Singtel Wavee: Not too but just very late

I fired up my Google Play last night thinking of downloading the new Singtel Wavee app but did not in the end. I saw how few people have downloaded and much of the feedback weren't flattering. I thought to myself just like Whatsapp before, I can afford to wait. I didn't take to Whatsapp then until my brother forced me to. He wanted to organize the CNY lunch using the app. By then I had no choice since I was the only one without it.

No point telling me that data traffic incurred using Wavee is free till July 9 when no one on my contact list (a reasonable assumption) is using this. I don't know who is in charge of promoting this app but the most important task for such apps any rational start-up would have known is to get friends to also adopt it.

I read in the ST and comments elsewhere opining that Singtel has arrived in this space with too little and too late. I don't think so. They are only very late. Singtel is not a start-up but a big telco. They can succeed at this if they are not afraid to act against their culture of caution and more important produce a high quality product (can they?)

I also half suspect that Wavee is still in beta and not ready for prime time. Perhaps we need to give them about three months to polish this further. Meanwhile I don't feel that I am missing anything without Wavee.

Really, I don't mind if the telco serves us like Singapore Power. Invisible and reliable, working on the most cost effective delivery. If they want to do more, they have to be courageous and earn their stripes. They have to overcome the innovator's dilemma.