CNN to be preloaded on all Samsung's top handsets

Andrew over at StrategyEye published news this morning that CNN has knocked up a deal with mobile manufacturer, Samsung, to preload their java news application on their upcoming range of five megapixel handsets.

The news application gives users access to CNN reports, images and video. Users can also submit their own images and videos to CNN’s citizen journalism website through the java tool.

It’s a shame that CNN felt it had to go direct to Samsung.

If we needed an indication of just how nailed the mobile industry is at the moment, this is a brilliant example.

One on side, CNN, the global news giant, wants to get to potential consumers of its content.

On the other side, Samsung has products that it ships to a few hundred customers around the planet. Let’s be clear, Samsung’s customers are mobile operators, NOT you and I. Rarely does anyone buying a Samsung pay full market price for it — the devices are generally subsidised by the mobile operator. It’s the mobile operator who decides whether to offer the device to their customers.

What a screwed up situation.

CNN, I’m sure, recognises the massive challenge of getting consumers to download an application to their handset. It ain’t gonna happen.

Some people download applications. It really is a tortuous process for a lot of consumers though.

If you want to boost audience and actually make it simple for users to ‘get’ your content, what do you do? Go direct to the handset manufacturer?

It’s a real shame when it’s come to this. I understand the logic. It’s the one absolute that you can guarantee. IF it’s installed on the handset out of the box, at least it will work. At least you can be sure users *could* use your service. The next issue is getting them to click on the icon.

It’d be rather neat, actually, if you could scroll a news feed along the bottom of the menu window by default.

Is the global array of mobile operators that difficult a minefield to navigate that you’re better going direct to the handset manufacturer? Yes, as far as CNN is concerned.