service,
however because of the large wired infrastructure that they already had in place, they've
become the de facto service provider for internet and data access. Many of the services
and content provide by telecom and cable providers can now be delivered through
broadband, allowing other companies to compete directly with cable and telecom
providers using their own infrastructure. Broadband delivery is essentially becoming a
large 'dumb' pipe, through which services and content in the cloud can be delivered to
the home, or any other fixed point for that matter.
Although television and telephony are currently considered a "multi-play" offering,
convergence is beginning to make tv and telecom providers compete head to head as a
single merged market. Cable (the dominant delivery method for paid tv programming),
DSL, and fiber optics are all established delivery methods for internet, but so far they've
each been slow to poach the other's core business. This is partly due to infrastructure, as
cable has traditionally been able to support much higher data rates than the majority of
the telecom DSL infrastructure. As telecom companies are improving their infrastructure
to support more bandwidth for data, they are finding that there are some high value
services that they can capitalize on, namely paid television programming. Many cable
services have already added VoIP offerings, so adding IPTV services to telecom
offerings is a fairly natural progression. Unlike cable TV however, IPTV has no intrinsic
monopoly or priority over the bandwidth it occupies, so fierce competition may ensue.
Already, paid services like Vudu and AppleTV are gaining traction, while other free
(advertising revenue only) services are popping up on TV network websites and sites like
hulu.com.
Cloud computing, as a concept, has been around for a while, but the hardware and
software infrastructure necessary for the home network and entertainment systems to
truly take advantage of these enabling technologies is just now starting to gain a foothold
in the home of the US consumer. Products are rapidly emerging that converge a variety of
home media, computing, and communications services. As access to broadband
increases, so does access to a larger and wider variety of services at increasingly
competitive costs. Telecom and cable companies won't be losing their business anytime
too soon as they have an established presence in the consumer's home as well as a
considerable business infrastructure to deliver premium content. They will, however, feel
the pressure of competition.
2.4.7. Portable Electronics, Peripherals and Other
There are a variety of other intelligent or not so intelligent consumer electronics and
products within the home that may conceivably benefit from linking to the home media,
network, or communication systems. Also, some devices that are relevant to these
systems may fall equally into multiple categories or overlap with other devices and are
better discussed here. Of the products that may benefit from linking to these systems, a
small but high-end category is home automation and security systems. Adding a control
application to a smartphone could allow a consumer to control a thermostat remotely,
replace the garage door opener, or receive security alerts from the home security system.
There could also be a benefit to linking a home security system with a home audio
system, allowing owners or security personnel to speak directly with suspected intruders.
More simplistic devices, such as a Roomba robotic vacuum, could benefit from having a
WiFi and home network connection, allowing users to start and stop vacuuming in their
31
home while they are away at work through a smartphone application, web browser
interface, or any other number of ways. There are many products that could benefit from
a converged and interoperable home network, media, and communication system,
however most of these products aren't driving convergence.
A variety of products focused on portability are, in some cases, helping to drive
convergence. Portable gaming devices, digital music players, netbooks, navigation
systems, and more are all focused on a user's experience outside of the home, but are
helping to shift interoperability within the home. Digital music players especially are
driving a shift as, according to a 2009 survey by Piper Jaffray, 92% of teens own a digital
media player. The popularity of these devices has driven music away from the CD format
and into the purely digital format. A lot of these portable products are already converging
with each other. Perhaps the best example of convergence is found in the iPhone 3G
smartphone, which has a web browser (providing some of the functionality of a netbook),
a digital music player (equivalent to an iPod), a GPS chip and Google Maps navigation
application (your personal navigation device), and also allows you to add a wide variety
of games and applications to your handset from their application store. Limitations on
space and weight help drive convergence in portable products, but the home is much less
constrained. Consumer behavior is shifting slightly towards cloud based services, but the
major drivers for change and providing customer value have yet to be proven.
One last set of services should certainly be mentioned, which are satellite tv and radio.
Though not as popular as cable TV, satellite TV still holds significant market share, and
companies like DirecTV have already begun to utilize the web for services such as their
DVR Scheduler, which allows users to program their DVR remotely. Satellite radio has
32
also taken advantage of the ability to provide services via the web, and offers some of its
broadcasting over the internet in addition to its satellite service. It will likely be unable to
charge significantly for its online services though, as free services like Pandora and
Last.fm have gained significant popularity. Although the hardware products for these
services fit easily enough into the previous categories (namely the STB and audio
systems) the method for delivery is unique and is not suited to converging services. High
latency times, relative to broadband, mean that neither satellite TV nor satellite radio are
good means for internet access or communication, and both technologies will likely
remain point solutions.
3. Voice Convergence: Technology Overview
3.1. The Fixed Mobile Convergence
Currently in the US, many people use their cell phone or smartphone in their home in
addition to or instead of their landline. In fact, almost 25% of mobile users in the US do
not have a land line, and that number is higher in other European countries (Endeavor
Partners, 2009). Multiple reasons exist including a desire to maintain a single contact
number regardless of location, as well as simple proliferation. For many age
demographics smartphones are about constant and timely communication. This can be
seen in the popularity of text messaging via SMS or the regular stream from sites like
Twitter.com. Calling a landline to see if someone is there seems a circuitous way of
communication if someone almost always has their mobile phone by their side. The way
people use mobile phones is changing, and the cloud is brought closer to their daily lives
via the shift in focus and customer value. The following technologies represent a shift
towards fixed mobile convergence as the telecom and internet industries collide. As the
focus of mobile phones shifts to "always connected" rather than a solely mobile
connection, technologies such as VoIP, UMA dual mode handsets, and femtocells offer
potentially more efficient ways for smartphones to connect and interact with the cloud, as
well as the environment around us.
3.2. VolP Software
Voice communication has traditionally been a circuit switched rather than a packet based
(like the internet) technology, separating it from much of the internet communication
advancements. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) using packet based technology has
been around for quite a while, but has enjoyed only limited success and has not taken any
significant margin away from traditional phone networks, yet. VolP on traditional land
lines has yet to show any significant value to the customer, either in terms of quality,
functionality, or cost savings. However, the technology is improving, and its use in the
high cost area of mobile communications is expanding.
In its simplest form, VoIP is being implemented in services such as Skype and Fring,
which allow a smartphone user (among others) to talk to other users who are also using
the same online service. It is not a fully converged offering, as users cannot transfer
between WiFi and cellular voice or data during a conversation. Also, a user must
maintain a separate phone number for IP based communication if they want to be able to
make calls to other mobile or landline numbers, and comparable fees apply. A successful
future VoIP architecture based solely on software, without MNO participation, requires a
very powerful network effect that has yet to occur. Customer needs require
communication with individuals in a timely manner regardless of their connection to
Skype or another similar service. Also, there is an often overlooked hardware component,
such as a headset for a computer, required in order adequately conduct a VoIP call
although VoIP on smartphones largely overcomes that requirement.
3.3. VolP Hardware and Software Combination
In order to overcome many of the drawbacks of traditional VoIP on handsets, dual mode
handsets were developed which utilize Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) technology.
Similar to standard VoIP, a user can make calls over a WiFi connection rather than a
cellular signal. Unlike standard VoIP however, the smartphone hardware is configured to
be able to switch between the WiFi and a cellular source during a phone call, ensuring
that a call won't be dropped due to a user's movement. Also, a user has a single phone
number, regardless of whether they are utilizing a WiFi or cellular connection.
Essentially, the WiFi signal is abstracted to appear just like any other cellular signal to
the handset.
3.4. VolP Using 3G
Similar to the way a UMA dual mode handset abstracts data to appear as cellular sources,
there exists the option to utilize only cellular data (such as 3G) and WiFi as Internet
portals for VoIP, thus routing all calls through an IP based network rather than a cellular
network. ZerO 1 is a Mobile Network Virtual Operator (MVNO) in the US that will soon
be offering a similar service, offering unlimited calls via VoIP over 3G service, though
they will not be able to use WiFi or dual mode handset functionality. There is very little
difference between this proposed service and those made available by Skype on mobile
handsets, which will soon come standard on some Nokia handsets. The ZerO 1 package
will not have any capabilities for voice other than VoIP however, whereas a Skype
enabled handset still has a separate voice capability that is compatible with 2G and nondata cellular sources.
3.5. Femtocells
Another rapidly developing technology for utilizing wired broadband in the home is
through a femtocell. A femtocell, similar to a WiFi router, provides a wireless connection
to the internet for a cell phone using a cellular frequency rather than open spectrum
(although some in the future may use WiMax). Essentially, similar to UMA dual mode
handsets with WiFi, a smartphone sees a femtocell as just another cellular source. Unlike
a UMA dual mode phone however, there is no additional hardware or software changes
required on the handset.
3.6. Application and Advantages in the Home
Although not exhaustive, the list of Fixed Mobile Convergence technologies above
encompasses a range of both technically feasible and market viable options for US
consumers now and in the near future. Not all of the technologies discussed so far have
added value besides a reduced cost for calls or data, and some may not even have that.
Femtocells and UMA dual mode handsets offer the most seamless transition for a
consumer. Each requires a specialized hardware purchase of a femtocell base station or a
specialized handset, however no change in user behavior is required. Other key value
propositions include improved signal indoors where cellular signal may be poor or
nonexistent, as well as a potential connection to existing home networks.
The VolP over 3G data option provides no significant added benefit to customers other
than cost, and may potentially have problems with sparse 3G coverage in the United
States. If it had capabilities similar to UMA dual mode handsets by having the ability to
use WiFi, then its applicability in the home would be almost identical to that of current
UMA dual mode handset technology. The only difference would be the carrier, as current
UMA dual mode handsets are routed through an MNO's network, while VoIP would be
routed through an independent vendor's network. Lastly, the stand alone VoIP option
(Skype etc.) provides a very current capability with a high level of value within the
product network and an ability to port a phone number easily among different device,
however these capabilities are not currently considered major selling points for mobile
phone service ("The comScore Wireless Report"), though partnerships with Nokia and
applications on successful networking sites like Facebook may give Skype a boost.
Unlike the other offerings, however, Skype is already an online platform, providing other
internet capabilities in an integrated manner that other voice centric network operators do
not.
In general there are three wireless mechanisms for data transfer that are commonly found
on smartphones: WiFi, cellular (2G & 3G) data, and Bluetooth. WiFi provides the most
bandwidth for data transfer, is present on about 44% of smartphones (Ngo, 2009), and is
common in most homes where one or more household members owns a laptop. Bluetooth
provides a different functionality, and is used to pair to specific devices, like a computer
or headset, but in it current form is too slow to be used for large amounts of data or for
things like online video. For cellular data, there is no connection to the home unless a
femtocell is being used. Here I'm choosing to abstract away the specific connection
- - --------
method, frequency, or standard (ie GSM, CDMA, UMTS, CDMA-2000, etc.) assuming
merely that 2G or 3G cellular data implies that the data connection is using licensed
spectrum from a specific MNO.
Each of the discussed convergence technologies has differing implications for wireless
data to smartphones in the home. The femtocell allows for the simplest handset hardware
for a connection to the home and wireless data, as WiFi isn't required, but consequently
the data transfer rates between the phone and base station can be slightly slower. UMA
dual mode handsets have WiFi built in, so data connections in the home are easily
handled that way for wirelessly networked homes. VoIP software applications provide a
greater economical advantage on WiFi enabled smartphones, however the software is
independent of the type of wireless data connection. None of the technologies utilize
Bluetooth on a handset, and independent of pricing, its not immediately obvious which of
these methods, if any, provide additional value to the smartphone user at home. A deeper
understanding is required of the home network as well as the products and services fixed
mobile convergence can provide.
4. Putting It All Together
4.1. Overview
All of the pieces fall into three general categories: entertainment, computing, and
communication. There are different ways that each of these consumer needs can be
implemented in the home. Many of the established solutions are point solutions, that is,
they address only a single need. Convergence is being driven by the increasing need to
have an intelligent processing capability on many consumer electronics and
communication devices. Once this improvement starts, it opens the door for rapidly
increasing functionality based on software rather than hardware devices. Before all that
can happen however, products not only need to get smarter, they also have to be made
more compatible in order to be able to network with other devices and computers.
4.2. Linking Computers and Consumer Electronics
Unfortunately, even smart devices cannot always talk to one another, let alone single or
limited function devices. If one has a Linux based machine, a Macintosh, and a Windows
based machine all on one network its more than likely they will have to do a bit of
tweaking and find a few different software package in order for them to be able to
communicate. In the home network and entertainment system there are primarily two
solutions. The first is to build a product network and architecture based on a single
company or group of companies' proprietary software and networking protocols. The
second is to build an ecosystem based on a well-recognized and accepted standard.
Proprietary product architecture lacks the easy interoperability with a wider range of
products that are available in standards based architecture. What it lacks in variety
however, it can often make up for in integral functionality and seamless performance.
Devices can easily recognize other products that are attached directly or to the same
network, and each device can access all available resources. In the home network, the
most recognized standard is from the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA). It's a
standard that is supported by a wide range of computing and consumer electronics
companies and is partially based on the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) standard. DLNA
can be found on a wide array of products, from televisions to mobile devices, computers,
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and more. This standard allows devices to interact and provide access to application and
files on each device that has been certified. Devices that are not DLNA certified however
may or may not be compatible or supported for interoperability, based on the
manufacturer and software. A DLNA networked home environment allows users to have
distributed content use and storage, yet allows a centralized method for accessing and
sharing content.
4.3. Interfaces: Applications, Web Browser, File Browser
In addition to devices interacting with other devices, there is a need for software and
applications to talk with one another as well. When the same function becomes available
on multiple devices, synchronization can become an issue. At the same time, when a
person becomes familiar with an interface or service on one device they are likely to want
a similar experience on another device. In the current converging environment, single
point hardware solutions are beginning to phase out in favor of software functionality. In
this transition, ownership of the software or the content provided by the software is
becoming more valuable.
When information needs to be shared between devices, whether via a direct wired or
wireless connection or via a network connection, the available content needs to be viewed
and selected. Computers usually do this with a file browser or finder. Sometimes devices
require a specific software device driver or application to connect with a device, though
this often means that the device is only able to connect to a computer and may not have
the capability to interact with other products, like a TV screen for example. This is where
standards like DLNA come into play by allowing interoperability with a wide range of
products. Applications often have their own browsers in order to search specifically for
compatible files, or to store a network location where content is often stored.
For online content, a web browser is the main portal for user interaction. Similar to file
browsing, some applications have their own ability to browse specific online content or
sites, however the range of sites or content that is accessible through an application is
often very small and specific. A web browser is often equipped with various plug-ins that
allow multimedia content to be accessed within the browser. To a large extent, a web
browser application determines the user's experience with the web, coupled with the
quality of the sites accessed. Applications that access the web and local or networked
files are able to better control the entire user experience of accessing and playing media
content, while access through a web browser may be an inconsistent experience due to
differences in browsers, or limited functionality.
Apple's iTunes is a good example of a software application as a platform. The service
can be used on Windows PCs, Macs, smartphones, an AppleTV set top box, and an iPod
Touch digital media player. A good example of a multimedia content delivery service
that is relatively independent of hardware or software is Amazon.com's TV and movie
download service, which can be accessed through a web browser. One last example of a
method for content delivery is Last.fm, which offers plug-ins to a web browser so that
cloud based music can be streamed to a computer or other compatible device, thus
eliminating the need to open a specific application or remain at a given webpage. These
software pieces are essential to multimedia delivery in a converged home environment
and should be taken into account as either potential partners or potential competition for
other service or content delivery platforms.
4.4. Synchronizing: In the Cloud or Through a Device
Synchronization is seen as a potentially high value service for the converged
environment. Two good examples of synchronization solutions are the MobileMe service
from Apple and Ovi.com from Nokia. They have made an architectural decision that
instead of constantly synchronizing between multiple devices, it makes sense to keep all
updated information in one place, the cloud. By maintaining information online, a user
has a variety of methods for access without having to have any of the synchronized
devices in the same place or physically connected.
4.5. A Distributed System Architecture
Ironically enough, converging consumer electronics, computers, and communication
devices allows for a more physically distributed system rather than a tightly integral one.
A review of the interfaces used in these systems (see Appendix 6.1.5) reveals nothing
unusual but does offer some insight. Users interact with applications and many products
through sight, sound, and touch, or screens, speakers, and keyboards etc. Devices such as
STBs, computer consoles, and WiFi routers do not contain their own interfaces but work
through other devices. A quick review of some of the screens in the home brings up:
smartphones, which have the advantage of providing the user 'always connected'
functionality; computer monitors, which are fairly large and collocated with other
computing assets; laptops, which provide an easy form factor and portability; and TV
screens, which generally provide the best viewing experience. Of these, the desktop
monitor seems to provide the most redundant functionality, as networked devices no
longer require collocation, while the laptop and smartphone overlap in their ability to
provide a portable user interface.
The inference from this array of hardware and software interface architectures is that
convergence is serving to remove redundancy in systems, and implement hardware
solution in software on smart devices. Stationary systems are comprised of smart
interface devices and black boxes (devices with no user interface), except for the case of
the television screen, which is not a smart user interface but is built primarily for size and
performance in image display. While the black boxes may continue to converge and
functionality to increase through software, the user interfaces are likely to change less
quickly, while still increasing the overall capabilities of the system through connections
to the black boxes and cloud. The distributed home architecture has laptops, TV screens,
and wireless keyboards with access to STBs, computer consoles, and hard drives all
through one network. Within this distributed home architecture it is important for a new
product or device to fully understand its path to the user, the network, other devices, and
the cloud.
5. Applying The Ecosystem Information to Femtocells
5.1. Linking the Ecosystem: A Design Structure Matrix (DSM)
In order to better analyze the femtocell's place in the home environment, I have chosen to
map out the ecosystem as well as two specific cases (Appendix 6.1) that demonstrate
current technology and ecosystems. A basic description and mapping of products
provides an excellent overview of core functions within the home media system. There is
a wide array of functionality, as well as potential function overlap between devices. To
analyze this media ecosystem, a design structure matrix was chosen as a tool so that,
when optimized, modular and integral parts of a system would be highlighted. The DSM
also provides an excellent graphical description of the links between products. Smart
devices within the ecosystem have the option of a wide range of functions, but most
products only contain a subset of the range of possibilities. Therefore, two specific cases,
i.e. the product architectures from two different companies, were used in the DSM
analysis in order to provide a realistic snapshot of current systems.
The first case is from Apple Incorporated, which is chosen due to their relatively closed
and controlled architecture, in addition to their very successful smartphone and a highly
successful application store. The second is Sony Corporation, which provides an
excellent contrast due to their use of the DLNA standard as well as their leadership
position with Bluray disc technology. The inputs to each matrix are specific products
currently being sold by each respective company, with one product for each device in the
media system list (Appendix 6.1.2, second column), when available. Initial comparison of
the Apple and Sony input reveals two things. First, Sony has a much more diversified
offering, with a much wider range of products. Secondly, while Sony has the upper hand
in gaming and Bluray devices, Apple has a much stronger software offering.
-
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--
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Apple Ecosystem DSM
11 2 2 3 4
Task Name
SD Memory Card
Earphones
30" LCD Flat Panel Display
Apple TV
DVD
CD
USB Thumb Drive
User
Cellular Voice
Cable Data
Wireless Keyboard
"Mighty Mouse" wireless mouse
Blutooth
Cellular Data
IPod Touch
Mac OS X
iPhone OS
Safari
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16x
171
181
ITunes
19
IPhone 3G
Wired
20
21
5 6
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91"0' "112113141"5 16 17 18 19 20 21
Figure 1. Excel manually partitioned DSM of Apple Incorporated ecosystem
In the first DSM matrix for Apple Inc. the DSM@MIT (Cho, 2001) excel macro was
initially used but the algorithm failed to significantly cluster the matrix. The program was
then used to aid with manual partitioning of the DSM to achieve the matrix seen in Figure
1, with four items removed due to their immediately apparent bus like structure (i.e. they
interfaced with a majority of the matrix). The four items are the MacBook Pro, Mac Mini,
Time Capsule (wireless), and the Airport Extreme Base Station and would have been
shown as part of the core system in the matrix above, as well as connecting to a majority
of the other products. These items were included in the subsequent automated
partitioning using a Matlab algorithm (Thebeau, 2001) and, although there are slight
differences, the automated matrix is largely similar to the manually partitioned DSM (see
Figure 2 and Figure 3).
2
6
7
8
9
NewDSM Matrix; 12-May-2009 18:16:34; Total Cost: 3412
Element
13 14 16 17 18 20 22 23 24 25 11 19 21 5 15
4
10
1
3
12
0
Figure 2. Matlab automated partition of DSM for Apple Inc.
The takeaway from the two matrices (Figures 1, 2 and 3) is simply that Apple
Incorporated has a very tightly integrated ecosystem. The tightly clumped system of core
Apple products and software (see the solid line box in the lower right hand corner of
Figure 1) has more of the nature of a bus than a tightly integrated system module. The
areas surrounded by dashed lines illustrate the level of interaction these core system
pieces have with other point solutions. There are very few products in the ecosystem that
don't have the capability to interface with most other Apple products. When considering
the matrix in context of the larger converged system there is a noticeable focus on
computing and a much lesser focus on consumer electronics and traditional home
Cluster Member List
12-A.y-20
8.18:16:34
Cluster #1
Cluster *3
MacBook Pro (2)
DYD (6)
30" LCD Flat Panel Display (5)
Apple TV (15)
CD (7)
USB Thumb Drive (8)
Cellular Data (9)
Mac OS X (13)
iTunes (14)
Safari (16)
"Mighty Mouse" 'wireless mouse (17)
Cable Data (18)
iPhone OS (20)
Blutooth (22)
Wireless Keyboard (23)
Airport Extreme Base Station (24)
Time Capsule ('wireless) (25)
Cluster #4
Cellular Yoice (4)
iPhone 3G (10)
Cluster #5
Mac Mini (1)
SD Memory Card (3)
Cluster #6
Wired (12)
Cluster #2
Earphones (11)
iPod Touch (19)
User (21)
Figure 3. List of products in Figure 2 clusters, starting from left to right
entertainment products such as TV screens. That means in order for Apple to fully
converge, it will likely need to incorporate parts of standards like DLNA in some of their
products in order to interface with products from other vendors. Apple's complete
dominance in the digital music player, evidenced by a survey showing -100% of teens
wanting to buy an iPod as opposed to any other device (Jaffray, 2009), has made the iPod
into a standard, so visual multimedia more than audio should be the key focus area for
integrating Apple products with devices from other manufacturers.
I
a
--
--
--
- ~ I
--u
Sony Ecosystem DSM
T ak
N Ime
a& Name
/ideoGname Disk
iu-ray Disc
Player
HomeTheater A/V Receiver (7.1-channel)
I'-
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4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Playstatlon*Store
171
Bluray
CD
22
Bluetooth Mouse
VAIO Wireless Keyboard
Blutooth
23
24
25
USB Memory Stick
26
High Definition HandycamO Camcorder
Walkman W Series MP3 player headsets
SD Memory Card
27
28
29
WIFI
30
PlayStation Portable (PSP)
WalkmanS Video MP3 Player
D tal Camera
Cber-shot
User
eReader
31
32
Xperla
36
Sony Valo P serles
37
VAIOFWSeries Laptop
38
RT Series AI-In-One PC
x
x
x
x
x
x
_u
x
X
xx
x
x
x
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xxxx
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x
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xxx
x
x
40
XXX
41
42
x
x
x
x
xxx
xxx
39
Home Entertainment Server (HES)
X
x
x
x
x x
xx
2
xxxx
xxxxx
x
x
S
x
x
X X
xxx
x
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mxxxxx
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VAIO
Cable Data
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VAIQ
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13
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Platrt-nn3
yla lon319'
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3
)VD/SACD/CD 400 Disc Changer
Jnlversal Remote
3RAV1A@ Internet Video Unk Module
52" BRAVIAS S Series LCD HDTV
ellular Voice
ellular Data
Stereo Bluetooth@ Headset
5-AIR Speaker System1
Noise Canceling Earbuds
Home Theater Completer Speaker Package
Nav-u
Sony Portable DVD Player
Dualshock3 Wireless Controller
Playstaton3 Web Browser
L
~~~~~dz~~~d~~~dddda~ddddddd~~dddddad~~~~
---- -
1
2
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x xx xxx xxxxx
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.4, j 14. IJ JA:Id -dd d dd:1d d A$ 1W d9 1d4 t A 1td&I N
!"-I
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l
J
Figure 4. Excel manually partitioned DSM of Sony Corp. ecosystem
The resulting Design Structure Matrix for Sony's ecosystem shows a considerably
different picture from that of Apple (see Appendix 6.2.3 for a larger view). Matlab
automated clustering was applied to the matrix (see Appendix 6.2.1 and 6.2.2) however
the results were similar but less informative than the matrix shown above. The core
products represented in the lower right hand corner of Figure 4 do not include software
but instead include a wide range of multimedia devices. Similar to the Apple Inc. DSM,
the core products show more of a networking bus type architecture rather than true
modularity, which means the ecosystem is fairly integrated, though not quite as much as
Apple's ecosystem. The other solid boxes represent other more modular systems, though
48
as can be seen in the enclosed dashed boxes, even these systems have bus-like elements
to them. The top left corner box represents the standard entertainment system including
the flat panel display and AV receiver. The middle box roughly encompasses the
Playstation3 gaming system.
5.2. The Femtocell in the DSM
Within the DSM matrices, a femtocell would connect Cellular Voice and Cellular Data
with Cable Data (or any other DSL source in a home). In both matrices, these are
regarded as generic inputs with neither Apple nor Sony branding, and in both resulting
DSM matrices (Figures 1 and 4) these inputs are not part of the core products making up
the heart of the system. A femtocell by itself is a point solution. It does not have to be a
point solution however. By converging femtocells with WiFi and wireless routers, as
Ubiquisys is already experimenting with (NETGEAR to Demonstrate Live 3G Femtocell,
2009), the femtocell is then able to access the core network to provide additional value. It
should be noted, however, that the connection to the network is redundant for WiFi
enabled mobile phones.
5.3. Overview
Ubiquitous availability of femtocells allows an imaginative person to come up with many
potentially unique add-on applications. Unfortunately, the core customer value
proposition for these devices does not yet support widespread adoption beyond the home
or business. The larger market is thought to be the home, and one of the anticipated
technology pushes for value delivery is delivering services. In this case, services can
mean everything from personalization to synchronization and system integration. When
i
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.
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looking at the ecosystem and where the femtocell lies in the home network and
entertainment systems, its fairly clear that the femtocell provides connectivity and
functionality similar to a WiFi router, although it connects wirelessly with considerably
fewer devices. It connects a cellular device or mobile broadband modem to a wired
broadband connection, and potentially a home network. Except for setup or
troubleshooting, the device works transparently and thus has no inherent interface to the
user. Also, its unique value is in automation of services due to presence information, but
not necessarily in the service delivery itself. Thus it becomes apparent that any
connecting smartphone will be the primary interface, and thus an application, application
plug-in, or website is required in order to effectively utilize functions. While not
necessarily a huge technical hurdle, it brings up immediate concerns about the ability to
gain revenue on a product developed for a separate platform.
5.4. Core Ecosystem Pieces
In terms of service and content delivery in the home, there is the ability to design for
many different point solutions. However there are core products in each of the systems
analyzed, and likely to be similar ecosystems for other companies and mixed ecosystems.
A challenging question is whether to focus on an ecosystem like Apple's, which is
relatively closed but rich with software application developers, or target systems like
Sony's using DLNA standards and opening up possibilities to a much wider variety of
products and companies. DLNA devices provide more market share but may still pose
difficulties with varying software platforms for devices. The answer lies more in a
companies' internal expertise and external business, as either option helps to expand the
customer value of femtocells but may require significantly different competencies.
--
lr
5.5. The Femtocell Market
The question of whether or not femtocell based applications can generate significant
revenue has yet to be answered. Market need is a vital component of a successful
product, and is crucial information to know before allocating resources to building
software. In order to create some rough estimates of the future market, it is important to
know some basic information about the femtocell market. As it is an emerging and barely
established market, there is very little historical data to be used so market predictions,
though notoriously inaccurate, are probably the best source available for analyzing the
future markets for femtocell application services. According to a 2008 report by IDC,
femtocells will have almost 6 million users in Western Europe by 2012. A separate report
by Gartner lists 15 million users worldwide by 2012, but only 2.5 million femtocells in
residences. The Gartner report roughly assumes 6 users per femtocell even though the
average number of residents per household is only 2.6 in Europe and peaks at 4.7 in
Africa and the Middle East, which are unlikely markets for femtocells (Baumann, 2007).
It is likely that Gartner is assuming many of these femtocells will be in small businesses
or large enterprises. The IDC numbers seem slightly more conservative and are specific
to Europe, where Ubiquisys is located, so further estimations will be based on their
calculations.
Since there are so many unknowns for the future of the femtocell market, it makes sense
to create some assumptions and use some numbers from current products to make some
market estimates. The most successful example is the iPhone application store, for which
there is a wealth of current data available.
* Assumption #1: The average iPhone owner will download approximately
34.5 applications in a year. This is calculated from the April 2009 estimate
of one billion applications downloaded with an installed base of 37 million
iPhone and iPod touch devices, which averages to 27 applications per user
from the iPhone store in 9 months and 12 days. (Elmer-DeWitt, 2009)
* Assumption #2: No more than 11% of applications downloaded by an
iPhone user would be femtocell applications. This is a very rough
assumption based on two sets of information. First, users are nine times
more likely to download a game than any other iPhone application
(Ziberg, 2009), and second, gaming is not a category identified as a
significant need for femtocell applications (Kemppainnen et al, 2008).
* Assumption #3: Femtocell applications will be primarily paid applications
with average revenue of $1.95 for the application developing company.
The average price of an app is currently $2.78 with Apple charging
application developers 30% of the posted price. (Zibreg, 2009)
These assumptions, along with information on the femtocell and smartphone markets,
allow for a realistic scenario to be built of the future market size in Western Europe for
femtocell applications. To the best of my ability I have explained all assumptions made
so that the calculation can be modified in the future as information becomes available.
Figure 5 illustrates the market size for potential applications in terms of total numbers of
users.
Number of Available Platforms
Year
Number of
Users in
Western
Europe
Scalar for
Smartphones
Percentage
Smarphones
Number of Available
Users
2008
10,000
1.5
33
4,950
2009
2010
2011
2012
90,000
650,000
2,000,000
6,000,000
1.4
1.3
1.1
1.0
46
54
64
76
56,925
438,750
1,440,000
4,560,000
Number of Available Users by Software Platform
Research In Microsoft
Windows Mobile Linux
Motion
Symbian
Year
2008 %
Market Share
57.1
17.4
12
2008
2,826
861
594
2009
32,504
9,905
6,831
Palm OS
Mac OS X
7.3
361
4,156
2.8
139
1,594
2.3
114
1,309
2010
250,526
76,343
52,650
32,029
12 285
10 091
2011
2012
822,240
250,560
172,800
105,120
40,320
33 120
2,603,760
793,440
547,200
332,880
127,680
104,880iI
Notes:
Number of
Available Users
The number of users who have both a femtocell and a smartphone on which to place
applications
Number of Users
in Wester Europe Forecast of the number of femtocell users until 2012, based on numbers from IDC, 2008
Scalar for
Smarthphones
Assume that femtocell owners are one and a half times as likely to own smartphones
initially (lead users). This figure is uncertain and could be improved once data is obtained
from first year femtocell sales information.
Percentage
Smartphones
Estimate and forcast of the percentage of all cell phones worldwide that are smartphones
based on information from Endeavor Partners, 2009.
2008 % Market
Share
Gartner report on the worldwide market share of smartphone OSs
Improvement
Possibility
Adding estimates in the change in market share for each OS over time would improve the
accuracy of the market size
Figure 5. Calculation of total number of available customers
This relatively optimistic scenario for the maximum possible market size shows that
fewer than 1 million customers will even be available before the year 2011. In 2011 and
2012 the rate of adoption for femtocells appears to speed up, thus enabling a larger
customer base, however the market share for a single company may drive a much lower
percentage of the total customer base. Another point to consider is that the installed base
for any one application on any platform will be one to three orders of magnitude less than
the installed base for a non-femtocell applications, thus visibility within an application
store could be more of a challenge.
Market Size for Femtocell Applications on Apple Handsets
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Revenue per App w/
Femtocell Apps Inflation
Applications
per device
Mac OS X
139
1,594
12,285
40,320
127,680
Revenue
-
34.5
34.5
34.5
34.5
11%
11%
11%
11%
$1.9!
$1.9!
$11,771.06
$1.9!
$297,766.02
$942,925.74
$1.9!
$90,725.58
Total Market Size for Femtocell Applications on Handsets
All
Sma irtphones
Applications
per device
Femtocell Apps
2008
2009
2010
564,925
2
56.925
438,750
2
2011
1,440,000
2012
4,560,000
11
22
34.5
Revenue per App w/o
Revenue
Inflation
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
1.95
$1.95
$1.95
$1.95
$1.95
$24.370
$24,370.73
$1,033,107.08
$6,781,420.80
$33,675,919.20
Notes:
Applications per
device
Improvement
Possibility
The average number of applications for all smartphones is unknown but
estimated to be very low. The assumption made here is that all smartphones
will reach the current rate of app sales for Apple by 2012. The estimated
increase is linear.
A forecast for rate of purchasing Apple apps until 2012 could improve the
accuracy of the estimate
Improvement
Possibility
Improvement
Possibility
The average number of applications per device for all smartphones is
unknown, but a web search provides various estimates in the low single
digits. The estimate here is 2, but this could be improved by a better market
prediction.
The above calculation could be improved by adding inflation information to the
revenue per app numbers.
Figure 6. Calculation of femtocell application market size
In Figure 6, the market for femtocell enabled applications for iPhones is estimated using
current metrics from the iTunes application store. As the number of downloaded
applications per user for the iPhone has been touted as an unprecedented success, an
assumption for the larger market is made that all smartphones will be able to achieve this
same rate of success by 2012. In this scenario, the total size of the femtocell application
market for Western Europe in 2012 would be $33.7 million. Even for a small company of
between 50 and 200 employees like Ubiquisys (Linkedln.com, 2009), a percentage of the
total market share is not likely to bring in significant revenue before 2012.
The primary driver in the market for femtocell applications is the sale of femtocells
themselves. With only a very small installed base, there are very few available users and
a variety of smartphone platforms being used. Although the application store for Apple
Inc. has gained rapid success, the installed base is still relatively low compared to
Symbian based phones, which are mostly found on Nokia handsets. The upcoming
opening of Nokia's Ovi.com application store will likely improve the ability to get
applications to Symbian smartphone users. For 2009 and 2010 especially, developing
applications for Symbian based smartphones makes the most sense, as it will provide the
highest number of available customers per application in a very small market. Initial
penetration is so low that, in order to drive adoption of basic femtocell services, it may
prove more fruitful to provide free applications bundled with mobile advertising rather
than paid applications. A 2009 report from AdWhirl (Kincaid, 2009) suggests that free
applications can make significant money, with the 100 top selling free iPhone
applications earning from $400 to $5,000 per day. While getting to the top 100 is an
unlikely feat for initial femtocell based applications, the opportunity exists to earn
revenue to offset costs of application development.
5.6. Recommendations and Conclusion
As devices grow smarter, many functions that used to be provided by single hardware
devices are being integrated into multi-function devices. The smartphone is perhaps the
best example of this. It is a personalcommunication device, as opposed to a landline
phone that often serves multiple users. Portability is a key concern for mobile phones,
and as such the functions of many other portable devices have been integrated into the
smartphone. Within the home, the personalization offered by the array of applications on
55
I
C~
____(II~_I_
_~~_1
the smartphone serves to benefit the heavily networked home computing and consumer
electronics environment. For multimedia delivery and online services, the ecosystems
analyzed in Figure 1 and Figure 4 showed clearly that while some devices provide access
to a very confined and limited number of products, other devices provide the ability to
link with and access a range of products. As the need for presence based services is
untested and can likely face competition from more established location based services, it
is still unclear whether there is a clear user need for these services, or whether a critical
mass can be gained to drive application development for a diverse array of home
entertainment and networking products.
Considering the assumption that Ubiquisys Ltd wants to truly create a Fixed Mobile
Convergence environment through femtocells, they need to focus on a few things in both
their application architecture as well as their long-term strategy. First, applications need
to be able to interact with the bus-like core elements in the Design Structure Matrices.
Essentially, the femtocell needs to allow communication between the smartphone, the
home network, and other smart devices. The products highlighted in the two cases
presented provide insight into what are likely to be the key pieces from other companies
as well. Secondly, the femtocell has no self-contained interface to the user, and thus will
require platform specific applications sold through the smartphone OS or handset vendor.
The success of iPhone applications through a single portal, iTunes, demonstrates the
importance of a closely integrated and well-designed user interface.
Lastly, Ubiquisys needs to decide on a strategy, including both place and timing, for
rolling out services. The ability to demonstrate services may provide additional value to
users and thus provide a competitive advantage for Ubiquisys branded femtocells. An
56
application market, though, is not nearly the size of the hardware market it is based on.
Femtocell applications require femtocells, which in the next few years will only reach an
installed base a couple orders of magnitude smaller than the smartphone. Since
applications are likely to remain a small source of revenue Ubiquisys should try to
determine, by polling their installed base, whether or not applications do actually provide
competitive advantage. If there appears to be no competitive advantage, then delaying
development of services until 2012, or when the installed base increases significantly,
will allow Ubiquisys to conserve resources. On the other hand, if applications can
provide immediate advantage to Ubiquisys, then mobile advertising based free
applications should be provided initially while slowly phasing in paid applications in
2011 and 2012. Femtocell based smartphone applications can be successful, however the
market will continue to be limited by the size of the installed femtocell base.
L~
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6. Appendices
6.1. Ecosystem Matrices
6.1.1 Home Data Sources
Standard Inputs
TV
Broadcast
Satellite
Cable
Radio
Broadcast
Satellite
Voice
Landline
Cellular
Data (Cloud)
Dial up
DSL
Cable
Fiber Optic
Cellular Data
Hardware
CD
DVD
Bluray
Video Game Disk
USB Thumb Drive
Digital Media Player
SD Memory Card
Network
Wired
WiFi
Blutooth
Alternatives
WiFi(mesh)
WiMax
Data over Power Line
6.1.2 Home Consumer Electronics and Computing Devices
Standard
NonStandard/Alternatives
Home Entertainment System
Video System
Standard Screen (4:3)
HD Screen (16:9)
DVD Player
Bluray Player
Projector
Receiver
Speakers
CD Player
Wireless Speakers
(Sonos)
Set Top Box
DVR
Media Streamer
Place Shifter
(Slingbox)
VHS Player
Audio System
Set Top Box
Gaming
Gaming Console
Controllers
Remote Control
Universal Remote
Game Specific Controllers
Device Specific Remote
Phone
Landline
Cordless Phone
Mobile Phone
Cell Phone
Smartphone
Accessories
Headset
Headphones
Phone (w/ cord)
_i ~~____.14____1__
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----i-eii-ill__ilI-llii-i-li_~/_~i-:-ii^CI--^---Y_1_-~---~-^--C-lnli--(
L~~
Home Consumer Electronics and Computing Devices Continued
Personal Computing
Desktop
Monitor
Console
Keyboard
Mouse
Speakers
Webcam
Laptop
Laptop
Storage
Hard Drive
Server
Media Center
Media Center Console
Wireless Keyboard
Networking
Modem
Router
WiFi
Printer and/or copier
Fax and/or Scanner
Peripherals
Portable Electronics
Digital Media Player
Portable Gaming Device
Netbook
Personal Navigation Device
Camera
Video Camera
Other
Thermostat
Robotic Vacuum
Home Security System
Garage Door Opener
Washer
Dryer
Refrigerator
Oven
Microwave
Universal Power Supply
Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC)
eReader
6.1.3 Home Devices Functional Description
Categories Device
Main Function
Alternate Functions
Converging Functions
Home Entertainment System
Video System
Video Input
Video Input
A/V Input
A/V Input
Play Audio Input
Play Audio Input
Standard Screen (4:3)
HD Screen (16:9)
DVD Player
Bluray Player
Display
Display
Stream
Stream
Receiver
Speakers
CD Player
Stream Audio Input
Play Audio Input
Stream Audio Input
Set Top Box
Stream A/V Input
View A/V Input Channels
Select A/V Input Channels
Stream Stored A/V File
(Video On Demand)
Record A/V Input to File
Gaming Console
Play Video Game
Online Users
Play A/V Input
Audio System
Set Top Box
Transfer A/V Streaming
Location
Transfer A/V File Location
Access Cloud
Purchase and/or Download
Content
Stream Media from Cloud
Stream Media from Network
Gaming
Play Video Game with
Stream Media from File
Stream Media from Network
Access Cloud
Browse Internet
Purchase and/or Download
Stream Media from Cloud
Provide User Input to
Controllers
Remote Control
Console
Provide User Input Multiple
Universal Remote
Devices
Mobile Phone
Landline
Wireless Voice
Cordless Phone
Communication
Cell Phone (Basic)
Mobile Voice Communication Communication
Take Pictures
Mobile Phone
Text Message
Smartphone
Text Message
Mobile Voice Communication Communication
Take Pictures
Email
Access Cloud
Browse Internet
Store A/V Files
Play A/V Files
Chat
Video Chat
Video Calling
Purchase and/or Download
Run Applications
A/V Files
Purchase and/or Download
Stream Media from Cloud
Accessories
Change Audio Input/Output
Headset
Headphones
Location
Single User Audio Listening
i
Home Devices Functional Description Continued
Personal Computing
Desktop
Monitor
Keyboard
Mouse
Speakers
Console
Display Visual Input
Provide User Input to
Provide User Input to
Console
Play Audio Input
Process Data
Create Data Files
Store Data Files
Create Applications
Store Applications
Run Applications
Write Data to External
Storage
Laptop
Mobile Computing
Hard Drive
(Includes all functions from
Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse,
Speakers, and Console)
Store Data Files
Storage
Email
Access Cloud
Browse Internet
Chat
Store A/V Files
Play A/V Files
Video Calling
Purchase and/or
Download A/V Files
Voice Over Internet Protocol
(VOIP)
Video Chat
Stream Media from Cloud
Stream Media from File
Stream Media from Network
Play Video Game
Play Video Game with Online
Users
Media Center
Media Center Console
Wireless Keyboard
(Same as console with
reduced ability to create
data files or applications,
and write to external
storage)
Wirelessly Provide User
Input to Console
Networking
Modem
Router
WIFI
Translates Data Input Signal
(Analog to Digital and
Digital to Analog)
Connect Devices with
Network and Cloud
Wirelessly Connect Devices
with Network and Cloud
Portable Electronics
Digital Media Player
Portable Gaming Device
Store Audio Files
Play Audio Files
Play Games
Personal Navigation Device
Camera
Video Camera
Real Time Navigation
Take Pictures
Record Video
Store Video Files
Stream Video Files
Play Video
Play Audio
View Maps
Access Cloud
Search Businesses
Notes
A/V = Audio and Video
Applications here refers to applications that are able to be added to the system (as opposed to integral to it)
Example: Microsoft Word can be downloaded and run but applications to run a game on a PS3 are integral
I
I
I
6.1.4 Home Devices Applications
Standard
Basic
Visual
Software
Cloud
Control
Stand Alone Connected
Web
Interface Applications Applications Browser
Home Entertainment System
Video System
Standard Screen (4:3)
HD Screen (16:9)
DVD Player
Bluray Player
x
x
x
x
Receiver
Speakers
CD Player
x
Set Top Box
x
x (limited)
x (limited)
x
x
x (limited)
x (limited)
x
x
x
x (limited)
x
x (limited)
x
x
Audio System
x
Set Top Box
Gaming
Gaming Console
Controllers
Remote Control
Universal Remote
Phone
Landline
Cordless Phone
Mobile Phone
Cell Phone
Smartphone
Accessories
Headset
Headphones
I
_
In__i___~l____l__i____llj~i~_l _li
Home Devices Applications Continued
Personal Co
puting (PCs)
Desktop
Monitor
Console
Keyboard
Mouse
Speakers
x
x
x
x
x
Laptop
x
x
x
x
Hard Drive
x
Media Center Console
Wireless Keyboard
x
x
x
x
Modem
Router
WiFi
x
x
x
x
x (limited)
x
x (limited)
x
x
x
Laptop
Storage
Media Center
Networking
Portable Electronics
Digital Media Player
Portable Gaming Device
Netbook
Personal Navigation Device
Camera
Video Camera
Other
Thermostat
Robotic Vacuum
Home Security System
Garage Door Opener
Washer
Dryer
Refrigerator
Oven
Microwave
Universal Power Supply
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
(limited)
(limited)
(limited)
(limited)
(limited)
Home Entertainment System
Interface Type:
Interface
Connections:
Video System
Standard Screen (4:3)
HD Screen (16:9)
Visual interface to user
Visual interface to user
DVD Player
Interface with user through:
Screen
Remote
Bluray Player
Interface with user through:
Screen
Remote
Device Control
Panel
Device Control
Panel
Receiver
Speakers
Interface with user through:
Audio interface to user
Speakers
Remote
Device Control
Panel
CD Player
Interface with user through:
Receiver Speakers
Remote
Device Control
Panel
Set Top Box (STB)
Interface with user through:
Screen
Remote
Device Control
Web Browser
Panel
Controller
Online
Device Control Connection
(Cloud)
Panel
Audio System
Set Top Box
Gaming
Gaming Console
Controllers
Remote Control
Interface with user through:
User Interface to console
Screen
Universal Remote
User interface to AV and STB
Systems
Cordless Phone
Interface with user through:
Device Speakers Device Keypad
Cell Phone
Interface with user through:
Device Screen
Device
Speakers
Smartphone
Interface with user through:
Device Screen
Device
Speakers
Headset
Headphones
Audio interface to and from
user
Audio Interface to user
Phone
Landline
Mobile Phone
Accessories
Device Keypad
Device
QWERTY
Keypad
Touchscreen
Smartphone
Application
Personal Computing
Desktop
Monitor
Console
Keyboard
Mouse
Speakers
Visual interface to user
Interface with user through:
_User
interface to console
User Interface to console
Audio interface to user
Monitor
Speakers
Keyboard
Mouse
Network
Connection
Online Connection
(Cloud)
Device Monitor
Device
Speakers
Device
Keyboard
Touchpad
Network
Connection
Online Connection
(Cloud)
Router Computer Peripherals
WiFi Router Laptop
WIFI Router Any Media
Streamer (STB,
Gaming
Console, etc.)
Router Online
Connection
(Cloud) Remote Device
Screen
Receiver Speakers
Wireless
Keyboard
Wireless
Remote
Control Device Mouse
Laptop
Laptop
Interface with user through:
Storage
Hard Drive
Interface with user through:
Media Center Console
Wireless Keyboard
Wireless Mouse
Interface with user through:
User interface to console
User interface to console
Media Center
Networking
Modem
Router
WiFi
No user interface (except for
setup)
No user interface (except for
setup)
No user interface (except for
setup)
Portable Electronics
Digital Media Player
Interface with user through:
Device Screen
Headphones
Speakers
Portable Gaming Device
Interface with user through:
Device Screen
Netbook
Interface with user through:
Device Monitor
Headphones
Device
Speakers
Speakers
Device
Keyboard
Personal Navigation Device
Interface with user through:
Device Screen
Camera
Interface with user through:
Device Screen
Video Camera
Interface with user through:
Device Screen
Thermostat
Interface with user through:
Robotic Vacuum
Interface with user through:
Home Security System
Interface with user through:
Garage Door Opener
Interface with user through:
Washer
Interface with user through:
Dryer
Interface with user through:
Refrigerator
Interface with user through:
Oven
Interface with user through:
Microwave
Interface with user through:
Universal Power Supply
No interface/smart functions
Other
Device Control
Panel
Device Control
Panel
Device Control
Panel
Remote Control
Device
Device Control
Panel
Device Control
Panel
Device Control
Panel
Device Control
Panel
Device Control
Panel
Notes: a "-" can be replaced by the words "then" to denote the path to a user
Speakers
Touchscreen
Device Control
Panel
Device Control
Panel
Device Control
Panel
Device Control
Panel
Network
Connection
Computer
Device Control (Setup and
Panel
update only)
Touchpad
Online Connection
(Cloud)
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6.1.6 Home Devices Platforms and Software
Category
Current "Smart" Products
Stand Alone and Cloud Connected Applications, and a
Smartphone
Phones
Personal Computers (PCQDesktop Computer
Portable Electronics
Digital Media Player
Media Center
Netbook
Laptop
Current "Semi-Smart" Products
Limited Stand Alone and Cloud Connected Applications,
maybe has a Web Browser
Home Entertainment
Phones
Portable Electronics
Gaming Console
Set Top Box
Cell Phone
Portable Gaming Devic Personal Navigation Device
Important Convergence Functions
Purchase and/or Download Content
Stream Network Audio or Video Input
Stream Cloud Audio or Video Input
Record A/V Input to File
Transfer A/V File Location
Transfer A/V Streaming Location
Browse Internet
View Streaming Files in Web Browser
Listen to Streaming Files In Web Browser
Portably Store A/V Files
Run applications with cloud access
Add applications
Communicate with Voice, Video, and/or Text
Home Devices Platforms and Software Continued
Company
Hardware
Windows
Mac OS X
Linux
Microsoft
Apple
(Various)
PCs
PCs (Apple)
PCs
Symbian
Nokia
RIM OS
Windows Mobile
Research In Motion
Microsoft
IPhone OS
Linux
Apple
(Various)
Smartphones
Smartphones
(RIM)
Smartphones
Smartphones
(Apple)
Smartphones
SSoftware
Operating Systems
Platforms
Applications
Purchase and/or Download Content
ITunes
Apple
PCs
SPlayStation@Store
Sony
Xbox Marketplace
Microsoft
Devices
Windows Media Player
Microsoft
PCs
Quicktime
Apple
PCs (Apple)
Real Player
RealNetworks
PCs
Adobe Flash Player
Adobe
PCs
Internet Explorer
Microsoft
PCs
Safari
Firefox
Apple
Mozilla
PCs (Apple)
PCs
Amazon
SonicSolutions
Blockbuster
PCs
PCs
PCs
Starzplay
ovi.com
Starz
Nokia
PCs
PCs
Rhapsody.com
RealNetworks
PCs
Digital Music
Smartphones Players
(Apple)
(Apple)
STB (Apple)
Hardware Specific
Gaming
Devices
Gaming
Applications
Stream Cloud Audio or Video Input
Smartphones
(Microsoft)
Smartphones
(Nokia)
Web Browsers
Smartphones
(Apple)
Websites
Purchase and/or Download Content
Amazon.com
CinemaNow.com
MovieLink.com
mp3.walmart.com
Smartphones
Walmart
PCs
Digital Media
Players
(Limited
STBs
Websltes
Stream Cloud Audio or Video Input
Netflix.com
Netflix
PCs
Vudu.com
Vudu Inc.
STB (Vudu)
Joost.com
hulu.com
Joost
Hulu LLC
PCs
PCs
Last.fm
Last.fm
PCs
Smartphones
Pandora.com
Pandora Media
PCs
Smartphones
Gaming
Notes: This is a list of common products, not an exhaustive list. These are all supported applications. Software hacks are not
Included.
6.1.7 Case One: Apple Incorporated
Current Apple.com
Home Entertainment System
Apple Product
Notes
Video System
Computer 24" Flat Panel
Display, DVI input only (no
HDMI)
Computer 30" HD Flat Panel
Display, DVI input only (no
HDMI)
Standard Screen (4:3)
HD Screen (16:9)
DVD Player
Bluray Player
Mac laptops and desktop
computers
No standalone product
None
Audio System
Receiver
None
Speakers
None - Compatible speakers
sold in Apple Store
CD Player
Mac laptops and desktop
computers
Set Top Box
Apple TV
No standalone product
Set Top Box
Gaming
Computer based games only
Gaming Console
Controllers
Remote Control
Universal Remote
Apple Remote and Remote
App for iPhone and iTouch
Phone
Landline
None
Cordless Phone
Mobile Phone
Cell Phone
Smartphone
None
iPhone and iPhone 3G
Accessories
Headset
Headphones
White in-ear headphones
(iPhone Bluetooth headset
discontinued)
Provided with iPhone and
iPod
Case One: Apple Incorporated Continued
Personal Computing
Desktop
Monitor
Console
Keyboard
LCD Flat Panel Displays
Mac Mini or Mac Pro
Wired or Wireless
Mouse
Mighty Mouse wireless mouse
None - Compatible speakers
sold in Apple Store
Speakers
iMac Integrates the Monitor,
Console, and Speakers into
one flat panel device
***
Laptop
MacBook, MacBook Pro,
MacBook Air
Laptop
Storage
Time Capsule wireless hard
Hard Drive
(Servers excluded)
drive
Media Center Console
-
Wireless Keyboard
Wireless Keyboard available
Modem
Modem usually provided by
Apple USB Modem for dial-up broadband provider
Airport Extreme Base Station
Router
(includes WIFI)
Media Center
No media specific computers
Networking
Airport Express Base Station
(no wired router support)
WIFi
Portable Electronics
Digital Media Player
iPod (Shuffle, Nano, Classic
Touch) and IPhone
Portable Gaming Device
-
Software games provided for
Pod Touch and IPhone
Netbook
Software navigation provided
for iPod Touch and iPhone
Personal Navigation Device
Camera
Video Camera
Other
A variety of non-Apple branded products and accessories are available.
Software and Cloud
Platforms
Operating Systems
Mac OS X, iPhone OS
Content
Applications
iTunes
Stream Cloud
Audio or Video
Input
Applications
-
Enables Cloud
Access
Web Browsers
Safari, Safari for iPhone
Purchase and/or
Download
Content
Websites
Purchase and/or
Download
No sites are owned, but sites
are accessible
Stream Cloud
Audio or Video
Input
None (online access through
Tunes)
No sites are owned, but sites
Websites
I
are accessible
i
____
..._il-lii.i
6.1.8 Case Two: Sony Corporation of America
Current Sonystyle.com products
Home Entertainment System
Sony Product
Notes
Video System
Standard Screen (4:3)
HD Screen (16:9)
(Sony projectors omitted)
DVD Player
(VHS player ommitted)
Bluray Player
None
BRAVIA and OLED TVs
A variety of DVD players and portable
DVD players (notebook style)
A variety of Bluray players
Audio System
Receiver
Speakers
CD Player
***
***
(Casette and tumtables ommitted)
Limited stereo receiver options
Wired and wireless speaker systems
available
A variety of CD players and with multi
disk changing
A/V disk changers with both CD and
DVD storage and play
A/V Receivers
Set Top Box
Set Top Box
Bravia Link and Internet Link Modules
Gaming Console
Controllers
Playstation3
Dualshock3 Wireless Controller
Universal Remote
A variety of universal remotes are
available
Gaming
Remote Control
Phone
Landline
Cordless Phone
Mobile Phone
Cell Phone
Smartphone
A wide variety of semi-smart Sony
Ericsson mobile phones
Limited Selection Windows Mobile OS
(Xperia, P9901, few others)
Accessories
Headset
Headphones
Limited bluetooth headsets available
(audio input and output)
A wide variety of headsets including
wireless and noise cancelling
techology
Personal Comp ting
Desktop
Monitor
Console
Speakers
All VAIO desktops are all-in-one flat
***panel
displays
Keyboard
Mouse
Included with VAIO desktop, also
available separately
Wired and wireless mice available
Laptop
Eight different VAIO notebook series
Hard Drive
Limited hard drive options
Laptop
Storage
(Servers excluded)
Media Center
Media Center Console
Wireless Keyboard
Sony Home Entertainment Server
(HES), Home Media Servers
VAIO wireless keyboard
Networking
Modem usually provided by
broadband provider
Alternate brands provided on
sonystyle.com
Alternate brands provided on
sonystyle.com
Modem
Router
WiFi
Portable Electronics
Digital Media Player
***
Portable Gaming Device
Walkman MP3 players
Walkman W Series MP3 player
headsets
PSP
Netbook
Personal Navigation Device
Sony Valo P series
nav-u systems
Camera
A variety of cameras
Video Camera
A variety of video cameras
Not officially described as a
netbook, but falls roughly Into
this category
Other
eReader
Sony Reader Digital Book
Portable DVD Player
Sony Portable DVD Player
A variety of other products which are mostly peripherals or specific components of the above products
Software and Cloud
Platforms
Operating Systems
Purchase and/or
Download
Content
Applications
Stream Cloud
Audio or Video
Input
Applications
Enables Cloud
Access
Web Browsers
Playstation3 Web Browser
Websites
Playstation@Store
Purchase and/or
Download
Content
Stream Cloud
Audio or Video
Input
Websites
.- I
I
I
I
I
__
------
I_
6.2 Matlab DSMs
6.2.1 Matlab DSM for Sony Corporation
NewDSM Matrx; 12-May-2009 17:39:18; Total Cost: 9050
Element
0
0
5 4 2 0
1 11 12 14 15 19 20 22 24 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 37 38 39 40 41 8 9 36 6 42 16 25 1 18 3 13 43 23 21 17 7
11
12
14
15
19
20
22
24
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35 37
-
38
- 40
41 8
36
6
42
16
25
18
18
3
13
43
23
21
17
7
5
4
20
-
6.2.2 List of clusters (left to right) for Matlab DSM for Sony Corporation
Cluster Member List
12-Am y-2009 17:39:18
Cluster #1
Cluster #2
Stereo Bluetooth Headset (10)
S-AIR? Speaker System (11)
Noise Canceling Earbuds (12)
Nay-u (14]
Sony Portable DYD Player (15)
PlayStation3 (19)
DYD (20)
CD (22)
VAIO Wireless Keyboard (24)
USB Thumb Drive (26)
High Definition Handycam Camcorder (27)
Walkman W Series MP3 player headsets (28)
SD Memory Card (29)
WFi (30)
PlayStation Portable (PSP) (31)
Walkman Video MP3 Player (32)
Cyber-shot Digital Camera (33)
User (34)
eReader (35)
Sony Yaio P series (37)
VAIO FW Series Laptop (38)
VAJO RT Series Al-in-One PC (39)
Home Entertainment Server (HES) (40)
VAO HS1 Home Server (41)
Cellular Voice (8)
Cellular Data (9)
Xperia (36)
Cluseer n
BRAVIAInternet Video Link Module (6)
Cable Data (42)
Cluser #4
Dualshock3 Wireless Controller (16)
Blutooth (25)
Clueler #5
Video Game Disk (1)
Playstation3 Web Browser (18)
Cluser 6
Home Theater AV Receiver (7.1-channel) (3)
Home Theater Completer Speaker Package (13)
Sony Ecosystem DSM
T
I ask
ri
I~a~d~add~l~adtd~~~~ddddd~dS-0
Il
Name
Video Game Disk
T
Blu-ray Disc " Player
Home Theater A/V Receiver .- channel)
DVD/SACD/CD 400 Disc Changer
Universal Remote
BRAVIA® Internet Video Unk Module
52" BRAVIA® S Series LCD HDTV
Cellular Voice
Cellular Data
Stereo Bluetooth@ Headset
S-AIR'" Speaker System
Noise Canceling Earbuds
Home Theater Completer Speaker Package
Nav-u
Sony Portable DVD Player
lalshnrk3 Wireless Controller
Dualshock3 i less Controller--Playstation@Store
Playstation3 Web Browser
PlayStatlon3
DVD
Bluray
CD
Bluetooth Mouse
VAIO Wireless Keyboard
Blutooth
USB Memory Stick
High Definition Handycam® Camcorder
Walkman W Series MP3 player headsets
SD Memory Card
WiFi
PlayStation Portable (PSP)
Walkman@ Video MP3 Player
Cyber-shot@ Digital Camera
User
eReader
Xperia
Sony Valo P series
VAIO FW Series Laptop
VAIO® RT Series All-in-One PC
Home Entertainment Server (HES)
VAIO@ HS1 Home Server
Cable Data
I I
I
--
2
S
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
-
x
x
x
x
x
x
xxx
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
17'
18 x
19
20
x
21
x x
22
23
24
x
25
26
27
28
29
30
x
31 x
32
33
x
x
34
35
xxx
36
x
37
xx
x
38
SXX
39
x
x
x
4
x
x
x
41
x
42
x
x
x
x
x
x
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Ix
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xxxxx
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Lx
xx
x
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xx
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mx
xxxx
xxxx
224
xxxxx
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7. Bibliography
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_ __~~__i_/(_=
/;/;ii~jilj:
i/ijo_:/i/j__lii
i;__:il(
)_;____T(__~/_
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lji_~_
_~__j
__llll^~il i~i-i .... __~~_
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