These may be the dog days of summer but there is still lots going on in mobile. So, given we’ve been enjoying the beach in Cornwall rather than writing Mobile Fix, there is a lot to catch up on….
Mass Market Mobile
With a new report from Ofcom looking at how UK consumers use media we may now have enough data to prove once and for all that Mobile is ready for prime time.
The report shows that – as of May 2010 – there are 12.8m people with smartphones – up 71% year on year and 13.5m people claim to have surfed the internet using their mobile phone. Supporting this trend Comscore say 31% of UK mobile owners use apps
So our new focus is not how big mobile is, but how well brands are using it. It still looks pretty tactical from here – but with the evidence that consumers get it, we’re starting to see smart marketers recoognise the need for a strategic approach.
Location, Location, Location
Location based services look like they are going centre stage too, as Facebook announce Places – allowing Facebook users to check in at locations – initially just with their iPhones.
At the launch, the current players in this space ( Foursquare, Gowalla and Booyah) were all present and pledged their support – probably something to do with the 500 million potential users that Facebook just handed them.
It seems likely Facebook will be the platform for location and people like Foursquare will build services and functionality on top of that. As we’re already seeing developers building interesting new tools that leverage Foursquare we think this is a positive step and that location checkins will become an increasingly important marketing tool – particularly when combined with coupons etc. Shopper Marketing is moving out of stores and away from paper.
And when one considers the momentum behind Facebook Credits and how people are using them to drive traffic to Facebook pages and apps, how long before you can earn Credits for checking in at store or restaurant? For most people this will beat earning badges and the opportunity to become Mayor.
Whilst we are talking about Facebook, they just announced new tools to make integration with Facebook easier for mobile app developers – and confirmed they have 150 million active mobile users.
We see location as a core part of mobile and are talking with some clients about this right now – if you’d like some thoughts on how to profit from this area, get in touch.
Mobile advertising
Mobile advertising continues to grab headlines as iAds roll out – albeit slowly – with rumours that the Apple love of control is slowing the process down. Despite this, analysts believe that advertising will become Apples next billion dollar business – and there are now rumours that Blackberry makers RIM are about to buy mobile ad network Millenium Media for $500m.
Given some data from mobile network Smaato suggests that Blackberry users are least likely to click on mobile ads this may seem odd, but RIM recognise that attracting developers to a platform is key and without the ability to drive ad dollars to those developers they risk losing out on the best service and content apps.
The Guardian have some good background on the advertising battle developing between Apple and Google. It’s clear that brands need good advice on how to deal with this divided market but Fast Company points out that there is a dearth of expertise as the ad industry struggles to deal with mobile – but, hey – that’s what we’re here for.
Mobile & Money
Whilst the latest data shows Android is growing phenomenally quickly around the world and in the UK, it’s clear that Apple continue to have lofty ambitions. With Apple hiring an expert in mobile payment we can expect that iPhone 5 will be a step towards the sort of mobile wallet that is the norm in Japan. (Around 35 million Japanese people use the Osaifu-Ketai mobile wallet service)
The whole area of mobile and money is fascinating – when the PayPal app means you can give someone money by bumping phones and SMS focused m-Pesa handles around 10% of the Kenya GDP, you know things are changing quickly.
Google Speak It
The Google focus on mobile continues with new functionality around voice on Android getting a lot of attention. And their desire to drive chrome usage is helped by the ability to switch content between the PC and mobile phone via Chrome.
The reason for this focus is hinted at by an analysts report showing that around 10% of all Google queries come from mobile – and that can only grow.
Finally…
We’ve moved into our new home – a really cool space in Clerkenwell – so come and say hello if you are in the area and we’re also out and about with an exciting trip coming up to Brazil to do a keynote at the MMA Latin AmericanForum. I’m keen to meet as many people as possible on the trip to learn about this fascinating market, so let me know who I should hook up with.
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