What comes next? (UPDATED 19/11, 11:30am)
Vodafone 360 users are receving SMS notifications that the service will be closing at the end of December.
The service, which was launched in Autumn 2009, was built around a connected address book, allowing users to import contacts from social network locations, as well as share updates and photos back out to those social networks. Added on top of that was a Vodafone 360 banded app store (Vodafone Shop) and other services, such as email.
Mobile Europe has asked Vodafone for an update on the status of Vodafone 360 and related services.
For now it looks as if everything will close at the end of December, and users are being asked to back up any content, contacts or items that they need to.
When Vodafone launched the service it had specified everything, from the UI to the LiMo OS on the Samsung-built handsets, to the runtime environment and application APIs.
One aspect of note is that many of those specifications were rolled forward into the standards being used by the Wholesale Applications Community, the operator-backed wholesale applications store.
So, leaving aside all the questions about what happened to 360 (where did it all go wrong etc?) one key question for Vodafone is: is it continuing with a Vodafone-branded apps strategy (possibly as a storefront for WAC apps) or is it jettisoning the approach altogether?
VODAFONE UPDATE, 11:30am, 19th Ocotber.
We’ve had further word from Vodafone. For those asking about the 360 email service, yes that is closing. The 360 name is disappearing although music and the shop continue, under a different name.
Vodafone statement:
“The 360 brand related to the experience of the integrated 360 services, namely the People service along with Shop, Music, integrated social networks etc. As we are not progressing an integrated proposition we won’t be retaining the Vodafone 360 name. Shop and Music will continue and will be named separately, for example
vodafonemusic.co.uk
You’re right that people with email accounts linked to the People service will see these close. Also with the closure of Vodafone 360 the integrated social networks approach will end, however we’re not ruling out providing cloud-type backup services in the future as we know that customers place high value on these.
As mentioned, we’re continually evolving our services to make sure we deliver to our customers’ needs and expectations, and there are a number of new and enhanced services coming which we’ll be rolling out before long.”