[@NickyColman]

Ok, everyones talking about how they are waiting for "killer app" to make 3G boom, but what does everyone else think the "killer app" is?

Is it videoing?
Is it online gaming?
Is it isntant messaging?


Personally i think, now is the time for manufacturers to take a whole new approach to making their phones to truly take full advantage of 3G networks.

How about some sort of Instant Messenger type app where every single form of communication (email/text/MMS/videoning) is routed through one easy to use application. I know there are instant messaging tools out there but they are know where near as advanced as they could be!

Over to you!

[Ben]

In the immediate future, I think mobile music downloads will be a killer application. It's a matter of time before decent third party services come along and eclipse the somewhat thin offerings of the UK networks.

Mobile gaming is going to happen at some stage, but currently there's just something that isn't working for the market. EAGames recently started mobile gaming development, so we can expect a torrent of their 'pop' at some stage.

Your instant messaging suggestion would be fantastic. Agile Messenger already allows the sending of sound clips and images, even if it is in a rather basic way, but a fully featured messaging service where you could share cameras and anything else you wanted while chatting would be the ultimate in 3G application convergence. I think it could, and maybe even will, happen in the future but the cost and speed of packet data really needs to go down and up respectively!

[@NickyColman]

Yeah, in regards to the I.M form of communications, the 3G networks would need even more money pumped into them!

Gaming for some reason has never appealed to me on my mobile. I dont no why, it just doesnt.

Hopefully the networks are preparing for the future with new and exciting products rather than just offering new tarrifs and a new phone every few months with a 1megapixel better camera! Hopefully we will see a new generation of handsets!

[3g-g]

I think the networks have been hunting for a new killer ap ever since SMS took off, they've always wanted something else that could bring the cash in like SMS does. I remember at a meeting in 2002 being told that the hunt was on for the next killer ap, I don't think anyone will know what it is untill it's upon them, it'll probably be something completely out of the blue.

However here's an interesting fact I read, apparently over $5Bn is spent on ringtones alone (this may just be in the US, can't quite remember) that's a quarter of NASA's space program budget! Who needs a killer ap when you can just sell Crazy Frog and Sweety the Chick for £3 a week?!

[miffed]

I think the closest thing we'll get to a Killer app is Network & handset stability !

Plus , I have a sneaking suspicion that GPS products will be perfected and become popular

[Hands0n]

If the success of SMS is anything to go by. And my personal witness of IM as used by the kids via the Internet I think miffed is onto something with his idea of IM via 3G (or wireless generally). If 3G don't get it, then WiFi/WiMAX certainly will, purely by the inherent ability to do this from laptops and pdas. Do be able to do it from wherever via the 3G handset would be powerful indeed - the kids do not want to carry BT handsets and pdas around, they'll want it integrated into a single unit. Don't forget, the kids of today are the expectant adults of a few years time. They virtually (sic) live on this stuff nowadays.

I just love GPS and use it as much as I can. I'd like it to be much more personal than it is currently. Its still cumbersome to have yet another device in my pocket or case just to enable me to use my pda for GPS. As it is, I carry around four discrete "gadgets" on a daily basis (2 x mobiles, pda and BT gps module).

[3GScottishUser]

What a good question.....

If I or anyone here knew the answer we would be able to retire comfortably!

Truth is - nobody seems to know for sure - yet!

3G has so far been a hit and hope! A technology looking for a purpose.

My guess is that Internet will be the killer application but only for those who are prepared to carry larger handsets with decent sized screens. I suspect the 'one size fits all' strategy that has tried to fit everything into a standardised format is doomed to fail. Many folks just want to talk, text and MMS and they wont budge from cute fashionable GSM handsets until similar products are available on UMTS. Only tekkies and bargain hunters have so far embraced 3G so a lot has to be done to make products that the vast majority feel happy with.

Its still very early days and the big networks know that. Hense their continued heavy promotion of GSM products. They know that for now they can win and keep customers with these but in time when a decent range of devices appear things may change.