MySpace Banks on Mobile Service Delivery

To strengthen its position in the mobile social networking space, MySpace plans to strike deals with handset majors Nokia and Palm, making it the first ever social network to support all the major smart phones. Other than these mobile firms, MySpace applications are also supported across BlackBerry, iPhone, Sidekick and Google Android.

As social networking sites drive the use of mobile Web, MySpace expects 50% of its traffic to generate from mobile phones rather than desktop PCs. The News Corp. owned social network is also working on its mobile Web site by modifying and adding features for enhanced user experience. It plans to re-launch the site with a sleeker design, improved integrated ads, and configuration of e-mail photo uploads.

Identifying that the smart phone market will offer tremendous benefits to the social networking industry in the future, MySpace estimates more people to rely on handset devices to access social networks. Activities such as chatting with friends, accessing photos and updating profiles are expected to be a routine for mobile users. Today, MySpace enjoys 15% of its traffic from mobile phones, and expects the figure to rise in due course.

VP and General Manager at MySpace Mobile, John Faith said that the current generation consider MySpace as a communication vehicle, thereby wanting to take that experience to the mobile space. According to him, social happens when users are out on a go with their friends.

MySpace’s move to expand its mobile operations can be considered as an answer to Facebook’s mobile expansion plans. Though Facebook beats MySpace on online social networking front, mobile social networking is just at the introduction phase, and promises to grow rapidly in the next couple of years or so.