Developer Economics 2011 released
Guest blog post for Vision Mobile
Just a heads up that today Vision Mobile posted a new guest blog from me, here's the abstract:
[In the final part of our series on our latest research - Mobile Developer Economics 2010 and Beyond - Telefonica's James Parton discusses the challenges facing mobile network operators in their quest to stay relevant to mobile application developers. Full research report available for free download or see part 1, part 2 and part 3 of the blog series on mobile developer economics]
You can read it here.
Developer Economics 2010
Following hot on the heels of the new blog launch last week, I'm delighted to announce that another project we have been beavering away on since last year goes live today; Developer Economics 2010 investigates the migration of developer mindshare that is taking place in mobile software today and the drivers behind it.
The project was really challenging to pull together with our friends at Vision Mobile, so we hope you agree with our view that this is a ground breaking piece of developer research that plugs a real gap in the market.
Let us know what you think. If you want to discuss on Twitter or help us promote the report (pretty please!) then use hash tag #devecon
Enjoy!
Why Mobile Operators have a crucial role to play in the second wave of “smart” apps
The following post is a reproduction of my guest blog on VisionMobile.com - please see here for the original.
The noise level around Apps and App Stores has reached saturation point. Every day a new launch, a new report, or a new statistic hits the newswires.
We have passed the point where there are now more people accessing the internet via a mobile device than via a PC, overall revenue from mobile apps (including ads, payments, and in-app transactions) is expected to grow to $17.5 billion in 2012 from $4.1 billion today, the iTunes store has delivered more than 3 billion downloads, an App is downloaded every 22 seconds from Nokia’s Ovi store, there are more than 30,000 Apps available in the Android store...you get the idea...
There can be no doubt that the explosion of interest around the App ecosystem brought home just how important mobile will be as a future content delivery channel, typified by the increasing number of App’s being produced by leading brands. No digital marketer worth their salt would now neglect having an app story in their digital marketing plan, even if in all honesty some are not quite sure why!
However, make no mistake that we are still firmly in the realms of a version 1.0 ecosystem. The App retail delivery platforms are still very basic; in fact they have not yet significantly evolved in terms of features and capabilities from the content delivery platforms that were offering mobile games, wallpapers and ringtones at the beginning of the decade.
The Apps themselves are clearly “dumb”. What do I mean by “dumb?” The vast majority of today’s App’s sit on the customer’s handset and have no understanding, or appreciation of its context or the person using it. Yes, increasing numbers of Apps are using location to introduce geographic context, but that is hardly pushing the boundaries of the art of the possible.
To take the App ecosystem to version 2.0, Apps have to become “smart”. I believe this is where Mobile Operators finally have a key role to play in the progression of the App ecosystem.
Of course this role is not a divine right. The Mobile Operators need to go through considerable change in order to be able to contribute effectively. That change is both technological: opening up “smart enablers” to allow developers to easily consume these capabilities, and secondly: culturally – to embrace the independent developer community and relax their traditional command and control philosophy for mutual gain.
So what does a “smart app” look like?
Well consider today’s customer experience. You run an app and it is a one size fits all experience i.e. the app behaves exactly the same way for every one of its users, regardless of who they are, and how they are using it. Imagine a “smart” app that could customise the user experience based on intelligent, real time, information delivered from the Mobile Operator.
Examples of a Mobile Operators unique enhancements to the customer experience could include:
- On the fly customisation of the App UI based on a detailed understanding of the device currently being used. Remember that increasing numbers of customers are SIM swapping. How do you know that a customer using your service on a Monday via an iPhone is now using your service on a Tuesday using the same SIM in a 3G dongle connected to a Netbook?
- On the fly customisation of content richness based on knowledge of the users current connection speed (e.g. 2.5g, 3G, WiFi). For example trying to force rich video content to a customer on a slower 2.5G data connection will probably deliver such a poor customer experience they will never use your app again. If you know in real time their connection speed, you can deliver the most appropriate experience.
- Personalisation of content and configuration of your App UI based on user demographics (gender, age, location, social economic profile, etc)
- Targeting & profiling of the audience based on segmentation information e.g. travel profile (stationary, commuter, jet-setter), spend segment (>€100 per month, €50-100 per month, €30-50, etc.
- Micro billing to the customer’s mobile bill or debits from their pre pay balance at VISA like transactions rates.
- In App interactivity via messaging or calling
- Up selling the customer from a basic service to a premium guaranteed service (for example low ping rate for multiplayer gaming apps).
- Then for the owner of the App, post usage analytics providing data like who, where, how long their users are consuming their services, and other customers of the Mobile Operator that match their current users profile, who could be targeted by a marketing campaign.
- Have you used a Mobile Operator enabler? What was the experience like?
- What enablers do you need to make your App “smart”?
- How can we effectively spread this message?
Hectic start to 2010
Next week brings the daddy of all mobile related events, Mobile World Congress. I'm aiming to write throughout the week at MWC, as I did in 2009, but who knows if those good intentions will be delivered upon! I definitely will be glued to Twitter, so be sure to follow me for updates from the show .
If you are going to MWC, you will find the O2 Litmus team at the following events, and if you want to hook up there, ping me:
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Last night our friends from Palm were back in town, and we held another well received joint O2 Litmus / Palm barcamp - you can check out the real time feedback from the event here, and you can check out the photo's here. We also ran a competition with O2 Customers to win some Palm Pre's, asking them to what ends would they go to get their hands on one. Some amusing responses here.
One last quick plug for our Developer research with Vision Mobile. I’d encourage all mobile developers to participate and help set the standards for the future of mobile software development. All participants will be included in a draw for 21 great prizes, including 1 participant wins €500 in Amazon Vouchers, 20 participants win a glossy A1 wallchart of the Mobile Industry Atlas, the definitive who’s who of the mobile ecosystem.
Next up is Innovate!2010. Innovate!2010 is a global competition to identify and accelerate the Innovate!100: The World’s 100 Most Promising Technology, Media, and Telecommunications Startups.
Innovate!2010 is unique in that it features a series of distributed pitching and networking events 20+ startup centers across Europe and the US, and a completely transparent ranking based Guidewire Group’s G/Score Assessment Methodology. The program is being supported by a prestigious group of market-leading companies like Best Buy, HP, Motorola, O2 Litmus, RIM, SAP, Sun, SWIFT and Verizon, dozens of early-stage investors, and marquee media partners.
The program works like this:
- 15th: Mobile Premier Awards
- 15th: Presenting on "Supporting Developers" in the main MWC conference agenda
- 15th: Presenting at the LiMo Foundation seminar
- 18th: Participating in the WIP Jam in App Planet
- And throughout the show we are sponsoring and hanging out at the Symbian Foundation lounge
- Startups apply online to compete for expert feedback & validation, promotion, and over $100,000 in prizes.
- Guidewire Group’s analysts will select 250-300 of the most promising startups - Innovate!100 Finalists - to pitch at one of 20+ networking events called Pitch Slams.
- At each Pitch Slam, a panel of judges trained to conduct G/Score Assessments, score companies as they pitch to an audience of more than 100 local investors, entrepreneurs, technology executives and members of the media.
- After all of the Pitch Slams, top-ranking are be named to the Innovate!100 and enjoy global promotion.
- A follow-on program, called the Innovate! Connection Program offers all of the Innovate!100 Finalists pre-qualified introductions to potential partners, investors and customers for a fee.
Making sense of a fragmented world; Developer Economics 2010 and Beyond
Since I first starting working on the O2 Litmus concept back in early 2008, I have always tried to ensure our strategy and plans have been under pinned by a clear understanding of both developer needs, and the requirements of O2's customers. To date we have conducted four major pieces of developer & customer research in 2008 and then refreshing in 2009.
Continuing in this tradition, I'm pleased to announce we are sponsoring a new, ambitious research project by VisionMobile that will benchmark the developer experience across all 8 major platforms (iPhone, Android, Symbian, Java ME, RIM, Windows Mobile, Flash Lite or mobile web).
I'd encourage all mobile developers to participate and help set the standards for the future of mobile software development.
Prizes
All participants will be included in a draw for 21 great prizes:
- 1 participant wins €500 in Amazon Vouchers
- 20 participants win a glossy A1 wallchart of the Mobile Industry Atlas, the definitive who's who of the mobile ecosystem.
+ chance to win 1 free MWC pass: Participants who register by Friday 5th February will automatically be entered into a prize draw for a complimentary entry pass to Mobile World Congress 2010 in Barcelona (a value of €599), supplied by us.
Participate
VisionMobile is inviting mobile software developers to one-on-one phone interviews for an opportunity to have your say on the future of mobile platforms. Register today at visionmobile.com/developers.
Results will be published in Q2 2010.
Are you are a mobile application developer? Love or hate your mobile OS? Have your SAY!
