Phonebook 2.0 is an on-device address book that aggregates, backs-up and synchronizes contact data from disparate address book databases and is available across devices anywhere and at anytime. An important feature of Phonebook 2.0 is its ability to dynamically update itself by aggregating the most current contact information available on the web.

The emergence of Phonebook 2.0 is driven by the wealth of online communications services available to users, and the increasing number of address books (contacts databases) users must now maintain, as each service hosts a discreet list of contacts, friends or buddies. As a result, users are struggling with the desire to keep in touch with all their contacts anywhere at anytime and, at the same time, becoming overwhelmed with the task of managing an increasing number of disparate address books. Today, users have address books scattered across cyberspace, residing within services ranging from instant messaging and VoIP applications to corporate and desktop PIM applications, e-mail services, multiple social networks and on the mobile phone. Phonebook 2.0 will provide users a unified, dynamic and ubiquitous view of all their contacts.

The next generation on-device address book is in high demand and is expected to grow from a $49 million market in 2009 to $2.7 billion in 2013.

Topics of coverage include:

• What is Phonebook 2.0?
• The problem of address book overload
• Evolution of the mobile phone address book
• Web 2.0 standards driving Phonebook 2.0
• The back-end: Aggregation, Back-up and Synchronisation
• Enriched features – incorporating location, presence and status
• The phonebook 2.0 value chain
• The influence of social networks
• Acquisition strategies
• Forecast of user numbers and market value

Companies mentioned, discussed or reviewed include:

3 AOL Apple Asurion Mobile AT&T Best Buy Colibria Comcast Critical Path Dashwire Facebook Funambol FusionOne

Google HTC INQ LinkedIn Microsoft Motorola Myriad Group MySpace Newbay Nokia OnMobile Orange Palm

Plaxo RIM Samsung Skydeck Skype Soocial Symbian Telstra T-Mobile Vine Vodafone Voxmobili Yahoo

Answers and opinions are provided with respect to the following essential questions:

• Who are the main participants in the phonebook 2.0 market?
• What are viable revenue-generating business models?
• What is the average number of address books users are currently managing?
• Can Microsoft turn ActiveSync into the de facto synchronization engine?
• Why will social networks be a major influence?
• Will users pay for a phonebook 2.0 service?
• What phonebook 2.0 features does Vodafone 360 leverage?
• Why is Google best positioned to dominate this nascent market?
• How does Phonebook 2.0 stand to benefit carriers and OEMs?
• What is Facebook doing to push Phonebook 2.0?