EMI chief Eric Nicoli yesterday gave a keynote speech at CTIA Wireless, a major mobile industry convention staged in Florida, and told his audience that while the mobile music sector had the potential to be "one of the most exciting growth stories of the century", that would only be achieved if more mobile firms followed Apple's lead in focusing entirely on consumer friendliness.
Commenting on mobile music offers already in the market, he said: "In my opinion, we will not meet our goals if we continue to carry on as we have been. Just as there are important opportunities, there are important challenges we need to address". Commenting on how Apple had become a market leader in the digital music space by focusing on what consumers want rather than what technology can deliver, he continued: "Being consumer focused shouldn't be Apple's privilege. If we just present what we want, when we want to, that won't do it".
Nicoli also used his keynote to reveal details about a new partnership between EMI and Nokia which will see the major exclusively supply music to be played in the mobile manufacturer's retail spaces and to be pre-loaded on their phones though, I have to say, I'm never convinced such exclusivity deals are especially consumer friendly, and can't help thinking such partnerships are part of the problem with current mobile music offers that Nicoli was talking about.