DoCoMo Turns On To “FM Radio Search”

An obscure, Japanese-language-only press release snippet speaks volumes about DoCoMo’s wider mobile search ambitions. The mobile operator has quietly and cleverly combined FM radio and real-time mobile search in a scheme that sets the bar. D2C, a DoCoMo Group company, has developed an i-Appli — basically an application program written in the Java language for i-mode-capable mobile phones — which will be pre-installed in the FOMA D903i that will go on sale this fall. The i-Appli makes it possible for users to listen to the built-in FM radio and acquire information related to the song playing. At first glance, it’s all very reminiscent of Nokia’s Visual Radio: but there’s a twist. DoCoMo has partnered with Mobile Content Networks (MCN), a US-based mobile search provider just coming out of stealth mode, to allow users to search for information, content and merchandise related to the song they hear. When the song changes, so do MCN’s search results. These results also reflect the ties D2C has forged with seven unnamed content providers (with more in the pipeline) to deliver information and offers around the music users hear on the phone. Content on offer will include ringtones, FTDs and the option to purchase CDs and DVDs.
Marc Bookman, MCN’s CEO, told me the company’s mobile search exists entirely separately from the stable of other mobile search engines and providers, including the likes of MSN and Yahoo that DoCoMo has partnered with for its portal. MCN’s search capabilities will be “hard-wired into the devices” and live in the network. D2C operates FM Radio i-Appli using the ad revenue from a banner ad section on i-Appli, and D2C will be responsible for the sales of ads within the FM Radio Music Search i-Appli. Pairing radio content with MCN’s federated search results is bound to encourage impulse buying. Watch out for other components that will clinch the deal for sure with relevant mobile advertising based on users’ preferences, purchases and search queries.

Comments have been disabled for this post