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Posts Tagged ‘HTC’

Data Usage Among Android Users is Much Greater Than That of iPhone Users

When mobilizing  an enterprise, it is important for managers to look at individual device usage. With the end of all-you-can-eat data plans, mobile implementation managers and business owners will need to pay greater attention to worker data usage in 2011.

Google Android Smartphone users consume more data than users of Apple’s iPhone3Gand iPhone 4, according to network management specialist Arieso. Using the iPhone 3G as a benchmark, the company foundthat Android handset owners notched higher data call volumes, time connected to the network, and data volume uploaded and downloaded than users of iPhones, RIM’s BlackBerry or any other platform.

In Arieso’s example, Samsung Galaxy users uploaded 126 percent more data than iPhone 3G users, while HTC Desire users downloaded 41 percent more data than iPhone 3G users.

Android has risen to capture 23.5 percent of U.S. Smartphone market share, coming within one market share point of the iPhone, according to comScore’s latest data.  

Arieso also found that iPhone 4 users “are more hungry for data than their iPhone 3G counterparts.” iPhone 4 users make 44 percent more data calls, download 41 percent more data to their devices and spend 67 percent more time connected to the network for data than do iPhone 3G users.

When developing applications for the enterprise, it is very important to optimize mobile enterprise applications for minimal data consumption. Making the actual Smartphone applications “smart”, will allow only needed enterprise data to be pulled from the back-office. The result will be cost savings to the enterprise, and more effective and efficient mobile enterprise applications. As leaders in enterprise mobility, Smartsoft Mobile Solutions has already developed these “smart” applications for the enterprise understanding that data optimization is a key solution differentiator.

For More Information Check Out:

Best Practices: Leaders in Enterprise Mobility – Device Knowledge

Tablets: Taking The Business World by Storm

Best Practices: Mobile Project Implementation Part 1

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Posted in Apple, Application Development, B2B Mobile, Blackberry, Devices, Enterprise Mobility, Google, Mobile News, Tablets | 3 Comments »

Tablets: Taking the Business World by Storm

Since the release of theiPad tablet eight months ago Apple has sold over eight million units, including three million in the first 80 days. Obviously the market was ready for tablets, as this device had much more success than Apple’s first venture into the tablet space, with the Newton Message Pad 100, released in 1993 with little traction. If you look around offices recently chances are you see employees using the iPad tablet, for taking notes, sending emails, and surfing the web. The 9.7in touch screen display, allows for a very vivid and smooth user experience.  The three axis accelerometer allows for smooth integration between portrait and landscape views, which users of other Smartphones such as the iPhone and HTC Incrediblehave become accustomed to.  Connectivity of the device is achieved by both Wi-Fi and 3G. With carriers such as AT&T and Verizon both anticipated to sell the iPad, sales growth of the device will continue to accelerate.  However, there are going to be many new players in the tablet space, and the odds Apple will continue dominance in the tablet market is slim. Ten Android based tablets will be released by the end of the year, some with a price point as low as $149.99. Blackberry’s Playbook will enter the market in late November running a QNX operating system, and syncing with Blackberry’s Enterprise Server. Cisco and Dell are also rapidly developing tablets, mostly using the forthcoming Gingerbread and Honeycomb android operating systems. These new tablet have one major competitive advantage over the iPad, that is the incorporation of Adobe Flash. This will allow the users of these new tablets to view much more rich content and video from websites.

With all of the new tablets hitting the market, many companies ask how can they use these new platforms to grow their business? To answer this, first let’s look at the usage.

 

If the current iPad usage trends hold for the new tablets coming to market, we can assess the following:

  • Applications will be king (91% of owners downloaded an app)
  • Gaming is very big on these devices (due do the larger screen controls)
  • Shopping is very important (tablets blur the line of a laptop)
  • Banking and personal finance usage  will continue to grow
  • The large screen allows for the ingestion of more readable content (books, magazines etc…)
  • Productivity due to rapid enterprise adoption will drive development efforts

With the rapid adoption of tablets, it is important to make these new platforms a key focus of a mobile strategy. New devices, and also new operating systems developed specifically for tablets, will abound. For example, many tablet manufacturers are holding off the launch of Android tablets until the release of Android 3.X, known affectionately as Honeycomb.  Innovative application developers such as Smartsoft Mobile Solutions are developing enterprise applications that enhance business productivity, using the features that are exclusive to these tablet platforms.  The future of the tablet market will be rapidly changing, and having a reliable mobile partner that stays current on evolving industry trends is crucial to having a successful mobile strategy. 

For more information check out:

Blackberry Playbook Review

Best Practices: Defining Mobile ROI in Retail

Best Practices: How a Retailer Should Select a Strategic Mobile Partner

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Posted in Apple, B2B Mobile, B2C Mobile, Blackberry, Devices, Google, Mobile Commerce, Mobile News, Tablets | 7 Comments »

Mobile Marketing – Trends

Mobile Marketing has seen growth of over 600% in the past year.  The Kelsey groups forecasts 2000% growth by 2013. This is due to several factors, one being the growth of connected devices (mobile devices connected to the internet). These devices can be Smartphone’s, such is the Blackberry Bold, Droid Incredible or iPhone, Pads such as the iPad, or even e-readers such as Amazon Kindle and Nook.  The goal of Marketing is to generate awareness and induce the purchase of a product or service, so the use of this new and rapidly growing medium to expand a company’s messaging is a natural step.  The average web user typically buys in seven days, while the typical mobile user purchases a product or service in one day. While this increased conversion rate is staggering, there are several factors that can impact this number:

  • Age of the user
  • Device that is being used
  • Social economic status
  • Quality of the mobile marketing campaign
  • Brand affinity of the of the mobile user

Based on a recent Nielson Study, here are some interesting demographics for iPad users:

How are mobile marketers engaging these mobile users? There are a variety of ways. From SMS (Text Message) coupons and promotions, to advance promotional campaigns based on customer shopping affinity and location based services.  According to a Millennial report, here are some trends that mobile marketers will continue to advance in the next year:

  • Augmented Reality
  • Growth of the Mobile Web (100m new users a year)
  • Fix of the GPS battery drain problem
  • Custom mobile site and applications for campaigns
  • Linking CRM databases into mobile marketing
  • New entrants into mobile
  • Coupons to incorporate time and context
  • Mobile Ad networks will continue to grow in popularity
  • Growth in Mobile Search
  • Growth in M-Commerce
  • Competition for the Mobile Wallet

While innovative application developers such as Smartsoft Mobile Solutions continue to incorporate the latest technology into their applications and follow industry trends to provide the firm’s customers with best-of breed mobile applications, the mobile marketing landscape continues to evolve dynamically.

 For more information check out:

Using your Smartphone to Shop: A Game Changer

Mobile Geo-Location Tools and Usage in Retail

Mobile Couponing Uses in Mobile Commerce Applications   

Smartsoft Mobile Solutions, Inc. gathers the information in this newsletter from a variety of sources.  It is our intent to provide unbiased, accurate information.  We do include trend information and “street talk” that we find relevant or worthy of consideration.  We also leverage our worldwide team of employees and partners to provide timely, newsworthy information.  Using less formal channels, combined with our real world experiences allows us to supply with information critical to decision making in our mobile world.

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Posted in Apple, B2C Mobile, Blackberry, Enterprise Mobility, Mobile Commerce, Mobile Marketing, Mobile News | 5 Comments »

Windows Phone 7… What are the Carriers going to do?

Windows Phone 7

Windows Phone 7 is, likely, just over a month away from hitting the store shelves in Europe and just over two months away from seeing the light of day in the States . We’ve seen manufacturer devices, app development, and (obviously) development of the OS itself over the past several months.

The one thing we haven’t seen much from is the wireless providers. Who’s getting what and how much is going to cost us when it gets there? While the “how much” is well in the shadows right now, we do have some idea on the “who” with respect to wireless providers. Here’s how we see it breaking down.

AT&T: Billed as one of the “premiere launch partners”, AT&T appears to be in a position to offer the largest selection of Windows Phone 7 devices. We’ve heard rumors of HTC (T8788 or HD7?), Samsung (Cetus), and LG (C900 and GW910) devices headed to AT&T. Our count shows as many as four Windows Phone 7 devices hitting AT&T’s shelves this Fall. Unless something changes over the next two months, AT&T will be at the forefront of Windows Phone 7.

T-Mobile: We are confident that T-Mobile will have a Windows Phone 7 device on the shelf at some point and the HTC Schubert has been quietly rumored to be that device.

Verizon: Verizon and Microsoft may not be on good speaking terms these days after the KIN adventure. Rumors are that Verizon is simply not interested in Windows Phone 7 and a leaked “end of life” report has Verizon removing any existing Windows Phones from their line-up by March of 2011. Coupled with the signs that Verizon doesn’t have any Windows Phones on their2010/2011 product road map, we won’t be shocked if Verizon shifts their Smartphone focus from Windows Phones to Android or Blackberry.

Sprint: Listed as a launch partner when Windows Phone 7 was announced back in February (but that was a non-binding agreement), Sprint could go either way with Windows Phone 7. They could keep everything under wraps and surprise everyone with a Windows Phone 7 or simply taking a “wait and see” approach (as they did with Android). Fared Adib, Sprint’s Vice President of Product Development did say back in February, “Sprint and Microsoft have had a 15-year-plus relationship together. And we believe that the Windows Phone 7 Series will continue that relationship into a new decade.” Our guess, Sprint will let Microsoft work out the kinks with Windows Phone 7 and eventually have a Windows Phone 7 device in their lineup. Maybe the Dell Streak Lightning?

Granted all this is speculation and the carriers still have plenty of time to throw in a few twists before Windows Phone 7 hits the shelves.

We still have the nagging questions of “when will the carriers get these phones?” and “how much will they cost?”. The OS was just released to manufacturers and best guess is still seeing mid-to-early November for availability. Pricing points are still anyone’s guess. Innovative mobile application developers are ready to make use of this exciting new platform

For more informmation on Windows Phone 7 check out:

Windows Phone 7 Pros and Cons

LG Windows Phone 7 80/20 Mix

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Posted in B2C Mobile, Devices, Mobile News, Windows | 14 Comments »

Why do many SAP mobilization projects fail?

 

With the huge desire for enterprises to mobilize the back-office, many firms are making a mad dash to implement mobile integration. While speed and urgency are key to business success, many companies fail to take into account the “consumerization of the enterprise”. SAP is not know to have a great UI for the desktop, so porting that user experience to the mobile device is the first and major reason for failure of enterprise mobilization. Workers who use these tools have become accustom to a seamless interaction with a device, both desktop and mobile. User Experience thought leaders, such as HTC, Apple, and Ebay have further spread this thought. The need for a worker to have an experience that he is accustomed to on a device he already has is paramount and the back-office mobile experience is no exception. Device specific nuances and usability must be thought out at the beginning of a mobilization project. Experts in the field of mobile application development need to be brought in at the start. A road-mapped partnership is necessary to make a mobilization project successful. Thought leadership,   and  mobile industry knowledge are key to a successful project. One major flaw is not looking at your workers as customers, after all they are the ones using the tool. If the worker has a good experience with the mobile device, usage and adoption increases; resulting in increased productivity and a strong ROI.

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Posted in Apple, B2B Mobile, Devices, SAP | 4 Comments »

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