行動上網產業主流作業系統的競合策略分析

Abstract

自從第一代行動通訊手機誕生迄今，過去單純做為語音服務使用的手機，隨著技術（行動上網裝置發展）、服務（行動寬頻發展及普及）、與應用（在行動上網裝置上可用的應用軟體服務發展）的發展，手機已演進到創造並提供消費者行動上網需求的主要裝置。而當智慧型手機功能越來越強，不僅結合了電腦的應用，更改變了人們上網的習慣，這使得資通訊產業的供應商或服務者，紛紛投入這新興且高速成長的市場。 由於作業系統在智慧型手機扮演的重要角色，Google、Apple、Microsoft這三個來自資訊電腦及網際網路業的廠商，逐漸成為智慧型手機的主流作業系統提供者，其間的三強競合關係將會牽動未來行動上網產業的發展。因此，本研究利用價值網分析、平台策略與企業觸媒策略等理論架構，探討Google Android、Apple iOS、Microsoft Windows Phone7在行動上網產業的佈局、競合關係、策略方向分析。 本研究發現Google與Microsoft在行動上網市場上與智慧型手機製造商、行動通訊業者、數位內容/服務/應用程式開發商，交互成為策略互補者並建立平台經濟模式。這四方形成的正向eco-system，使整個行動上網可以以更快的速度成長。對Apple來說，不同的是智慧型手機製造商是Apple的競爭者，而相同的是行動通訊業者與數位內容/服務/應用程式開發商則與Apple三者交互成為互補合作者。就智慧型手機作業系統角度，Apple和Google、Microsoft互為競爭者，但Apple在iPhone內建Google的關鍵應用服務，如：Google Maps、Google Search等，兩者卻又是互補者。從價值網上的關係來看，如何找到策略互補者，或是成為別人的策略互補者的正向循環，在擴大行動上網的聚眾基礎是很重要的。Google的關鍵應用服務平台，Apple的iTune線上音樂、App Store，以及Microsoft的關鍵應用服務平台，與使用者、智慧型手機製造商、行動通訊業者、數位內容/服務/應用程式開發商等形成互補的策略關係，在該平台上形成完整的生態系統，與價值網上各個夥伴一起創造營收與利潤。 本研究發現平台策略（Platform Strategy）在行動上網產業發展的高度重要性，不論是封閉式作業系統平台（如Apple iOS）或開放式作業系統平台（如Google Android、Microsoft），其與智慧型手機製造商、行動通訊業者、數位內容/服務/應用程式開發商四者都依附在這個平台上形成共生營收的模式。運用平台策略的企業都先確定或鞏固或擴大其金流端為何，再來決定對補貼端的投資。不同的金流端使這些主流作業系統平台由不同角度切入行動上網市場。此外平台策略吸引更多不同參與者進入行動上網產業，價值網成員間的競合關係更趨複雜且多元。而三大主流作業系統在行動上網市場的勝負取決於其商業模式，據此，本研究提出對三大主流作業系統未來發展策略與後續研究的建議。

Since the launch of the first generation of mobile device till now, along with the development of technology (the evolution of mobile internet devices), the services (the development and penetration of mobile broadband), and the applications (the mobile application/software), mobile device has been fastly evolved from simply providing voice to mobile internet services. While the smartphones evolving to be more and more powerful devices and people starting to extend their internet usage behavior from computer to smartphone, mobile internet related businesses have made two distinctive industries, i.e, mobile communication and computer information, converged into one fast growing market. As smartphone becomes a dominant device for mobile internet services, the competitive situation of three major operating systems becomes an interesting issue to study. This thesis attempts to apply value net analysis and platform strategy framework to unravel the co-opitition relationships, strategic move of the three major smartphone operating systems, Google Android, Apple iOS, Microsoft Windows Phone 7, in the mobile internet industry. We found that together with smartphone manufacturers, mobile operators, digital contents/services/application developers, Apple, Google and Microsoft all create a platform to interact with their counterparts in the mobile internet market. We found that the scope and numbers of complementors are critical to the success of the platform. In addition, we also found that no matter closed operating system platforms, such as Apple iOS, or open operating system platforms, such as Google Android, Microsoft, four groups of players (smartphone manufacturers, mobile operators, digital content / services / application developers) form inter-dependent symbiosis around respective platform. The players usually establish, consolidate or expand their money side first, then decide their investment in the subsidy side. Different money-side resources make these major operating system platforms cut into the mobile internet market from different angles. Additionally, platform strategy attracts more participants from different industries into the mobile internet field, especially digitial contents/service. The co-opitition relationship among the players in the mobile internet value net becomes more complex and diverse. The outcome of the battles among these three major smartphone operating systems depends on their business models. With all these observations, we further proposed strategic suggestions for Google, Apple, Microsoft, and recommendations for the future research.