Mobile Community mig33 Brings Android to 40+ Million Customers

As Android Enables 'Smartphone Features at Feature Phone Prices,' Emerging Markets and mig33 Anticipate Huge Growth

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Dec 08, 2010, 11:00 ET

PARIS and SINGAPORE, Dec. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- mig33, the world's largest mobile-first community, today launched mig33 for Android, a much-anticipated, feature-rich version of the mobile social entertainment service that has already attracted more than 40 million registered users worldwide – and a version that radically widens mig33's opportunity for future growth.

mig33 for Android squarely positions mig33 for continued success, as low-cost Android offerings are expected to soar worldwide and – in particular – in the emerging, mobile-first regions that have seen mig33's Java and WAP versions help it grow to be the largest mobile-first community ever.

Today's launch of the mig33 for Android (beta) means mig33's games, chat features, virtual goods and other social entertainment services are now available on any Android mobile device, and may also soon be available pre-installed on new Android mobile devices manufactured by handset makers in China, Taiwan, and beyond.

In Q310, Android surpassed Symbian as the most popular smartphone OS in Asia, according to GfK Retail and Technology, a sector of GfK Group, one of the world's largest market research companies.(1) Google is further ramping efforts in Asia to put Android on lower-priced mobile devices, as well.(2)

"In our world, an Android customer and a mig33 fan are veritable soul mates, and this will become only more true in coming months," said Steven Goh, CEO and co-founder, mig33. "Both are social, savvy, mobile-centric, and entertainment-oriented – and both http://www.mig33.com are just as likely to prize value as they are higher-end devices. mig33 for Android was built specifically for those customers.

"Moreover, our Android offering ensures that mig33's social entertainment services and virtual goods marketplace will be front and center for the next several generations of both mass-market smartphones and value-oriented handsets from the world's top brands."

The emergence of Android, for these consumers, means more opportunity – and desire – to participate in popular mobile social networks like mig33. India, for example, is one region in which mig33 has serious potential to continue its rapid growth due to Android. In October, GigaOM – the well-respected tech blog of the GigaOM Network – wrote, "It appears that low-priced Android phones are poised to jump on India's newest mobile broadband networks over the next four years, welcoming up to 500 million new mobile web users."(3)

Consistent with its incentive program targeted at handset manufacturers and VAS (mobile content) providers announced on Sep. 29(4), mig33 is offering a revenue share predicated on consumption of mig33 credits to handset makers that pre-install the mig33 application on Android devices just as it does with the Java app.

mig33 is modeled on successful East Asian social networking services such as Japan's GREE and China's Tencent QQ, valued at USD$2.5 billion and $43 billion, respectively. However, mig33 differentiates by bringing mobile community and entertainment to billions of consumers residing in the emerging, mobile-first markets of Indonesia, India, South Africa, and many more.

The mig33 for Android (beta) is available now at m.mig33.com for Android 2.1 and higher. Feedback can be shared by email to [email protected]

About mig33

mig33 is the world's largest mobile-first community, delivering communications and social entertainment to more than 40 million members. Everyday, members in over 200 countries engage in chat, share photos, join groups, send gifts, play games, create avatars, call friends, email and much more. The service is available worldwide and optimized for more than 2,000 handsets. Launched in 2005, mig33 is backed by Silicon Valley venture firms Accel Partners, Redpoint Ventures and DCM; Indonesian entrepreneur Sugiono Wiyono Sugialam, and; GREE, Japan's largest social networking service provider. For more information, please visit www.mig33.com.

(1) http://www.gfkrt.com/news_events/market_news/single_sites/006905/index.en.html

(2) http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/05/technology/companies/05iht-android05.html?_r=2

(3) http://gigaom.com/2010/10/12/android-to-add-next-500m-mobile-web-users-in-india/

(4) http://blog.mig33.com/uploads/2010/11/mig33_newdistribution_092910_FINAL.pdf

SOURCE mig33