Adding Nostalgia to Your Phone Snaps
The best kind of camera is the one that you always have to hand, which is why built-in cameras are an increasingly vital concern for consumers looking to buy a new phone. Traditionally, after taking a photo with your camera phone, you would share it on Facebook or Twitter, perhaps taking advantage of the geolocation features.
Recently, smartphone users have been able to take part in a popular trend for 'retro' photography; taking instant pictures in the style of older Polaroid and Lomography cameras. All you need is one of the many available apps that can emulate the traditional camera effect by applying filters. These apps make it easy for almost any smartphone user to create "vintage", nostalgic looking pictures with minimal effort. Easy-to-apply effects include blurry, over-saturated and washed out, allowing for a huge range of offbeat or humorous styles from any one shot.
Some of these apps come with additional features, such as a photosharing network, in which users write about their experiences, trade tips, and rate each others photos.
The popularity of candid mobile phone photography has made its mark in the real world - London's Orange Dot Gallery is showcasing a selection of pictures taken using the Hipstamatic app. In November last year, a New York Times photographer used his camera phone app to take photos of American soldiers in Afghanistan. Subsequently, his snaps made the covers of newspapers around the world.
6 Mobile Trends in 2011
What will be the key trends within mobile, what will the main players do that will affect the way we use our mobile devices? Here are 6 interesting trends and our predictions of what will shape the future of the mobile landscape in the forthcoming year.
1. Rapidly growing market
The rising number of Smartphones was a major storyline in 2010, and it will definitely continue in 2011. Various analysts seem to agree that the percentage of mobile users owning a Smartphone in the next year will be around 30 percent. Even though Smartphone users represent a minority of all mobile owners, their impact is disproportionate in terms of content consumption, which has significant implications for content providers, as well as advertising. The growth of the Smartphone market, alongside with the attractive usage profile of the owners, shifts the interest form the 'desktop' web to mobile. This is for sure something brand owners need to keep their eye on.
2. Mobile strategy
In 2011 mobile strategy will go far beyond having an iPhone app. Marketers will have to pay attention to other rising platforms such as Android and possibly Windows Phone 7. In order to broaden the reach in a cost effective way, mobile websites accessible from virtually any mobile device will become more popular, as well as apps available on multiple platforms. Flash on websites will probably be replaced with more mobile friendly HTML5, at least terms of video content.
3. Continuing fragmentation
Even though most of the mobile users run a relatively up to date version of their favorite operating system, there are still many older and low end devices being used. This will possibly continue to create problem with using new apps on low performance devices, such as entry level Android phones, the original iPhone, and older Blackberries.
Custom user interfaces placed on top of Android, such as the HTC Sense and Moto Blur, allow manufactures to differentiate the products, but create inconsistency across the Android platform.
4. More types of devices
By 2011 the key hardware manufactures, Apple, RIM, Dell, Samsung, and Acer will all have a tablet device. Consequently, tablets will appear in an increasing number of homes, as they are a popular gift choice for Christmas 2010. Tablets will mainly compete with netbooks, and lower end laptops, in the same way that camera phones do with low end digital cameras. Smart TVs running Google TV will start to appear allowing people to run TV Apps, and be controlled using a remote control app on a phone. The box will be upgradable independently from the TV, allowing flexibility and a richer number of features.
5. Mobile analytics prominence
Detailed mobile app analytics will be utilized by more Smartphone apps, allowing developers and content owners for more precise behavior tracing, and trouble shooting. They will eventually become as detailed as web statistics currently offered, making the number of current users more important than the number of app downloads, a number that will become significant for 'Lite' apps based on the fermium model.
6. Near Field Communications
High end phones, such as the Google Nexus S, offer a feature currently available on Asian markets - Near Field Communications that can be used for mobile payments, as well as location based services. Google seems to be heavily invested in this technology giving out widow decals that can be touched with the phone to provide more information about locations, featured on Google Places. This technology will become more and more popular, as manufactures incorporate the appropriate chips within their phones.
Handmark has published the results of their mobile media consumption report.The study has been carried out among an audience of over 300,000 consumers across the United States, enquiring about issues ranging from preferred methods of news consumption to purchases made from their phones.
The results suggest that accessing breaking news on mobile is as significant for consumers as accessing breaking news on a desktop (30% each). 20% of people look towards television, and only 3% choose newspapers as their preferred medium for current events. The second most important category for which individuals use their devices to access information was weather reports, followed by sports in third.
Mobile devices have also gained popularity as a method for consumer purchases, with 66% reporting that they have used their mobile device at least once over the past year to make a purchase. Respondents expect this way of doing online shopping to become even more popular in the following year, 52 percent of which plan to purchase a tablet in the next 12 months.
The results of the survey definitely show a shift from traditional computers to mobile devices; however one should keep in mind issues that arise when carrying out research surveys, mainly close ended questions that may have low validity and errors due to non-response.
Data from newspapers such as the Guardian seem to confirm that accessing news on the go is gaining popularity - The Guardian's mobile site is "seeing a huge growth and now reaches millions of users every month", along with 200,000 downloads of their iPhone app. At the moment an iPad version of The Guardian is in development.
Mobile web traffic increases as third party browsers become more popular
After a bumpy US launch, the SkyFire browser for iPhone (£1.79) is available for download from the UK App Store, allowing limited flash video playback from within the app. The newly released 3.0 Android version is free, and includes deep Facebook integration - a 'Like' button is placed on every page on the Internet.
Opera released its State of the Mobile Web report, including an impressive growth in usage statistics for it's multi-platform browser. Compared to last year, UK users have access to 87% more pages on their mobile devices, which highlights the importance of ensuring that your website is optimised for mobile phone viewing. It's a cost effective solution, and the potential benefits - the ability to relate to users via specialised mobile capabilities, and the the increased probability that customers can more easily access your content - are well worth the investment.
The company has also released the results of a survey, regarding how Opera Mini users interact with their phones In the UK 80% of the users take advantage of photo sharing via their mobiles. Interestingly, half of the top 10 handsets used are manufactured by Nokia, but the Apple iPhone remains number one.
The full State of Mobile Web report can be downloaded from Opera Software's website.
Mobile App, an important element of your digital marketing strategy
Customers nowadays demand convenience and accessibility from organisations they interact with. Nearly every business has a functional website, and as a result the bar has been raised - users want everything and anything, wherever they are.
Taking advantage of the rise of iOS devices, such as the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch could be one of the best strategic moves your organisation makes. That's why apps are becoming more important, and are an important element of your digital marketing strategy.
First of all, an iPhone app is a very contemporary tool. It will provide your clients with instant satisfaction; they will receive their service faster, and whenever they wish, on a device that they have access to at all times. A well designed iPhone app is simple and enjoyable, making your app more desirable to use in contrast to traditional methods of retrieving information, finding a service, or purchasing a product. It also contributes to creating a positive relationship between you and your customers, which often means higher revenue.
By having an iPhone app you will be able to acquire new customers, many of whom will be more affluent and proficient with technology. It's also an innovative way to present the company, highlighting a commitment to new technologies. By having a user install an app on their iPhone, users will develop a positive attitude with the brand.
Developing a successful app is great, but it also requires clever marketing. Sometimes the publicity generated by your app being present on the Apple platform might exceed expectations and become a marketing tool, generating discussions, and encouraging conversations.
This is what happened in the case of Hobo, the world's first interactive iPhone app, that we developed for Depaul UK, a charity committed to helping young, homeless or otherwise disadvantaged people. Not only did the app generate a significant amount of money in donations, but also received coverage in The Guardian, The Independent and Marketing Week, leading to more publicity across the blogosphere and further donations.
If you'd like to learn how an iPhone app or other mobile solution could benefit your business, please get in touch with us for a free consultation.
First steps in mobile: optimised website
Maintaining a presence on mobile platforms is becoming increasingly important, and allows your business to reach out to a different type of customer base. Having an iPhone app is great, but it has its limitations, and can often be costly to develop. To truly optimise your business for mobile internet traffic, a dedicated mobile website is an essential investment.
Mobile is becoming more relevant as devices are becoming more refined and user-friendly - we no longer need to click the '2' button three times to type the letter 'c' for example! Using the web on modern phones with large touch-screens has changed the way we interact with content, and is an experience that even new users can adapt to very quickly. Devices are also becoming more accessible; handset prices are dropping, thus removing the barrier to entry.
Having a mobile website makes browsing your website quicker and easier for mobile internet users. Phone users should have a browser pre-installed on their device; your website will detect that they're browsing from a mobile and direct them to a tailored version of a site, optimised for mobile. There is no need to download an app to access this content, so your outreach isn't compromised. By investing in a mobile website you can make your site much more accessible, even for users on older or less developed mobile devices.
Launching a mobile site will also give you the opportunity to learn more about your visitors; you should watch what they're doing by using mobile analytics, this will allow you to identify various areas of optimisation.
You will be able to take full control of the content - by modifying the mobile website you can present it in a different way without the user having to take action, the next time they visit your site, they'll see exactly what you want them to. In the case of a mobile app, the user would be required to update it, and there always a number of users that will avoid doing so, meaning they may not experience your website to the standards you would wish for.
Finally, by having an existing mobile optimised site, you can use it to develop a simple app without having to spend the significant resources necessary to develop an application from scratch. Your mobile site will serve as the base, which is then wrapped into an application that becomes downloadable from app stores across various platforms.
Let's not forget that there will always be scenarios in which a mobile app will work better than a mobile website, especially when you want to use more advanced technologies such as augmented reality, the accelerometer or ambient light sensors. As always, it's crucial to pay attention to objectives and the user needs to determine the right approach for your situation.
Please get in touch if you'd like to learn more about how we can work together to make your brand or product relevant in the mobile space.
5 Ways to Get More App Downloads>
Mobile phones are now one of the most personal devices that a person owns, often the first thing that someone looks in the morning, and the last thing they view at night. As Smartphone sales rapidly increase, the market for mobile apps is growing.
In fact, distribution platforms such as the Apple App Store or the Android Market are getting overcrowded. Thousands of apps are being released daily; which means that even the best applications can go unnoticed without a good marketing strategy.
We've laid out five tips to consider in order to ensure that your application receives maximum exposure, significantly increased downloads, and positive user reviews.
1. Start early
You should start thinking about marketing even before you start developing your app. Making sure you develop one that fulfils a need, or is otherwise unique is key. Have in mind one of the most important principles of marketing - "differentiate or die". Users are exposed to hundreds of apps daily, so you need to separate yourself from the others.
Naming the app appropriately and creating a great icon might seem obvious, but is often ignored. People pick wine by the label and judge books by their cover - make sure your icon is top notch and stands out from the crowd.
Another excellent idea is to consider offering a 'lite' version, to encourage people to test your app before making a purchase. Think about the differences between the free and the paid version, consider ad support for the free one.
2. Create a great website
Your app must have a website, even if it's only one page, to make sure you have a central place for everything about it. If your app is a paid one, users will want to find out more about it before making a financial commitment. Your page will require further development, as the app gets positive reviews, reaches milestones, and new versions are released.
Make sure that the website is displayed correctly on mobile browsers, and think about using web analytics tools to find out more about your visitors.
3. Make a video
Almost everyone uses screenshots to showcase their app, which is great, but making a short and simple video is even better. 90 seconds is top, make it dynamic and interesting. You might consider creating a cheap and cheerful one using your webcam, or a digital camera, but make sure the quality is good and it looks professional. Once you've created it use YouTube and similar services to distribute it.
Track effectiveness of your video, and embed it on your website. Include links in the video description, summarise it in a few bullet points.
4. Submit for reviews
There are a huge number of review sites on the web, so make sure you choose the right ones. Avoid sites that charge for reviews, usually there's no need to do that. Read the guidelines for submissions before you do so; provide screenshots, a good description, and promo codes if necessary.
When approaching reviewers be friendly and personal. It's crucial, that people see positive things said about your app, when they Google it.
5. Keep pushing
Don't underestimate the importance of properly launching the app - it's great if your app gets into the top 100 or 'hot' apps category, which will result in even more download, ratings, and reviews. Take full advantage of social media, write a press release, and make some noise on forums.
Take feedback on board, make improvements to your application, and stay in touch with your audience. Encourage people to write reviews, ask for them within the app. You can use some of the more interesting comments as testimonials on your website.
Try running sales and giving out promo codes to get more exposure when things start settling after the initial launch. Work hard, stay positive and have fun.
Twentysix is an agency passionate about the digital world, serious about strategic thinking, and dedicated to delivering innovation. It's the number one agency with a dedicated mobile marketing department. Get in touch for free recommendations, consultancy, and a presentation of the services we offer.
New mobile browser coming to Android soon
The Android platform, known for it's less restrictive application publishing process, has a wide variety of user installable mobile web browsers -- Dolphin HD, SkyFire and xScope, just to name a few. A version of Firefox Mobile (codename Fennec) is under development, but it's current versions perform shockingly poor.
Opera Software, known for their basic browser Opera Mini, has recently announced that it's bringing their fully-fledged browser, Opera Mobile to the Android platform. The application will be available on the Android Market, free of charge 'within the next few weeks', the company promised. It's important to note that this differs from Opera Mini for Android, which renders web pages via Opera's servers rather than on the handset.
The new version of Opera Mobile for android will feature pinch to zoom, putting the user fully in control of the zoom level. Text will be redrawn instantly, to ensure it looks sharp, and it's easy to read at all zoom levels. The browser will also have hardware acceleration, increasing the speed of navigation, panning and zooming, by taking advantage of the phone's graphical processing unit's power.
Opera's decision to launch its new product on Android, definitely shows the impact the platform is having in the smartphone market. Traditionally, large software companies would release their products for the iPhone first, followed by others. We're observing the change due to Android's aggressive expansion, and the developers ease of getting apps in the Android Market more quickly, comparatively to other platforms.
Opera Software's browser is also available on desktop computers running Windows, Mac and Linux.
Microsoft's new mobile platform: Windows Phone 7
Microsoft unveils Windows Phone 7 in an attempt to reclaim their position in the mobile phone market.
According to a research firm Nielsen, Microsoft holds about 5 per cent of the global mobile phone market, failing to compete in the smartphone market. Their current platform -- Windows Mobile has been criticised for limited functionality, overly complex interface and lack of apps.
The software giant claims to have rebuilt the system, focusing of ease of use, Xbox Live integration, and social media updates. It will also include the Zune music service, less popular on the Continent. The users data stored on the phone is going to be synced with their home computers, as well as online storage services.
One of the features that Windows Phone will include are Live Tiles, constantly pulling information from social networks, weather services, email and calendars - the equivalent of widgets, as seen on the Android platform.
Andy Lees, the head of Microsoft's mobile phone division, said that the majority of apps available at will be EA games, many other apps are still waiting approval. However Mr Lees confirmed that key apps such as Twitter, eBay and Facebook, will be available at launch.
During the London launch, the phone system revived praise form writer, broadcaster, and Apple fan Steven Fry. He's been using a Windows Mobile handset for the past week, and told The Guardian that this time Microsoft 'got it right' with the new operating system.
However, market experts and research analysts at Gartner are more skeptical about the platforms success predicting the release of Windows Phone will increase Microsoft's global market share from 4.7 per cent in 2010 to 5.2 per cent in 2011, but it will ultimately decline to 3.9 per cent in the next four years.
In the UK, Windows Phone 7 will be available on all of the major operators on 21 October.
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