3G 環境加上智慧型手機的盛行,開啟行動通訊的時代。而今天,超過10 億的使用者把大部分的時間,都花在使用行動裝置和各種應用服務上。 網路的演進,從網路搜索引擎時代 1993年如Yahoo及Google; 到社群交友結合地理位置網站盛行如 2004年Facebook; 到行動通訊裝置盛行, 帶動行動應用程式APP下載,如2010年社交通訊 App 三大巨頭, LINE、WeChat及Whatsapp。 這些即時通訊新衝擊著生活的許多面向,帶給人們“無時、無刻、無所不在” 的服務。 隨之而來的是無止盡的商業機會,結合的產業包括通訊媒體、娛樂、物流、教育、健康等等。讓社交通訊App一躍成為社交網絡領域平台的新戰場。 免費即時通訊軟體讓去年全球電信業者的手機簡訊(SMS)營收,損失了230億美元。電信業者形容,「免費即時通訊軟體是電信業者簡訊生意的殺手」。 此外,即時通訊 App 於2012年開始了出現了獲利商業模式,其用戶數衝高速度與商業模式獲利演進比過去 Google 和Facebook 都還快速. 本文探討網路興起之免費商業模式演進。
The era of mobile communication has arrived because the maturity of 3G environment and the popularity of smart phones. Today, over one billion users put most of their time in using mobile devices and the Apps services. The network evolution, starting from the Internet search engines such as Yahoo and Google in 1993, then social network website such as the 2004 Facebook, now coming to the age of Mobile Internet and Mobile Apps age, such as the top 3 of Instant Message Apps, LINE, WeChat and Whatsapp. These Instant Message Apps influence us on many aspects of life, offering people 24 hours service no matter where you are and when you need them. This kind of 24 hours service creates lots of business opportunities, combined, including communications media, entertainment, logistics, education, health and so on. So Instant Message App becomes a new social networking platform now. Free instant messaging software makes operators worldwide lost $ 23 billion of SMS (SMS) revenues last year. Operators said, "free instant messaging software is a killing SMS business from operator worldwide" In addition, IM App start to make money and come out their new business model in 2012. These IM Apps come out their profitable business model quicker than Google and Facebook before. This thesis explores the business models which offer free service to users but make incredible money from them.