New categories for ‘Mobile Money’, Mobile Internet and a ‘Green Mobile’ Award 

17th July 2008, Hong Kong: The GSMA, the global trade group for the mobile industry, today made an official call for entries to the Asia Mobile Awards 2008 and the Asia Pacific round of its Mobile Innovation Global Competition, both of which will culminate at the Mobile Asia Congress, Asia’s leading mobile communications event that takes place in Macau, SAR People’s Republic of China (18-20 November 2008).  

 
The GSMA’s Asia Mobile Awards 2008 are designed to showcase change-driving products, services and initiatives from across the mobile industry eco-system and that serve Asian markets. The Mobile Innovation Global Award Competition is a tournament designed for companies with an annual turnover of less than $20 million that are developing and delivering innovative mobile products, services and solutions.
 

Entry to both award programmes is open from now until 30th September 2008. The categories for both award programmes are as follows:

 
Asia Mobile Awards 2008
 

-          Best Mobile Game

-          Best Mobile Music, TV or Video Service

-          Best Mobile Advertising Service

-          Best Mobile Enterprise Product or Service

-          Best Mobile Internet Service

-          Best Mobile Money Service

-          Best Mobile Broadband Handset/ Device

-          The 'Green Mobile Award'

 

Mobile Innovation Global Competition – APAC Tournament
 

-          Most Innovative "True Mobile Start Up"

-          Most Innovative “Carrier Infrastructure or Platform”

-          Most Innovative “Consumer Application or Service”

-          Most Innovative “Mobile Application in a Vertical Market”

-          Most Innovative “Wireless Device-centric Technology”

 

The 2nd Asia Mobile Awards include several new categories for 2008, reflecting the hottest areas of growth, competition and opportunity in Asia’s vibrant mobile market, including Best Mobile Internet Service, reflecting momentum behind the convergence of the web and mobile platforms; Best Mobile Money Service, showcasing early successes for Mobile Money Transfer, Mobile Payments and other financial services, pioneered in many parts of Asia.

 

The GSMA has also introduced a new ‘Green Mobile’ Award in 2008, for organisations focused on the reduction of environmental impacts through eco-friendly, innovative policies, products, programmes and initiatives.

 

The Asia Mobile Awards will be judged by  an independent judging panel comprising analysts, journalists and industry experts will shortlist 5 nominees in each category. Among last year’s winners were PCCW, Gameloft, Motorola, LG, Zad Mobile and Buzz City.

 

The Mobile Innovation Global Award Competition was created by the GSMA as part of the Mobile Innovation Market. The Market encourages breakthrough technology, applications and services in the mobile industry by bringing together smaller companies developing innovative products and solutions, with industry investors from leading venture capitalist firms and senior figures from mobile operators and leading global brands.

 

From the five Category Winners, two will emerge as Global Finalists and secure a trip to Barcelona to compete against other Global Finalists selected from regional Global Awards tournaments in the Americas,  EMEA and a virtual ‘on-line’ round.  The Finalists will compete for the prestigious title of ‘2009 GSMA Mobile Innovation Global Champion’, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next February.

 

Companies can enter the Asia Mobile Awards 2008 at www.asiamobileawards.com and the Mobile Innovation APAC Tournament at: http://www.mobileinnovation.org/Awards/