Tag Archives: apple

Will the iPhone require Apple to take a more controlling stake in mobile advertising? A recent rumor has emerged saying that Apple is acquiring Quattro Wireless, an advertising company that is considered to be a competitor to AdMob. While the rumor is unconfirmed and the reasons behind Apple’s purported interest are unknown, it makes for some interesting speculation as to what Apple may have in mind for its advertising future.

In the middle of the rumored acquisition talk is a battle of pride, glory and industry dominance. Google acquired Quattro Wireless competitor AdMob before Apple could close the deal, with some saying that this slap in the face caused Apple to “steal” music search tool LaLa from Google before an acquisition was complete. The ongoing spat may have led to Apple’s supposed acquisition of QuattroWireless, but there’s likely much more to the story than just a company feud.

Apple is in a powerful position as far as mobile devices go, having created and successfully marketed the iPhone on a global scale. Focusing on its platform capabilities, Apple is primed to take the mobile economy in a number of directions. Building out its mobile platform means the furthered generation of an app marketplace that could sustain developers, publishers and service providers. Improving on the device itself will help Apple to retain its customer base in the face of oncoming competitors in the smartphone industry.

Google could become a major contender in the mobile space, as its own Android operating system stands to create a viable marketplace to harbor developers as well. The ability to monetize one’s mobile platform is at the forefront of discussions surrounding smartphones at this point, as the meeting of enterprise and consumerism happily plays out in the havens of wireless service providers.

The point here is that Apple could very well take a larger stance in mobile marketing that occurs around its platform and app marketplace. Early on it appeared as though Apple were moving in this direction, having worked closely with a number of mobile advertising firms towards experimental marketing campaigns associated with native apps on the iPhone. With the growth of the iPhone app market, however, the ability for third parties to take advantage of access to iPhone customers gave revenue opportunities to all parties involved.

Being the middle man, Apple could really benefit from having a more established ad network through which third parties could run campaigns, either unifying the experience for end users or simply extending additional options to advertisers and app developers.

Regardless of what Apple’s plans are, the company is forced to take a closer look at the system operating independently of its own “cult” world, as well as the system it has helped to create and standardize. So far, Apple has announced plans to make iTunes available via the Internet, marking the small but obviously necessary steps Apple is taking to become more convenient for its consumers. Keeping a focus on the consumers will continue to help Apple in whatever ideas it has towards the integration of an ad network.

There’s a lot of trademarking going on lately. Between Apple’s iSlate and iGuide, and HP’s Zeen and Airlife, it’s relatively obvious that efforts towards making new and sexy mobile devices is a focus for both of these companies. Apple already has a dominating presence in the mobile device arena, and it’s been this way for quite a few years now. Having established those standards, however, the rest of the world has been steadily trying to catch up.

What will happen in the next year or so will be full of wonder and excitement, as more manufacturers look to create their own mobile devices featuring innovative designs, new options for integrated communication functionality, and associated networks and cloud-based services to make the operation of your new mobile device a thoughtless activity.

Appealing to consumer convenience, businesses are finding themselves anxious to monetize the mobile industry. A new long tail has been created, with revenue opportunities coming from mobile application platforms, virtual goods, the localization of contextually shared content and search-turned-recommendations based on the aforementioned revenue streams.

Creating mobile extensions of nearly everything we already do on a daily basis can be big business, especially when it comes to the centralization of services into a single device. This lends itself to a necessity for the centralization of other things, such as finances, mobile access to the Internet, and a desire for improved mobile technology overall. The rapid expansion of money-making opportunities gives several businesses a strong desire to enter the market early and strong. This is evidenced by both Apple and HP more recently, with Google, T-Mobile, Verizon and Microsoft being heavily involved in pushing these trends as well.

For consumers, I still think a major concern will revolve around the privacy factor. The ability for any of these major companies to monopolize the industry or even the information you need for personal purposes is imminent, especially as many consumers find the upcoming services to be rather cnonvenient. Personal mobile devices are certainly the way of the future, and a new economy will rise along with them.

Google is talking about offering first-run TV shows on YouTube for a fee, similar to the Amazon or iTunes model.  For $1.99, you could view the latest episode of your favorite show, the day after it aired on network television.

The catch? It’s a streaming video. Unlike iTunes or Amazon, you have to watch it as a streaming video. The video won’t reside on your hard drive.

Sources say the site’s negotiations with the networks and studios that own the shows are preliminary. But both sides seem optimistic, since models for such deals already exist. No comment from YouTube.

The biggest stumbling block may be consumers. That’s because Google (GOOG) is talking about streaming the shows instead of letting consumers download them to their computers, as both Apple (AAPL) and Amazon (AMZN) do. But the networks and studios, which control pricing, will want to sell the streamed shows at the same price as downloads; they fear that offering them at a different price will force them to go back and rework their existing deals.

Executives at YouTube and TV insist that the disparity is simply a perception problem and cite studies showing that most people who download TV episodes only watch them once, anyway. But that’s a tough sell.

Now, the reason I will occasionally buy shows from iTunes is that I then have the freedom to watch them on my phone, my iPod, my TV, or my laptop. I can watch the show on an airplane because it’s local to my device. Personally, I hate the idea of paying $1.99 for streaming content. So until they figure things out, I’ll definitely stick to free Hulu for the television that I miss and downloading episodes from iTunes for television on the go.

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Pizza Hut’s iPhone app has brought the company $1 million in revenue since launch, reports Mashable. The number is significant for revenue brought in via a free iPhone app alone, especially considering the decline Pizza Hut has seen in the past few years.

While the iPhone app was featured in Apple iPhone ads, Pizza Hut’s expectations were exceeded. Compared to the company’s other mobile efforts, a direct and well-integrated application on iPhone’s platform has been a major turning point for Pizza Hut marketing.

Its success also brings hints of how well other iPhone applications can do.

As I’ve mentioned before, some of the most successful applications across Apple’s platform are those that provide value through convenience. In this regard, Pizza Hut’s ability to offer easy meal-ordering at a discount, complete with directions to the nearest location, has provided a service to consumers. It’s apps like these that turn the iPhone into a mini, mobile concierge.

As the success of iPhone apps continue to rise, we’ll see more all-inclusive apps that provide multiple services. These will act as sub-platforms atop Apple’s, interconnecting the features and functionality of other successful applications. For food apps we’ve already seen a little of this, with those that let you order from multiple restaurants. But including even these apps with others that also place reservations, tweet location and recommendation and make a mobile payment will become the power apps in their own right.

These types of apps will be able to do a lot more with the data they collect, providing some useful recommendation fodder. This can of course be used for search engines or advertising, turning that data back over to support the system.

I’m personally excited about applications that make my life easier. These mobile phones are getting pretty handy. Why shouldn’t they be used as our own digital concierges? Democratizing convenience could provoke positive change, if the data is not abused.

By Miiko Mentz (@miikomentz)

Microsoft Corp. has just opened its first retail store in the Scottsdale Fashion Square mall in Scottsdale, AZ and Bubblicious had a chance to visit the store, speak with customers and get a tour from Michael Forrest, senior director of customer experience at Microsoft. Forrest left Apple, Inc. earlier this year to join Microsoft and help them launch their first two retail stores and likely others next year.

Most of the talk, at least in tech circles, about the new Microsoft store was focused on how the store design is almost identical to Apple’s retail stores, minus the 120 47-inch HD screens that line the walls inside the Microsoft store. I’m sure a lot of it has to do with Microsoft bringing on Apple’s former real estate chief George Blankenship as a consultant, and wooing former Apple employees such as Forrest to jump ship and join Microsoft.

When asked how do you not plagiarize yourself in terms of store concept design and developing the Microsoft customer experience for the retail stores, Forrest didn’t exactly answer the question and instead shared how his 22 years of retail experience extends far beyond Apple and that it’s about creating direct connections with customers. He said that Apple and Microsoft are two very different companies. Forrest wrapped up that question with “I had a great time at Apple, and feel very, very fortunate and feel honored to be a part of this project.”

What will be interesting to see is if Apple decides to up the ante and make significant changes to its stores, especially the ones that will be located in the same mall with Microsoft stores. According to the Orange County Register, the Apple Store in The Shops in Mission Viejo, where Microsoft’s second store opens later this week, closed on September 13 for renovations. Apple as not set a date for that store’s re-opening.

Be There, Be Excited, Be Entertained, Be Early
That was the theme and words in an advertisement printed in Sunday’s October 18 issue of The Arizona Republic, Phoenix’s main regional newspaper. And people did exactly that for Thursday’s grand opening. They came out by the thousands with hundreds arriving early; some camped out overnight and waited 12 hours before doors opened. The first 1,000 people received a gift bag and tickets to an evening performance by Ashley Tisdale. The store opening coincided with the launch of Windows 7, which has been well received by customers and industry insiders. For the software giant, it’s a welcome change after the struggles it had with its previous operating system Windows Vista.

Microsoft is set to open its second store this Thursday, October 29 at 10:00 a.m. in Orange County at The Shops in Mission Viejo. Canadian singer Justin Bieber will perform. Tickets for the 5:00 p.m. performance will be given out at 10:00 a.m. Thursday.

Check out highlights of our interview with Forrest and the store tour he gave Bubblicious.

Interview Highlights:

Store Tour:

Related post:
Windows 7 Arrives with a Bang