Vodafone live!

File:Vodafone live logo.png

Vodafone live! was the brand name for the multimedia portal service of mobile phone operator Vodafone, offering news content, picture messaging, instant messaging, email, and downloadable ringtones and games.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PWv8cIcwC7YC&q=%22vodafone+live%22+%227650%22&pg=PA10 |title=MMS: Technologies, Usage and Business Models |author1=Daniel Ralph |author2=Paul Graham |pages=10–12 |publisher=Wiley |date=10 October 2003 |isbn=9780470861165}} The service officially launched on 24 October 2002, originally in eight countries.{{cite web |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/vodafone-gambles-on-biggest-ever-launch/ |title=Vodafone gambles on 'biggest ever launch' |author=Tony Hallett |publisher=ZDNet |date=24 October 2002}} The first compatible phones were the Japanese Sharp GX10 and Panasonic GD87, and the Nokia 7650.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2002/oct/31/internet.mobilephones |title=Mobilising the forces |author=Victor Keegan |date=31 October 2002 |newspaper=The Guardian}}

It was initially developed by Japan's J-Phone under the J-Sky brand; Vodafone acquired J-Phone in August 2001,{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2731390/Vodafone-wins-control-of-J-Phone.html |title=Vodafone wins control of J-Phone |author=Dan Sabbagh |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=25 August 2001}} and the J-Sky service in Japan was rebranded in line as Vodafone live! in 2003.{{cite web |url=https://www.totaltele.com/392404/J-Phone-to-rename-J-SKY-Web-service-Vodafone-Live |title=J-Phone to rename J-SKY Web service Vodafone Live! |publisher=Total Telecom |date=15 July 2003 |author=Reuters Staff}} In addition, London-based Vizzavi which provided media content was taken full control by Vodafone (previously 50% owned){{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2225288.stm |title=Vodafone snaps up Vizzavi web venture |publisher=BBC |date=30 August 2002}} in 2002 and the brand name was dropped, being integrated into Vodafone live!{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/aug/30/newmedia.citynews |title=Vodafone pulls plug on Vizzavi brand |newspaper=The Guardian |author=Owen Gibson |date= 30 August 2002}} The service and its content are modelled largely on NTT DoCoMo's successful i-mode service.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2004/oct/11/newmedia.japan |title=MmO2 mulls over i-mode technology |author=Richard Wray |date=11 October 2004 |newspaper=The Guardian}}

The service was marketed extensively,{{cite web |url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/vodafone-backs-live-25m-campaign/162700 |title=Vodafone backs 'Live' with £25m campaign |author=Ravi Chandiramani |date=31 October 2002 |publisher=Campaign}} using stars such as footballer David Beckham in the UK, Spain and Japan.{{Cite web|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/vodafone-signs-david-beckham-year/219711|title = Vodafone signs David Beckham for another year}} As of May 2003 there were 1.5 million customers.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2853212/Vodafone-paid-1bn-too-much-for-3G.html |title=Vodafone paid '£1bn too much' for 3G |newspaper=The Telegraph |author=Dominic White |date=28 May 2003}} In the UK market its main competing WAP portals were O2 Active and Orange World.{{cite web |url=https://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1018973/uk-grows-i-mode-fastest-outside-japan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015201415/http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1018973/uk-grows-i-mode-fastest-outside-japan |url-status=unfit |archive-date=October 15, 2012 |title=UK grows i-mode fastest outside Japan |publisher=The Inquirer |author=Tony Dennis |date=7 June 2006}}

While the service itself could be looked at with any WAP browser, Vodafone live! handsets marketed by the company integrated the service with each handset's core functions. All handsets included a colour screen, a digital camera and the capability to send and receive email, SMS and MMS messages. Vodafone live! had an icon-driven interface that was the same on all compatible models regardless of operating system.{{cite web |url=https://www.vodafone.com/content/index/media/vodafone-group-releases/2003/press_release26_03.html |title=One million Vodafone Live! customers |date=26 April 2003 |publisher=Vodafone Press Release}}

In December 2004, Vodafone live! with 3G services was launched.{{cite web |url=https://www.vodafone.com/content/index/media/vodafone-group-releases/2004/press_release10_11.html |title=Global launch of Vodafone live! with 3G |publisher=Vodafone |date=10 December 2004}}

Vodafone live! was struggling against competitors i-mode and EZweb in Japan, and in 2006, it announced that its Japanese division will be sold to SoftBank Group. Vodafone live! was replaced there by Yahoo! Keitai.{{cite web |url=https://www.eurotechnology.com/2006/10/09/yahoo-keitai-replaces-vodafone-live/ |title=Yahoo!-keitai replaces Vodafone-Live! |date=9 October 2006 |author=G Fasol |publisher=Eurotechnology}}

In September 2009, Vodafone 360 and Vodafone My Web were announced to replace Vodafone live!{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2009/09/24/vodafone-360-takes-on-the-mobile-app-stores/ |title=Vodafone 360 takes on the Mobile App stores |date=24 September 2009 |publisher=TechCrunch}}{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/03/03/foursquare-checks-in-with-vodafone-uk/ |title=Foursquare checks-in with Vodafone UK |author=Steve O'Hear |date=3 March 2010 |publisher=TechCrunch}}