AT&T Will Offer Motorola Karma for Mobile Socializing

AT&T is poised to launch a new Motorola handset later this month that is expressly designed to deliver mobile socializing capabilities. Called the Karma, the 3G handset with QWERTY keyboard -- which will retail for $79.99 after the mail-in rebate -- combines text messaging and instant messaging with one-click Facebook and MySpace icons on the device's home screen.

"Unique visitors to Facebook from AT&T's Media Net portal grew over 100 percent in 2008," said AT&T Vice President Michael Woodward. "Karma's one-click access to Facebook and MySpace will resonate with customers who are committed to keeping up with social-networking sites on the go."

Hitting the Sweet Spot

Mobile-phone users are looking for more from their devices than just an easy way to text, said Motorola Vice President Jeff Miller. "They want to update their social-networking status, instant-message multiple friends, make calls, and, of course, text, all while on the go," Miller said.

Gartner Research Director Carolina Milanesi agrees. "Messaging is a really a sweet spot in the United States right now and specifically in the mid-tier," she said.

But simply offering social-networking features on mobile devices isn't enough, Milanesi said. "We'll need to try the device to see how well integrated the applications actually are," she observed. Last November, British mobile operator 3 introduced INQ's Facebook phone, which "offers a well-integrated experience."

Up until now, users have typically associated QWERTY-style keyboards with higher-priced handsets. However, the Motorola Karma indicates that this particular feature will be heading down-market going forward. "I think QWERTY is no longer synonymous with expensive," Milanesi said.

QWERTY keyboards add a level of integration and accuracy that touchscreen technology simply cannot bring to handsets, noted William Stofega, program manager of mobile-device technology and trends at IDC.

"Keyboards in general are more suitable for message-based phones, and that is especially true with the new...