On 24 September 2009, Vodafone announced the launch of ‘Vodafone 360’ – the new brand name for its mobile Internet services. Since the launch of Vodafone live! (the operator’s mobile content portal) in 2002, Vodafone has made a series of attempts to advance its mobile Internet services. For example, in June 2007, it relaunched its live! service by adopting a more open approach to the mobile Internet; it introduced the Google search engine on its live! portal, and established partnerships with many well-known online service brands, including eBay, MySpace and YouTube. However, with the rise of app stores from device vendors and Internet giants such as Apple, BlackBerry and Google, Vodafone live!, though innovative in the early years of mobile Internet, looks increasingly outdated in terms of content and user experience. Vodafone 360, which will serve as a replacement for its Vodafone live! services, and will be launched first in eight European markets before the end of the year, represents the operator’s latest attempt to enhance its competitiveness in the global mobile Internet market.
This case study profiles Vodafone's revised offering, and analyses the incremental revenue that 360 services might generate directly and indirectly.