Less is more with Microsoft Windows Phone 7

Will it work? ‘Mobile take-over’ is certainly is a situation that resonates with many people, but is it a real problem that will win over new consumers? The answer; may be if your partner was buying the device.

I think this is a relatively sad reflection of the market place. Lately we have seen so many organisations taking pot shots at each other, Apple at other handset manufacturers over its iPhone 4 ‘deathgrip’, Nokia at Apple and HTC during the 2010 NokiaWorld event and now Microsoft.

I have always questioned comparative marketing – it more often than not looks desperate, I feel this occasion is no different.

Microsoft have the opportunity to really showcase what they have done with Windows Phone 7 and re-invent themselves in mobile. They have to focus on the task in hand, have confidence in your products and stop the cheap pot shots mentality.    The advert in question below:

 The latest column post from our Managing Director – Martin Wilson -  mSearchgroove; the leading source of analysis and commentary on mobile search, mobile advertising, and social media.  Seven Shortcomings That Can Wreck Your Mobile Strategy – Not just saying whats wrong, but suggesting solutions.

Link to post on msearchgroove: Here

Column post

A new ad for the Nokia N8 using a CellScope microscope has set a Guinness World Record for the “smallest stop-motion animation character in a film”.

The ad, by Wallace & Gromit creators Aardman Animations for Wieden + Kennedy London, features Dot, a 9mm girl who wakes up in a magical, magnified world to discover her surroundings are caving in around her.

She escapes the encroaching wave of destruction as her world unravels via a path made up of tiny, familiar objects such as coins, pins, pencil shavings, nuts and bolts, until she finds peace by knitting herself a blanket from the very matter that pursues her.

The shot then pulls away to show how small she is and to reveal the film was shot with a Nokia N8 and a microscope, called a Cellscope.

The tiny film has set a new world record for the smallest stopmotion animated character in a film.

Mark McCall and Richard Dorey, creatives at W+K, said: “Achieving our goal of setting a world record with a Nokia N8 is the perfect celebration of the campaign’s core message – its not technology, its what you do with it.”

The entire set was no more than a metre and a half long, all elements of which were used to help sell the scale of the project to the viewer.

In an interesting analysis this week from International Data Corporation (IDC), they provide a stark view of the likely changes in the mobile market over the next few years. The report looks at the market share of core Smartphone mobile operating systems, trends of the industry today and provides a prediction of the future shape of the market. The industry is certainly set to see significant changes in the near future, whilst some results are not surprising it is interesting to view some of the key predictions.

Probably the most surprising to many will be that the Apple iOS is likely to lose plenty of ground and market share in the process. While too many this may seem unlikely right now with the fact that the iPhone 4 has been able to sell millions in a matter of days, it is actually quite plausible. Apple is slowly losing its advantage with no real innovative and ground breaking products in the pipe. By simply sticking to tried and tested formulas, the consumer market is slowly losing interest and is focusing on other platforms that continue to grow with more features and better functionality.

So with the Apple iPhone series weakened, this provides significant opportunity for Google and Microsoft – Both forecast to make significant ground. Although Symbian is forecast to loose Smartphone market share they still will be a major global player with some 33% share.

So what do IDC say:

The worldwide market for converged mobile devices (also commonly referred to as smartphones) is expected to grow 55.4% this year compared to 2009 amid greater-than-expected demand for the do-it-all devices. This is 10% higher than the previous forecast from the IDC Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.

IDC now expects mobile phone vendors to ship 269.6 million converged mobile devices this year compared to the 173.5 million units shipped in 2009. The increased market forecast for smartphones comes amid the launch of several new models, such as the BlackBerry Torch, EVO 4G, and the iPhone 4, in recent months.

“The smartphone is the catalyst behind the rebound in the worldwide mobile phone market this year,” said Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. “Additional product introductions and an expected flurry of smartphone buying activity in the second half of the year will push the market well above previous expectations.”

For the first half of 2010, vendors shipped a total of 119.4 million units or 55.5% more than the 76.8 million units shipped during the first half of 2009.

“As the worldwide smartphone market continues to grow at a strong rate, the market dynamics among mobile operating systems continue to shift,” said Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst with IDC’s Mobile Devices Technology and Trends team. “Longtime operating systems leaders BlackBerry, Symbian, and Windows Mobile are about to or have already launched refreshed operating systems to compete with recent newcomers Android and iOS. The latter operating systems have taken away both mindshare and market share from the old regime, and have helped propel the market forward.”

“Android is the wild card, deserving close observation for the rest of this year and the years to come,” added Llamas. “Phone vendors have been drawn to Android because it allows them to present their own approach to what a smartphone experience can be. In addition, users have quickly warmed to Android, comparing it to iOS due to its ease of use and a growing mobile application storefront. Now that HTC and Motorola have leapt out in front with their own respective devices, other vendors such as Dell, Kyocera, LG Electronics, and Samsung will soon help grow the Android market.”

The accelerated smartphone growth will translate into a better overall market performance this year. IDC now expects the 2010 overall mobile phone market to grow 14.1%, or 1.5% higher than its previous forecast. Last year, the market declined 2.8%, the first such occurrence in Mobile Phone Tracker history.

The outlook for 2011 is also very strong. Despite uncertainty about the economy, the smartphone market is expected to increase 24.5% in 2011. However, smartphone growth will decline progressively over the course of IDC’s five-year forecast period. In 2014, for example, the market is expected to rise by just 13.6%.

Nonetheless, there is ample room for multiple players to grow. No one smartphone OS will dominate mobile phones in the way that Microsoft has with Windows on the personal computer. “IDC believes the market will comfortably support up to five OS players over the next five years,” Restivo noted. “Shorter replacement cycles and an ample feature phone to smartphone upgrade opportunity means the smartphone OS market will remain fragmented but healthy for the foreseeable future.”

Symbian will maintain its number one standing throughout the forecast period with 32.9% share in 2014. However, it will lose share, primarily to Android, which is expected to grow its share fastest over the forecast period, rising from 16.3% to 24.6%. Meanwhile, Windows Mobile is expected to regain some of the share it has lost over the past two years and BlackBerry’s share will remain relatively constant while that of iOS will decline gradually.

At Indigo 102 we specialising in bringing out the realities – communicate the benefits and risks – at the early stages. We work with organisations to build mobile strategies that deliver value over time and develop services that are sustainable. If we can support you to invest wisely and establish a sustainable mobile platform get in touch (martin@indigo102.com).

(Follow us on twitter : @indigo102)

Since Apple raised the profile of mobile phone apps two years ago, it appears smartphone owners are downloading more apps onto their devices than ever before.

According to a new survey by Nielsen of more than 4,000 smartphone users who have downloaded at least one app in the past 30 days, the average number of apps they have on their mobile phones has increased to 27 by August 2010, from 22 last December.

Apple’s iPhone users significantly tops the list with an average of 40 Apps on their device.  Android and Blackberry owners’ app usage has also steadily increased to 25 apps and 14 apps, respectively, from 22 apps and 10 apps last December.

Nielsen said games are still the most popular category of downloads, but weather, maps/navigation and social networking apps are also becoming significant categories. Facebook is the most popular individual app across all platforms according to Nielsen. (Nielsen release)

However, before  joining the app frenzy organisations should consider the basics – ‘WHY’ and ‘WHAT’.  Only then should they start to think about the ‘HOW’. Organisations need to stop thinking tactically, not be drawn in by the hype, media, technology buzz surrounding mobile.

We see so many organisations investing in mobile without really understanding what they are getting themselves into. Many are spending large sums of money and sadly will likely see very little return (or even worse create negative brand perception amongst consumers). Why?  They are delivering tactical solutions – failing to recognise the addressable market, the mobile environment, understand the ongoing costs of their decisions, falling short of consumer expectations, led by people who are not acting in their best interests.

At Indigo 102 we specialising in bringing out the realities – communicate the benefits and risks – at the early stages. We work with organisations to build mobile strategies that deliver value over time and develop services that are sustainable. If we can support you to invest wisely and establish a sustainable mobile platform get in touch (martin@indigo102.com).

(Follow us on twitter : @indigo102)

Two videos based on a great publication from Young and Rubicam – presented by Simon Silvester.

MOBILE

• Always on
• Always with you
• Always connected

The world is changing as the mobile becomes the computer.

Part 1:

Part 2:

There were more than 450 million mobile Internet users worldwide in 2009, a number that is expected to more than double by the end of 2013. Driven by the popularity and affordability of mobile phones, smartphones, and other wireless devices, IDC’s Worldwide Digital Marketplace Model and Forecast (an IDC Database service) expects the number of mobile devices accessing the Internet to surpass the one billion mark over the next four years.

“The number of mobile devices with Internet access has simply exploded over the last several years,” said John Gantz, chief research officer at IDC. “With a wealth of information and services available from almost anywhere, Internet-connected mobile devices are reshaping the way we go about our personal and professional lives. With an explosion in applications for mobile devices underway, the next several years will witness another sea change in the way users interact with the Internet and further blur the lines between personal and professional.”

The most popular online activities of mobile Internet users are similar to those of other Internet users: using search engines, reading news and sports information, downloading music and videos, and sending/receiving email and instant messages. Over the next four years, IDC expects some of the fastest growing applications for mobile Internet users will be making online purchases, participating in online communities, and creating blogs. Accessing online business applications and corporate email systems will also grow rapidly as businesses move to empower their mobile workforce.

Highlights from IDC’s Worldwide Digital Marketplace Model and Forecast (an IDC Database service) include the following:

• More than 1.6 billion people – a little over a quarter of the world’s population – used the Internet in 2009. By 2013, over 2.2 billion people – more than one third of the world’s population – is expected to be using the Internet.

• More than 1.6 billion devices worldwide were used to access the Internet in 2009, including PCs, mobile phones, and online videogame consoles. By 2013, the total number of devices accessing the Internet will increase to more than 2.7 billion.

• China continues to have more Internet users than any other country, with 359 million in 2009. This number is expected to grow to 566 million by 2013. The United States had 261 million Internet users in 2009, a figure that will reach 280 million in 2013. India will have one of the fastest growing Internet populations, growing almost two-fold between 2009 and 2013.

• Presently, the United States has far more total devices connected to the Internet than any other country. China, however, is the leader in in the number of mobile online devices with almost 85 million mobile devices connected to the Internet in 2009. The number of Internet devices in India, both mobile and fixed, is expected to grow commensurate with the number of Internet users.

• Worldwide, more than 624 million Internet users will make online purchases in 2009, totaling nearly $8 trillion (both business to business and business to consumer). By 2013, worldwide eCommerce transactions will be worth more than $16 trillion.

• Worldwide spending on Internet advertising will total nearly $61 billion in 2009, which is slightly more than 10% of all ad spending across all media. This share is expected to reach almost 15%% by 2013 as Internet ad spending grows surpasses $100 billion worldwide.

Press release

Directory Publishers Can Beat Google & Co. To Lead In Local Mobile Search & Services If They Provide Actionable Answers

In-Brief: Directory publishers are better positioned to deliver compelling location-based information and services than rival portal providers and search engines.

At first glance it may appear that the nimble newcomer Web 2.0 companies bursting on the scene are best-positioned to benefit from the buzz around location-based services. However, a closer look reveals that it is the directory publishers – namely, the established location information providers we know from print and the Internet – who have the corporate DNA and the track record to deliver compelling location-based services and – more importantly – monetise them through mobile advertising.

Granted, it may be early days but, in my view, that is all the more reason why directory publishers must prepare to seize the mobile opportunity. Indeed, with revenue streams for paper directory and published products in near-term decline, and an increasingly fragmented market for online services, mobile is the only channel that offers real and sustainable growth. Without a doubt, mobile is going to play an important and valuable role in reinforcing the presence of directory publishers and their product offering, and deliver a significant supplementary source of new revenue.

So how do directory publishers get there from here? To capitalise on this emerging opportunity, publishers must first create a consumer relevant mobile offering that can be delivered to a mass audience.

Put simply, directory publishers must “think” mobile. It is not just another screen, as some in the industry suggest. I contend the mobile environment is different for two main reasons.

First, neither the devices – nor the offers – can be classified as “one-size-fits-all.” The diverse range of mobile devices are all extremely varied in their capabilities, user interfaces, core features, computing power, memory capacity, and operating systems. To complicate matters, new devices are continually being introduced to the market that must be supported and factored into the service equation. As a result, directory publishers must develop offers that are accessible to a large potential user base across a broad range of devices, without incurring overbearing maintenance and support costs.

Second, mobile is about finding information on the fly. Consumers may browse on their PCs, but they expect a vastly different experience on their mobile phones. On mobile, requests and search queries are more likely related to the consumer’s individual circumstances or situation – in, short, their context. What’s more, they expect immediate answers and demand actionable results, all of which require customisation.

It’s easy to assume that only made-for-mobile companies – such as portal providers and search engine companies – have what it takes to cash in on the mobile opportunity. However, these players share a fatal shortcoming that plays in the favour of directory publishers. They lack a highly developed and effective sales force. Fortunately for directory publishers, this is a key strength in their competitive arsenal and one that I suggest represents the highest barrier to entry to competitors.

Put simply, if publishers can generate usage to mobile then their sales force will be able to monetise it. I therefore strongly advise publishers to sharpen their focus on mobile and do all they can to increase usage of this channel. Developing features for the mobile platform that will ultimately allow their sales force to demonstrate proven value is more than a winning strategy; it lays the groundwork for a slew of services that deliver consumers a genuinely relevant and useful end-user experience – a deliverable competitors are still struggling with. After all, the quality of answers a service delivers can only be as good as the information the service provider has collected and categorised – and I’ve shown directory publishers have a head start on both counts.

But this isn’t the only ace in publishers’ hands. They can also draw competitive advantage from:

• An established market position and existing brand recognition amongst consumers.
• Content that is focused towards a buyer and therefore ideal for a mobile user.
• A well developed classification structure and taxonomy, which is well understood by consumers.
• A depth of location knowledge and understanding of location hierarchy, which enables highly relevant local based results to be presented.

These combined strengths empower publishers to define the ideal service offering for mobile. But they must be careful not to lose sight of the consumer. I have only too often seen publishers overlook the end-user of their services, with severe consequences! It is essential that directory services focus on efficiently delivering information and results that empower consumers, provide them choice, and support an actionable outcome. These actions vary but can be divided into the following categories: call, share (with friends/family), save, book or buy.

With the ground rules for a successful mobile service offering established, what’s the next best step for directory providers determined to harness mobile? This depends to a large degree on the service the publisher wants to deliver and – more importantly – on the publisher’s own in-house capabilities.

Creating and customising mobile services is no easy task, and directory publishers should be careful not to overestimate their capabilities or underestimate the amount of planning and effort involved. They may have deep understanding of print and Internet, but this knowledge is hardly transferable to mobile. Put simply, the specialist nature of the mobile environment and technical challenges associated with developing, implementing and supporting services, are competencies that most publishers simply do not have.

On paper, directory providers possess the capabilities that put them in pole position when it comes to monetizing mobile. In practice, directory publishers nonetheless lack experience in the conceptualization and creation of compelling mobile services that satisfy the criteria I have identified.

If directory publishers are to deliver a market-ready mobile offering, then it makes business sense for them to outsource services development to companies that have mobile in their DNA.

Today, we are seeing a trend to outsourcing as more of the world’s leading directory publishers partner with specialist companies for core technology and development skills. These directory publishers realise that outsourcing key capabilities does not result in them losing control. To the contrary, outsourcing frees valuable resources, allowing publishers to develop a more flexible approach to market and deliver products and services with far shorter lead times.

In line with this trend, a number of companies have sharpened their focus on helping directory publishers extend their offer to mobile. Granted, each has its area of expertise, but directory publishers should choose partners that are specialised in three key areas simultaneously:

A winning strategy is one where the directory publisher and specialised partner have a clear division of talents and responsibilities. In this scenario the directory publisher outsources application development, implementation, and operation. Search and presentation rules, business listings, and advertising content are managed internally by the publisher.

This approach enables publishers to focus their resources on what they do best: Wielding their highly-developed sales force to wring more value out of mobile. This allows them to deliver benefits for themselves, in the form of monetiseable services and advertising, and for their customers, in the form of useful and relevant results and answers. Leveraging the expertise of a specialised partner ensures the delivery of a robust commercial channel.

With this check-list in mind, I have reviewed the players and value propositions on the marketplace. A company high on my radar is Mobile People, a local mobile search and advertising solutions provider whose capabilities mix includes significant strengths in the three key areas I outlined above. Notably, Mobile People’s client list includes directory publishers including Yell, Sensis, and World Directories – publishers widely considered to be among the most active – and successful – in the mobile space.

Mobile People is keenly focused on developing and operating mass market orientated services. To accomplish this, they port and operate services for large numbers of devices. The company, which has established its own User Lab to engage end users throughout the design process to evaluate the desirability of new ideas and possible solutions, views usability and performance as a top priority. This emphasis on the end-user experience pays off in rich features that delight the customer, drive additional usage, and move the mobile Internet a huge step closer toward becoming an indispensable part of our daily routine.

Location-based information and services are indisputably a potent way to generate value. Like all industry sectors, mobile will pay the biggest dividends for the companies who harness it first. Directory publishers currently have an important head start on portal providers and search engine providers, but these competitors are stepping up efforts to close this gap. For this reason, directory publishers are well advised to move fast and recognise their limitations. Chief among these is their inability to deliver an end-to-end mobile solution on their own.

Once directory publishers are clear about their true capabilities – and developing mobile services that deliver actionable results is not one of them – then they should choose a specialised company to partner with and get down to the business of monetizing mobile. As I said, reduced barriers to entry and shortened times to market mean the mobile space is not only crowded; it has become fiercely competitive.

Trial and error is a risky business strategy that costs time, resources, and shareholders’ patience. High performance directory publishers such as Eniro, Sensis, World Directories, and Yell demonstrate that collaborating with specialist companies is not only a smart move; it delivers sustainable results.

Published on mSearchGroove: www.msearchgroove.com