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Software marketing changes with the times

Fri, 2008-10-31 16:00 — tekro

Consumers' desire for lower-cost computing affects software marketing as well. Following up on a couple news items presented earlier:

In September, JustSystems began offering its JPY8000 ATOK Japanese input system for PCs as a JPY300/month software service. The company reports that the low monthly cost is already a hit. Or so JustSystems says; no actual numbers have been announced yet, other than a goal of 30,000 users by September 2009. However, early data does show that 70% of the new service's users are new to ATOK, and are younger than the packaged verson's user base as well, suggesting that software-as-service taps into a young base that's put off by the high price of packaged software.
More info (Japanese): http://www.justsystems.com/jp/products/atok_teigaku/
English: http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/09/atok

Next up, SourceNext's switch from CD-ROMs to USB drives to deliver packaged software is also a hit. The company expected to move 1 million units of its "U-Memo" series of consumer titles on USB drives within the first year. The results so far? 650,000 packages - after only one month! SourceNext attributes the popularity to the rapid growth of mini notebook computers, which typically don't have CD-ROM drives. Needless to say, the company is rushing to place more games, utilities, and other titles into the U-Memo lineup.
U-Memo info (Japanese): http://www.sourcenext.com/titles/usb/?i=img_usb
English:
http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/09/sourcenext
Netbooks in Japan (English):
http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/10/netbooks

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