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Amazon and Nokia Launch Mobile E-commerce Service

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Amazon.com has partnered with Nokia to launch a mobile e-commerce service that will allow customers with WAP-enabled handsets to browse and purchase products from Amazon's online catalogue. This pilot scheme will be available in the UK on the Orange and Cellnet GSM networks, with the option to extend it to other countries if successful. The service will be a subset of Amazon's main UK website, allowing users to search, set up accounts, and shop using their mobile phones.

Key Takeaways:

  • Amazon.com and Nokia are partnering to offer a mobile e-commerce service to WAP-enabled customers in the UK and Western Europe.
  • The service will be available on the Orange and Cellnet GSM networks, with a pilot scheme that may be extended to other Amazon operations.
  • Matti Alihuhta, President of Nokia Mobile Phones, estimates that the number of PC Internet users will be outstripped by mobile devices, including WAP-equipped mobiles, by 2003.
  • Joe Galli, President of Amazon.com, emphasizes the convenience of being able to access Amazon's website and shop from anywhere using a mobile phone.
  • The WAP Amazon m-commerce service will allow users to search, set up accounts, and browse products using their WAP-enabled handsets.

Statistics:

  • Estimated number of PC Internet users to be outstripped by mobile devices, including WAP-equipped mobiles, by 2003: 4 ( source needed)
  • The service will be available as a subset of Amazon's main UK website: http://www.amazon.co.uk
  • Nokia's predictions on the growth of mobile devices: According to Nokia, the number of PC Internet users will be outstripped by mobile devices by 2003.

Sources:

  • Amazon.com [NASDAQ:AMZN]
  • Nokia [NASDAQ:NOK]
  • Newsbytes.com, http://www.newsbytes.com REPORTED BY: Lisa Ramshaw, Amazon UK Press Office +44-20-8636-9295; Nokia Press Operations +358-105-051 /WIRES ONLINE, TELECOM, BUSINESS/

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