I-MODE

Presentation Outline
Introduction
Services & Communication chart
Look & Development
Features & Structure
Evolving, Challenges & future
Advantages & Disadvantages
Security
Billing
Introduction to i-Mode
Japan’s leading cellular phone operator NTTDocoMo launched i-Mode in
1999
i-Mode is a packet-switched mobile phone service, which offers continuous , always-on internet access
i-Mode uses Personal Digital Cellular Packet (PDC-P) bearer
Simple entertainment represents more than 75% of the traffic followed by email and news.
What is i-mode?
Service across a wireless network which enables handheld devices (such as cell phones) to access the Internet.
Mobile internet service offered by NTT DoCoMo,
Introduced in February 1999
Extremely popular in Japan and expanding into Europe,
As of March 31st, 2002, there are approximately 32,150,000 subscribers (in Japan)

A look at i-mode devices
Currently an i-mode device is an equivalent of a very low-end computer.
Additional buttons : directional, select and the i button.
Must have an iHTML browser.
Menu based interface (i-Menu).
Try typing in a URL => It’s not easy!
The i-mode Services
Voice communication.
A large number of sites by simply pressing the i-mode.
The convenient and useful mobile commerce services, such as mobile banking,
stock trading, and ticket reservations.
i-mode is compatible with Internet e-mail and can also transfer mail between
i-mode devices.
Application downloads from more than 1600 web sites.
As of July 2001, there were 25 million subscribers and more than 37,000 i-mode sites, including 1,420 preferred tes.
What Can I do With i-mode?
Web-browsing
Email (the “killer app”)
Chat, Games
Access to information
Transaction Content
Money Transfer, Balance Check, Ticket Reservation…
Information Content
News updates, sports news, stock quotes…
Database Content
Restaurant Guide, Telephone Directory…
Development
The i-mode handset (Java enabled) use the KVM.
Sun has ported the J2ME to i-mode.
All Java Network operations in done via HTTP
Other companies are porting applications for development including Macromedia, WapProfit, SEGA.
It may even be possible to make your own movies that will be playable with 3G and 4G networks through FOMA
i-mode Success
Japan marketed iMode as an experience not a technology
Targeted to consumers .
Large, readable screens color.
Phone enables (email, melodies, animations, etc.).
Lots of content sites: 500+ official, 15K+ unofficial content provider sites.
Business Model:
Gateways provide email, notification, DoCoMo served content tracks usage
DoCoMo collects fees, takes part of it, and sells packets. They can barely
keep up demand.
The Basic Features of i-mode
Browser – currently based on cHTML but changing to xHTML
I-Mode Email client – Proprietary HTTP Mail
Security Stack – based on SSL 3.0
I-Melody – downloadable ringer tone service using MII
iAnimation – Animated GIF support in grayscale &color
DoCoMo pictograms – downloadable graphics such as a Pokemon (future of Japanese economy)
i-appli Java service supporting application downloads
i-mode Structure
Connecting to sites, receiving messages & transmitt- ing e-mail are done via the DoCoMo i-mode center.
i-mode is Evolving
Video clips being added.
More sound support/voices.
Kjava arrived in 1Q’01.
SSL coming online.
Emphasis is on what end users will find exciting and interesting.
Challenges of i-mode
i-mode's content seems to be heavily tied to Japanese culture and may not easily translate to other countries.
CHTML is incompatible with full HTML.
i-mode does not support security layer because it is not required for consumer applications.
i-mode uses the PDC-P network which is not a world standard while other parts of the world like Asia and Europe have circuit switched networks in place.
Future of i-mode
Currently, transfer rate is 9600 kbps.
3G which is released next year, (new version of i-mode), transfer rate 2 Mbps with streaming video and audio
4G (released in 2006), transfer rate is 20 MBps
Advantages
I-Mode technology does not require special language for the mobile unit. It could access all existing web sites by using cHTML (compact HTML).
I-Mode is accessible by a packet-switched network, meaning that users are always online.
I-Mode users are charged only for the amount of information downloaded to the I-Mode unit, not the time they spend at the web sites.
Disadvantages
I-Mode service and technology is currently only available in Japan.
I-Mode is not an entirely open protocol. That limits the drive the developers can make for this technology.
I-mode's security concerns/solutions
Concern: prank/redirected calls
Use SSL since version 3.0 since the medium is the internet and iHTML
Java is more secure and only delegates resources to "trusted" servers
Has partnered with major corporations including some Japanese and some in America and Europe
As of version 3.0, i-mode has 128-bit encryption
Billing
Basic plan:
Packet plan – 200¥/month
i-mode plan – 100¥/month
400 packets free each month (doesn’t include voice)
0.27¥ per packet
Typical day, 1) access main menu = 3¥. 2) what’s new = free 3) check the news = 28¥. 4) mobile banking = 100¥ 5) order food from restaurant = 40¥ 6) send and receive mail = 50¥
Add it all up, (221¥) x 30 days + 300¥ monthly charge = 6930¥ = $70 US.
Does not include talk time.
conclusion
CONCLUSION IMODs are powerful photonic devices that can be used as excellent displays for manipulation of light not only in cell phones but also in camcorders, electronics books, computer monitors, wall mounted TVs, etc.In all, in the coming days, IMOD displays are likely to replace other devices. 
References
http://palowirelessimode
http://eurotechnologyimode
http://mobilemediajapan.com
http://imodelinks.com
http://nttdocomohtml/subscriber_growth.html
http://nttdocomohtml/imode014.html