Tag Archives: mobile devices

Does Google have a chance of knocking iPhone from its perch?

Posted on by

The iPhone and Blackberry are reported to dominating the Smartphone sales charts. According to the Canalys research firm, iPhone currently hits about 14 percent of the Smartphone sales and Blackberry about 21 percent. The Android, on other hand, has only 3 percent. Arguably, it doesn’t sound bad since the Android was just launched; more than a year when first iPhone hit the world market.

Analysts see that it seems unlikely that Google’s mobile market share will grow as quickly as the iPhone’s. In the Canalys report, the iPhone usage has shot up by more than 600 percent of last year.

So, does Google really have a chance of knocking the iPhone from its perch? Read more

TheTMSway Weekly Radar on Mobile Marketing and Business

Posted on by

Batteries set to become $60 billion industry by ’13

So far in 2009, battery companies have received over $600 million in venture capital funding, compared with $478 million garnered for 2008, according to research analyst Lux Research. The investment isn’t without reason. In a report released Tuesday, Lux predicted that the energy storage market will grow to become a $60 billion industry by 2013.

Facebook Usernames: 50+ Million Claimed and Counting

In a post entitled “Designing the Facebook username land rush,” Facebook’s Srinivas Narayanan reveals the number while explaining the difficulties of building a system capable of handling 200,000 signups in 3 minutes and planning for contingencies (aka the so-called “nuclear option”). These are subjects we actually discussed with Facebook’s Jared Morgenstern and Guy Rom at Facebook headquarters the night of the launch.

All About iPhone In China/Asia, Interview with iPhonAsia

iPhone is so attractive and Asia holds such a huge mobile market. In Japan, iPhone is getting quite popular; nobody knows the exact date yet but we know it is stepping closer to China; it is not very clear about iPhone in South Korea, but at least they are in talk for a long time; and it is already rocking HongKong and Singapore. Recently, we had a great pleasure of interviewing with Dan Butterfield, managing editor of iPhonAsia.

Mobile money roundup: banking, finance and payments in mobile

Here’s a round-up of some of the mobile money stories that have been of interest to us this morning. We’ve got pieces from America, Asia, Africa and India. iPhone check feature: The USAA is a smaller bank in America, serving mostly military personnel. But it has just launched a very interesting product – an iPhone application that allows you to deposit your check through your iPhone. You take a snap of the front and a snap of the back, hit send, and it deposits with USAA. Cambodian mobile banking: Cambodian mobile service provider Smart Mobile and WING have launched a mobile money service. It allows Smart customers to send and receive cash, and make payments, via top-up cards.

Worldwide phone sales drop 6 percent — but smartphones shoot up 27 percent

Low-cost Nokias will probably ensure Nokia’s dominance of the non-smartphone market for another year. But the low end is no longer the place to be. A new report from Gartner says worldwide sales in the second quarter of 2009 dropped six percent from Q2 2008. But phones classified by Gartner as smartphones shot up 27 percent. Many people buying new phones, says the report, want either a QWERTY keyboard or a touchscreen. Still more, though, are buying on price.

Federal Communications Commission seeks answers over Apple rejection of Google Voice app

The Federal Communications Commission late Friday afternoon dashed off three letters to Apple Inc., AT&T Inc. and Google Inc. over Apple’s reported rejection of the Google Voice application for the iPhone. The letters seek detailed information on why Apple is said to have rejected Google Voice and pulled previously approved third-party applications from its App Store (see story). They also want an insight into Apple partner AT&T’s role in the rejection of the Google Voice app, which would offer voiceover IP telecommunications services that directly undercut the carrier’s voice offerings.

Base campaign strategy on target audience’s mobile habits: Forrester

Mobile marketing is gaining momentum even in a down economy, according to a study by Forrester Research. One in four interactive marketers in the United States is currently using mobile and nearly half of these (47 percent) will increase mobile spending this year.

U.S. mobile adoption catching up to Asia, Europe: Study

The United States may be closing in on Asia and Europe in mobile technology adoption, according to a study by Mobtext. The reported boost in consumer adoption of mobile technology means that marketers are approaching the prime time for mobile marketing opportunities. The study found that SMS, MMS, location-based marketing, mobile Web and branded content are the major components of growth in the mobile marketing space.

Entrust, Clickatell partner to enhance mobile security

Entrust Inc. has signed a deal with Clickatell to expand its ability to send one-time-passcodes (OTP) to mobile devices via SMS. Oftern referred to as soft tokens, the partnership for OTPs expands the options available to customers using the Entrust IdentityGuard authentication platform.

Merchants turn to iPhone app to reach tourists

For some local merchants, downtown business development is going mobile. Mobilefringe along with the Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area (B.I.A.) is launching the Mobile Yonge iPhone application on their m3 platform. The Mobile Yonge application will have the ability to show promotions and events that will appeal to both visitors and residents of the popular Toronto area.

Mobile gaming market to reach $18B by 2014: Study

Due to the growing number of wireless subscribers in emerging markets, the mobile gaming market is predicted to reach $18 billion by 2014, according to a study by Pyramid Research. The predicted $18 billion in growth represents a 16.6 percent growth rate according to Pyramid’s study titled, “Mobile Gaming in Emerging Markets: Five Year Forecast and Impact Analysis.” The study takes the growth of emerging markets and puts it into context with the mobile gaming industry as a whole.

TheTMSway Weekly Radar on Mobile Marketing and Business

Posted on by

Advertising Will Change Forever

In this recession, marketers have learned that interactive marketing is more effective, and advertising less effective, per dollar spent. While budgets for online have decreased, they decreased less than other budgets. Six out of ten marketers we surveyed agreed with the statement “we will increase budget for interactive by shifting money away from traditional marketing.” Only 7% said “we have no plans to increase our marketing budget.”

Smartphone apps: the future of mobile advertising?

NEW YORK – Consumers’ insatiable appetite for mobile applications is driving exponential growth in the space, which creates opportunities for mobile marketers, according to a panel at IAB Marketplace-Mobile. Apple has generated a lot of interest among consumers, who now know that apps are a key part of their mobile experience. Savvy marketers are feeding their hunger and engaging consumers by delivering a mix of in-application advertising and branded mobile apps providing utility and/or entertainment.

China Will Surpass Japan in 2011 to Become Largest Telecom Services Market in Asia

Fueled by mobile penetration into the rural market and by uptake of 3G services, China’s telecommunications market will generate $187 billion by 2014, surpassing Japan to become the largest telecommunications services market in Asia, according to a new report from Pyramid Research.

Do-not-contact registries trump SMS opt-ins in two states

Marketers of spirits, tobacco and other adult-oriented products beware: Even if consumers opt in to an SMS campaign and verify their age, you still might be breaking the law in two states. That is because of do-not-contact programs and related laws in Utah and Michigan. These state programs, which extend to SMS, dictate that marketers who advertise adult products and services such as alcohol, tobacco, gambling and pornography cannot market to any registered phone number or address with those states.

Another record high for mobile in South Korea: Samsung announces Q2 profits

Samsung has surprised analysts by announcing record high sales for the the second quarter this year. This story will be familiar to anyone who saw LGs Q2 profit report. Samsung attributed its huge sales increase not only to greater interest in both mobile phones and TVs, but also to a boost in its memory chip business.

Mass-produced apps comprise one-third of App Store: Study

A new report from Skyhook Wireless shows that mass-produced applications are making up one-third of the Apple App Store’s volume. This research comes from Skyhook Wireless’s July Wireless LBS App report on trends in location-aware apps from the major application stores. The report researched applications from Apple’s App Store, Google’s Android Marketplace, BlackBerry App World, Nokia’s Ovi Store and Palm’s App Catalog focusing on the evolution of location-based application pricing in the two most established stores, Android Marketplace and the Apple App Store.

Do consumers get mobile marketing?

As I sat down to write this article, I polled my wife and kids – three teens, one tween and an eight-year-old) with a simple question: “When was the last time you saw or clicked on a mobile ad or marketing message?” They all looked at me as though I had asked them if their iPods make decent toast.

Samsung Goes Green with “Blue Earth”

Just about everything is going green these days. And from the looks of it, our cell phones are next to get an eco-friendly makeover. After being previewed earlier this year at the Mobile World Congress, Blue Earth, the first “solar charging phone” is preparing for launch by Samsung, the creator of this new device designed for people concerned about the environment. Down to its packaging, this phone is the epitome of “environmentally friendly.”

Mobile Goes Social and Vice Versa

The growing crossover of social media and mobile was highlighted by a pair of separate moves Tuesday involving Research in Motion and Facebook. For its part, RIM has launched MyBlackBerry, a new community site where BlackBerry users can trade views on BlackBerry apps and share tips and tricks relating to the device.

Mobile Goes Social and Vice Versa

The growing crossover of social media and mobile was highlighted by a pair of separate moves Tuesday involving Research in Motion and Facebook. For its part, RIM has launched MyBlackBerry, a new community site where BlackBerry users can trade views on BlackBerry apps and share tips and tricks relating to the device.

Black Americans most active users of mobile internet – Survey By Pewter Internet

56% of all Americans have accessed the internet by wireless means.

An April 2009 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project asked respondents whether they had used a variety of devices – laptops, cell phones, game consoles, and more – to go online using a wireless network. Altogether, 56% of Americans said they have at some point used wireless means for online access.

TheTMSway Weekly Radar on Mobile Marketing and Business

Posted on by

Smartphones: Is there a difference in the consumer base?

When it comes to smartphones, is one user base better than another? A new study from CrowdScience sheds light on the similarities – and more importantly the differences – between Smartphone consumers using the two biggest brands in the Smartphone biz: iPhone and Blackberry.

Can Google translate search expertise to succeed in mobile display?

Search giant Google’s launch of AdSense for Mobile Applications is destined to contribute to the growth of mobile marketing and the app development industry. Smartphones have revolutionized consumers’ daily lives. Because of the economic slowdown, the fact that smartphones offer lower prices, faster network speeds and unlimited data plans means that people often reach for their mobile phone rather than their computer.

Microsoft talks B2B mobile advertising strategy in Mobile Marketer webinar

A Microsoft executive explained the strategy behind a mobile campaign to boost awareness and drive demand for the Microsoft Office SharePoint Server among technology decision-makers. “Mobile allows us to focus on a specific target audience in the B2B space,” said John Cosley, digital marketing lead for Microsoft, Redmond, WA. “Mobile lets us target down to a fairly granular level through hyper-targeting via demographic, psychographic and geographic information.

Local Searchers Go Mobile

comScore, Inc. reports that the number of people who sought local information on a mobile device grew 51% from March 2008 to March 2009. The mobile browser is the leading access method, with 20.7 million users seeking local information in March 2009, up 34% versus year ago.

FCC chair-designate to look at mobile handset deals

President Barack Obama’s choice to head the Federal Communications Commission plans to review the exclusive arrangements between wireless carriers and cell phone makers. The issue of exclusive agreements among some of the biggest companies like Apple Inc’s iPhone and service provider AT&T Inc is at the center of some lawmakers’ concerns about whether such practices hinder competition and innovation.

Verizon, AT&T expand mobile TV coverage

Verizon Wireless and AT&T announced their respective mobile TV efforts–both powered by Qualcomm’s FLO TV mobile broadcast unit–have expanded into a series of new U.S. markets in the wake of the long-planned national DTV transition, which freed up spectrum for the FLO TV network.

China handset market rises 9 percent

China’s domestic mobile-handset shipments in the first quarter rose by 9 percent from 53 million in Q4, thanks to government stimulus programmes and the New Year holiday season, according to a new study from iSuppli. Sales of brand-name GSM mobile handsets amounted to 44 million units in the quarter, compared to 42 million in the first quarter of 2008, while branded CDMA wireless phone sales reached 5.8 million units, up 200 percent from the year-earlier quarter.

Mobile Email & Mobile Instant Messaging Will Drive Mobile Messaging Growth

A report is indicating that global consumer spending on mobile messaging services, such as SMS, MMS, mobile email and mobile instant messaging will rise at a 6.4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2008 and 2013 to reach $130 billion. Strategy Analytics says that the addition of 1 billion mobile phone users in developing cellular markets will stimulate continued SMS volume and revenue growth.

Cleantech may need to wait a bit longer for stimulus funds

Government-backed stimulus packages are expected to give a major boost to cleantech companies, supposedly starting in September. A total of $184.9 billion has been earmarked for green initiatives worldwide, and some 65.7 percent of that is going to energy verticals like solar and wind, says the New Energy Finance Group.

Quality data is must for effective mobile strategy

Though direct digital marketing encompasses a variety of different channels, mobile marketing is rightly garnering a great deal of attention, and not just from those predicting its eminent explosion in adoption.
No doubt, mobile marketing programs are becoming more robust and powerful, and going beyond one-off pilots and short-lived efforts.

Mobile Advocacy Coalition: Protecting SMS Marketing

Now, legitimate mobile marketing service providers are stepping up to protect their industry–and to protect the integrity of a communication platform with which consumers really do want to be reached.

Mobile Usage on the Rise, New Landscape for marketers

Posted on by

Recent study on mobile media reports the rise of consumer usage to consequently open new landscape for global marketers.

In a report published on Brandweek, the study conducted by IPG’s Universal McCann and AOL reveals 80% of smart-phone users satisfied to the quality of Internet on their mobile devices.

The research study has presented 95% of the respondents saying they used mobile media to fill downtime; 82% said they use it at work; 81% of the respondents use mobile while shopping; 80% at home; and 65% while commuting to their offices.

Stuart Rodnick, Senior director of Strategic Insights at AOL, describes the mobile to lead into a “social transformation”. And with mobile usage forecasted to grow 60% over the next two years, marketers are advised to formulate ways of communicating about their brands with mobile users, or risking of missing out huge opportunity. READ MORE

From BBC News: Mobile web coming of age?

Posted on by

The mobile web recently has become one of the hot topics among BBC news stories. In an article, giant companies ranging from Google to Microsoft and from Apple to Yahoo believed that mobile phone would become the future of internet.

This positive outlook, however, faces doubts from quite several industry players but Ebay’s senior director of platforms and mobile Max Mancini gave his strong defense in favor to mobile phone.

There are also few among industry leaders who have spoken their views relevant to the very useful changes happening to mobile phones today and to the people’s behavior in terms of usage.

Read the article from BBC