Month: May 2017

Bumper Stickers Are Back… On Your iPhone

Post author By Vince Kattoula
Post date May 22, 2017

With the introduction of iPhone stickers as part of the release of iOS 10, stations and shows can now publish fun images for fans to use as part of their text message conversations. We are proud to have created stickers for The Dave and Chuck the Freak Show on Detroit’s WRIF (Beasley Broadcast Group). They have become the first radio station to publish custom stickers for the iPhone.
The instant reaction is that these virtual stickers are just like the bumper stickers of old, but they really aren’t. The object with these isn’t to slap your brand on someone’s phone or text messages. Rather, it’s to add your brand into everyday conversations using clever images, catchphrases and other elements. The Dave and Chuck the Freak Show stickers are terrific examples of making branded elements work for users’ everyday conversation.
“This was a terrific idea from Chris Brunt and the WRIF team,” notes our COO, Bob Kernen. “We are happy to be involved in executing it for them. The Dave and Chuck the Freak Show is a phenomenon here in Detroit. These stickers are going to be incredibly popular. It’s another jacapps ‘first,’ and we are excited that Beasley Broadcast Group is leading the way.”

See how stickers work in this video:

Considering the vast array of options to help spruce up your text conversation, we think it’s worth checking out how to use stickers in iMessage. Click here to learn how to install and use sticker packs. Just scroll to the bottom of the page, fill out the form, and download our infographic.
If you want to learn how we can get your sticker pack in the App Store, or have any questions, reach out to us today by clicking here. You can also call 248-353-9030 or email sales@jacapps.com to set up some time to talk.

Radio Smart Home

Smart Speaker Usage to Grow About 130% in 2017

Post author By Vince Kattoula
Post date May 18, 2017

radio smart speaker mobile apps — Voice control vector illustration. Smart computer voice control with human voice. Smart phone, smart house, modern computer technology.Voice control command background.Voice control businessman office

Last week, eMarketer released a report which showed that 35.6 million Americans will use a voice-activated assistant device, or smart speaker, at least once a month in 2017. Compared to 2016, that’s an increase of 128.9%. Quite the jump indeed. Even though Amazon has led the smart speaker trend, companies like Google, Microsoft, and soon Apple, have set out to transform the way we interact with media in our cars and homes.
Our sister company, Jacobs Media, asked radio listeners how often they use the built-in voice command feature on the devices they own in Techsurvey13, the radio industry’s largest online survey. They found that nearly half (45%) of respondents use voice commands frequently or occasionally. One out of every five said they use them on a frequent basis.

To no one’s surprise, Millennials are the ones leading this craze. According to eMarketer, about one-fifth of the population, use voice-enabled digital assistants at least once a month on any device, and millennials make up just over half of that. By 2019, the total number is expected to grow to over 66 million, with Millennials accounting for about 39 million.

What does this mean for your station?

Listeners are becoming increasingly comfortable with this kind of technology. After all, voice provides the lowest friction interface between consumers and them getting what they want. It’s time to keep your audience engaged beyond their phone, tablet, and even their car. You need to make it easier for them to access your content, and what better way than using their own voice? Voice command technology presents radio stations with an opportunity to reestablish themselves in the home, at work, in the car, at the gym, and wherever else they may be.
Along with our partners SonicAI, we can help your station create the “skills” necessary to get your brand onto the Alexa platform. In fact, we can help your station establish a mobile strategy that will help your brand become easy to find everywhere, including the “smart home” and “connected car.”
Click here to reach out to us today, give us a call at 248-353-9030, or email sales@jacapps.com.

App Everywhere Mobile Apps

Users Now Spend More than 2 Hours per Day with Apps

Post author By Vince Kattoula
Post date May 11, 2017

app everywhere mobile apps — Mobile applications funnel linked to smart phone in hand concept vector illustration

Users are spending more time in apps than ever before. In fact, a recent report from App Annie shows that users in the US averaged more than two hours and 15 minutes per day using apps. This amounts to over one month out of the entire year. In 2015, this number was below two hours – further proving the dominance of mobile apps and their ability to keep users engaged.

If that doesn’t convince you of the sheer dominance apps have assumed, consider this. People use about 10 different apps every day, making them part of their daily habit – like brushing their teeth or eating dinner. This is because users rely on apps from many different categories, and with different tempos, from daily to weekly to even monthly. Some of the largest categories by average apps used are utilities and tools, productivity, social networking, and communication.

It’s easy to understand why those categories lead the way. People want to get their tasks done conveniently and efficiently, and they also want to stay connected with their family and friends. From paying bills and checking account balances while in line at the coffee shop to catching up with friends who live in another state, mobile apps allow them to do just that.
At jācapps, we understand that mobile users are, indeed, mobile. People use apps on the treadmill at the gym, in the car on their way to and from work, in the supermarket, and even in their homes with devices like Amazon Echo and Google Home. From tablets, wearables, smart TVs, connected cars, and smart homes, apps are literally everywhere we go – and there’s no signs of slowing down.
That’s the reason why we stand behind our App Everywhere® strategy. With so much time being spent with apps, connecting with your audience wherever they are is essential to maintaining and growing your brand. Focusing on the end user and putting them first will help your app become a part of their daily lifestyle. To capture mobile users where they spend most of their time, you should think about how your brand can go one step beyond the competition and improve the customer experience.
If you’d like our expert input on your mobile strategy, click here to contact us today. You can also call 248-353-9030 or email sales@jacapps.com to set up some time to talk.

App Everywhere Connected Car Smart Home

Voice Commands in the Car and Home Present Many Opportunities

Post author By Vince Kattoula
Post date May 4, 2017

voice command car home opportunities — Side view of cute little girl in cute dress screaming into loudspeaker, standing on gray background

Last week, I mentioned Matt Hartman’s suggestion that voice provides the lowest friction interface between consumers and them getting what they want. This is especially true in the car where voice commands cut back on distracted driving. Controlling the infotainment system in your car makes the driving experience much safer in the long run, and adds value to the overall driving experience.

We understand the power of voice.

jācapps has been in the voice game for a while now. For the past four years we’ve been coding apps to work with Ford’s Sync system, and it’s why we debuted SonicAi, our new company that develops “skills” for voice-command devices, or “smart speakers.” We understand the power of voice and how it has the potential to change the way people listen to radio, podcasts, audiobooks, etc. in their cars and homes.

Matthew DeBord, Business Insider senior correspondent, offers his review of Apple CarPlay here. In his review, he mentions how natural it feels to speak to Siri, the iPhone’s virtual assistant, in the car. We believe this holds true in the home as well. That’s why our team has been hard at work developing new “skills” for voice-command devices like Amazon Echo. As more and more devices become voice controlled, the opportunity grows for brands to make themselves easily accessible to their audiences.
At jācapps, we can help you sort through the connected car, as well as the smart home, so your brand is easy to find everywhere. That is the whole idea behind our App Everywhere® program.
Click here to reach out today, give us a call at 248-353-9030, or email sales@jacapps.com.