Mobile Applications

Mobile content flops of 2008 revealed

Phil Goldstein — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:28:48 -0500

With Thanksgiving just around the bend, and thoughts of turkey beginning to drift through the air, FierceMobileContent compiled its list of the Mobile Content Turkeys of 2008--the industry's biggest flops, including mobile TV and some dumb iPhone applications. Special report

Introducing the Top Mobile App Award winners

Sue Marek — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:11:58 -0400

FierceWireless' sister publication, FierceMobileContent, awarded 10 companies with its annual Top Mobile Applications Awards. The focus this year was on practical applications that exploit the possibilities implicit in a catch-all term like "smartphone"--these are intelligent applications for intelligent subscribers, with an emphasis on m-commerce, mobile social networking and location-based services. Check out the winners here.

Is T-Mobile taking a page from Apple?

Sue Marek — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:03:04 -0400

According to AppleInsider, T-Mobile USA is developing a unified software store that would mimic Apple's App Store but would work with every T-Mobile wireless device.

This strategy is a big departure for T-Mobile, which has always made mobile applications available through its deck. That deck often varies depending on the device and the operating system. According to reports, T-Mobile would offer a store for all its devices that could support simple Java apps and more sophisticated apps intended for operating systems such as Google Android and Windows Mobile.

Although T-Mobile hasn't publicly revealed any details about its plans, it has launched a developer site that lets teams build their programs and has some mention of a future go to market strategy. Of course, today's news that Apple's App Store downloads have exceeded 60 million in the first month is probably an added incentive for carriers such as T-Mobile to go this route.

For more:
- see this article

Related story:
App Store downloads exceed 60 million in first month

Applications spur open environment

Sue Marek — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:58:30 -0400

Wireless carriers have notoriously exerted control over the mobile applications users can access via their cell phones. But the iPhone is helping operators realize that openness can spur more data usage--which is a winning proposition for them. Article

Apple CEO: iPhone represents launch of personal computer

Lynnette Luna — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:53:45 -0400

When Apple puts the iPhone 3G on sale tomorrow it will simultaneously open its online App Store, which is akin to Apples iTunes Store for music. The App Store will sell mobile applications such as games, reference guides and other software. For Apple, the move represents an ambitious effort to turn the iPhone into more of a personal computer.

"There's been nothing on a mobile phone a fraction as good as what's on PCs," Apple CEO Steve Jobs told The Wall Street Journal. He also said that the iPhone represents a rare launch of a new computing platform.

Of course, rivals such as Microsoft take umbrage to a remark like that. Microsoft says it has developers who have created more than 18,000 applications for handsets using Windows Mobile operating systems. Still, the level of interest in making software for the iPhone is what Gartner Group's Ken Dulaney characterizes as "white hot." A handful of startups have entered the mobile market with the purpose of making applications for the iPhone, and we could see more.

In an interview with The New York Times, Jobs said the App Store will initially feature more than 500 applications including educational programs, mobile commerce and business productivity tools, with games representing about a third of the first-wave apps. According to Jobs, 25 percent of the first 500 applications at the store will be free, with roughly 90 percent of the premium applications priced at $9.99 or less. Jobs insists Apple will not rely on the App Store as a source of significant revenue, in much the same way iTunes music sales have contributed little to the firm's bottom line: "We are not trying to be business partners," he said. The goal is to "sell more iPhones."

For more:
- check out The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.)
- read the New York Times

Related stories:
Jobs: App Store launch features 500 iPhone applications
Apple releases iPhone SDK, adds features
Apple counts down most popular iPhone apps

Google unveils top 50 Android applications

Brian Dolan — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:36:46 -0400

While handsets that will make use of Google's Android OS are still in the development stages, Google has given the industry a clue as to what these phones will support today by announcing the 50 mobile applications that Android will support. The applications are the winners of Google's Android Developer Challenge, which garnered 1,800 submissions. The initial 50 winning application developers will receive $25,000. Google will select 20 of the winning applications in the second round, which ends in late July: 10 of them will receive $100,000 prizes and 10 will win $275,000 prizes.

Of the 50 winning applications from round one, about 60 percent of them are from developers based outside of the U.S., according to Google. The figure corresponds to the applicants, which were also roughly one-third U.S.-based and two-thirds international.

For more:
- check out this slideshow with screenshots from some of the Android winners
- read through this list of winning Android applications

SPOTLIGHT: FTC to monitor mobile marketing

Fri, 09 May 2008 06:59:52 -0400

The Federal Trade Commission said it will carefully monitor the burgeoning mobile marketing space in an effort to halt deceptive or unfair content offers, warning mobile content providers they must fully disclose costs incurred when consumers download or click on mobile applications. Read more...

SPOTLIGHT: New directions for LBS

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:59:52 -0400

A recent forecast issued by market analysis firm ABI Research suggests the potential for mobile location-based services is huge, anticipating annual global revenues of $13.3 billion by 2013, up from $515 million in 2007. ABI credits the surge to new WCDMA and GSM handsets incorporating GPS capabilities as well as consumer demand for personal navigation functionality, not to mention mobile applications such as friend finders, local information searches, family tracker apps and enterprise apps. Here are five mobile LBS advances worth following in the months ahead: Read more...

AT&T offers developers' tools for Universal Design

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 07:59:57 -0400

A week before Verizon Wireless hosts its "Any App, Any Device" developer conference in New York, AT&T has released its methodology for Universal Design, which is what it calls the practice of creating products that can be used by the broadest possible range of consumers. AT&T has released its methodology for designing mobile applications and services for seniors and users with disabilities. AT&T points to two recently launched applications that illustrate the principles of Universal Design: Mobile Speak and Mobile Magnifier. Mobile Speak is a screen-reader that makes use of an easy-to-learn command structure, speech feedback and Braille support. Mobile Magnifier is a flexible, screen magnification app that works with a variety of phones and can be used with or without speech feedback.

For more on AT&T's design tips:
- read this press release

Google pushes back Android

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 06:59:55 -0500

Google has pushed back its Android Developer Challenge to April 14, 2008 after making significant changes to the SDK that include user interface and API enhancements. The challenge will provide $10 million in total awards to the best mobile applications built on the Android platform. Here is the timeline for the program:

April 14, 2008: Deadline to submit applications for judging
May 5, 2008: 50 first round winners picked
June 30, 2008: Deadline for the final round
July 21, 2008: Grand prize winner and runner-up announced

For more on the Android Developer Challenge:
- read this post from Google's Android blog

Related:
FierceWireless' Hands-On Android Guided Tour

Verizon Wireless expands mobile banking services

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 06:59:55 -0500

Verizon Wireless is continuing to leverage Qualcomm's recent acquisition of mobile banking and payments company Firethorn, for mobile banking applications. The carrier now supports mobile banking services from Wachovia, SunTrust, FirstBank and BancorpSouth. The services make use of PIN and device lock-out security measures on top of whatever security the financial institution has built in. Users of the services can check their balances, transfer funds between accounts and pay bills.

For more on the new banking partners:
- read this press release

Google and OHA release Android SDK

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:59:55 -0500

The Open Handset Alliance, the mobile technology industry coalition spearheaded by Google, announced the availability of the Android Software Development Kit, which promises to enable developers to create applications for the search giant's fledgling mobile platform. The SDK includes advanced development and debugging tools, a rich set of libraries, a true device emulator, in-depth documentation, sample projects, tutorials and FAQs and more. The OHA site will also offer a blog and discussion groups--the association adds developers may contribute feedback throughout the development process. The OHA will make available the entire Android platform under the Apache v2 open-source license next year. For more information or to download the SDK, click here.

In addition, Google announced the Android Developer Challenge, which will dole out $10 million in awards for innovative mobile applications created for Android. Suggested application subjects include social networking, media consumption and management, productivity solutions, gaming and location-based services.

For more on the Android SDK:
- read this release

NAVTEQ: carriers expound on LBS

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 06:59:57 -0400

Location-based services are one of the few mobile applications that have managed to retain a healthy dose of enthusiasm. At the NAVTEQ Connections 2007 conference, which was co-located with the CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment, show, NAVTEQ's senior vice president of consumer and enterprise Winston Guillory said that 50 percent of mobile subscribers in North America have GPS-enabled phones. As GPS and other location technologies become more pervasive, Guillory said the industry is taking LBS "beyond directions and into a richer consumer experience."

Carrier representatives had mixed reactions to the proposition of using multiple access technologies to identify a user's location. AT&T's Lai Lau said she thinks there is still a lot of work to do for technologies other than GPS for location identification. Lau noted, however, that AT&T has launched at least four GPS-enabled phones that have WiFi embedded too, which shows that the carrier is starting to implement other technologies. That level of seamless connectivity for LBS applications that make use of both WiFi hotspots and GPS technology is about six months to one year out, she said.

T-Mobile's Venetia Espinoza and Verizon Wireless' Dale Beasley were less forthcoming about WiFi/GPS hybrid solutions for LBS applications. Espinoza said carriers need to take more time to understand the challenges developers are facing in implementing such solutions, while Beasley only conceded that "if customers are looking for seamless solutions, then that's where we will focus our efforts."Ã‚Â

Social networking, advertising, pictures and messaging were the four areas that the carrier reps thought would benefit most from LBS moving forward. Beasley explained that today LBS is focused on navigation, but he believes social networking with LBS functionalities will become incredibly popular with younger generations.Ã‚Â

Both T-Mobile and AT&T said they consider their handset maker partners to closely align with them in the launch of LBS applications. Verizon's Beasley, however, said Verizon Wireless prefers its handset manufacturers to be their handset manufacturers and their application developers to be their application developers. - Brian

ALSO NOTED: Top Apps; Greenpeace dissects iPhone; and much more...

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 06:59:50 -0400

> The top ten mobile applications of 2007. Top Apps

> AT&T intros My Media Net. Article

> Verizon Wireless unleashes AAA Mobile. Article

And Finally... Greenpeace disputes the notion that Jobs revolutionized the mobile handset market. It says the iPhone is far from environmentally friendly. Watch as the group dissects an iPhone and points to all the allegedly hazardous materials inside. Video

Metric: 45% of U.S. subs want better mobile Internet

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 06:59:54 -0400

According to a recent report from the Kelsey Group and ConStat, 44.7 percent of U.S. mobile users will consider mobile Internet capabilities as a key factor when they purchase their next handset. Only 26 percent of mobile users currently sign up for mobile Internet service.

"The combination of unlimited data plans and next-generation Internet-enabled mobile devices, like Apple's iPhone, suggests mobile Web access will grow to become ubiquitous," said Matt Booth, senior vice president and program director, Interactive Local Media, The Kelsey Group. "Growing mobile Internet usage and increased satisfaction with mobile Internet applications are among the converging factors that we believe point to a breakthrough year ahead for mobile ad adoption."

For more on this report:
- read the release

Disney Mobile shutters its doors

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 06:59:58 -0400

Another one bites the dust. The Walt Disney Company announced today that it is closing the operations of its Disney Mobile MVNO, which launched early last year. The company shut down its other MVNO, Mobile ESPN in September 2006, a mere eight months after it launched. Disney Mobile commercially launched in June 2006. While the financials surrounding the Disney Mobile closure have not been disclosed, Disney said it had invested $150 million into Mobile ESPN prior to its closure, and the closure cost an additional $30 million, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

Disney Mobile offered branded services to both kids and their parents. While the kids enjoyed various Disney-themed services, ringtones and games, parents were given advanced monitoring tools like a GPS-enabled Family Locator. Like Amp'd Mobile before it, Disney plans to offer some of these mobile applications through other carriers. Disney already has such a deal in place with Verizon Wireless through its Mobile ESPN brand.

Disney's decision comes after Amp'd Mobile's bankruptcy filing earlier in the year, but just one week after SK Telecom invested an additional $150 million in its MVNO, Helio, to keep it afloat. SK co-owns Helio with Earthlink, but Earthlink did not opt to invest in Helio this time around.

For more on Disney's decision to shutter its MVNO:
- read this press release
- read this article from the WSJ

Nortel, universities to drive 4G development

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 06:59:55 -0400

Nortel announced that it is teaming up with leading universities across the globe to drive 4G mobile broadband development for applications making use of video, mobile TV and other multimedia services. Nortel said it has expanded its relationships with the University of Waterloo in Canada, The University of Texas at Austin and the National Taiwan University in Taiwan. The company has also forged new R&D relationships with Mera Networks in Russia and Technische Universitaet IImenau in Germany. Nortel characterizes the forthcoming 4G era as one of "Hyperconnectivity".

For more on the R&D effort:
- read this press release