Category: Mobile Apps

According to Mobile Commerce Press, studies by both The Boston Consulting Group and Qualcomm reveal that mobile technology has become a major factor of growth for small to medium enterprises (SMEs). As mobile technology keeps growing, we, as consumers, are relying heavily on our mobile devices for a plethora of different things. When companies jump on board and start incorporating mobile technology into their business model, it will produce fresh new ways to connect with customers and can set up the business for success. 

The study by BCG states that about 25% of SMEs that take advantage of using the mobile space can see their revenue increase up to two times faster as well as adding jobs up to eight times faster than those who do not. According to the study, “Greater mobile adoption by SMEs can create jobs. If more SMEs expand their businesses at the rate of the mobile leaders, 7 million more jobs could be added in the six countries evaluated.”

There are so many benefits to having mobile technology as a part of your business. It is beneficial in keeping your workspace current, and can help your company find even greater success in the future, so why not get on board?

Coming off another hot holiday season of smartphone sales (did Santa get you that new 6+ you wanted?), there is more evidence that mobile apps are the currency of Web 3.0. If the fact that 86% of smartphone usage is on apps, compared to only 14% on browsers, wasn’t enough to convince you of how crucial mobile apps are to business in 2015, research firm Fiksu recently reported that app downloads hit a record high for the third straight month. The Top 200 free iOS apps were downloaded 9.2 million times.

So the good news is that Americans continue to use their mobile devices more and more. Time spent is up, number of apps per device continues to grow, and number of apps used daily is also up.

But here is the dark side of success: Costs to market those apps, drive downloads and usage (particularly usage over time), are growing. It now costs, on average, $2.10 to get a user to download and then use an app at least 3 times.  The cost per install has also grown to about $1.50. So for the average mobile app getting and keeping a large number of users – the kind of numbers that make that app monetize-able – is getting pretty expensive.

But radio mobile apps aren’t “average” mobile apps. That’s because they come with a built in, 24/7 marketing channel called a radio broadcast. For a station with its own app, there is an incredible opportunity to get people to use that app.  That marketing channel is something that other apps would have to spend big bucks to replicate. But from what we’ve witnessed, stations tend to give their app a big push when they first go live, then forget about them, and wonder why their installed base isn’t growing much.

This is about more than just using on-air time to promote your new app. What really makes the chase to build a great audience on mobile is giving your listener lots of reasons to engage with the app. Invite them to connect with you via social media, give them information on upcoming promotions, concerts and other events, let them learn more and talk back more. Create an on-going context for this, so that it isn’t something that’s “special” but, rather, an everyday part of the communal flow of your programming.

As it is movie awards season (and as indicated in the title of this post), I will weave together a couple of movie references: the audience is listening, but just because you built it doesn’t mean they’ll come, so use the force of your broadcast. Because do or do not. There is no try.

As we are seeing every day, technology is rapidly evolving. So much so, that Israel has begun experimenting with making mobile technology accessible to those who have disabilities. These technologies are also beneficial for able-bodied users. For example, Project Ray has developed a phone for the blind, which also allows drivers to use the device without taking their eyes off of the road. Voiceitt, an app for people with speech impediments, is working on ways for voice recognition to recognize different types of accents. There is also Sesame, which allows paralyzed users to operate their devices hands free.

According to The Globe and Mail, disability has “inspired innovation for centuries” which is most definitely true. The invention of the telephone came about from work on hearing and speech products for the deaf, and the use of the phonograph was also intended to record books for the blind. Presently, developments in screen interfaces, voice recognition, and robotics were all tested out by disabled users. As these technologies advance, we may be able to use our mobile devices without even touching them!

It can be frustrating when you log onto your Facebook account and see that it has been hacked. Sure, you can go in and change your password, but who says that your account won’t be hacked again? It is safe to say that a good amount of people have run into similar situations (SONY, anyone?), so how do we fix this? How can we make sure our information is secure without the fear of having it happen to us again? 

Biometric interface technology analyzes human measurements and characteristics; therefore, we can use this new technology to replace usernames and passwords. This would result in your personal information, and even your business’ information remaining extremely secure. 

According to Juniper Research, Biometric Interface technology has a smaller market right now. It is predicted that in a few years the market will go from a million dollar company to a billion dollar company. Midsize Insider reveals that biometric interface technologies will not replace all touch commands, but it will improve security and create a better experience for mobile users.

Rather than having to remember a password, voice, facial, and even finger print recognition makes it easier for the user, and makes it equally as difficult for a potential hacker to access information.

As research has shown, mobile usage is climbing. From shopping to watching videos, using mobile has become the new normal in our society. It is so popular that hospitals and doctors offices are even getting in on the mobile movement.

Mobile healthcare applications can help you track your personal fitness, health records, prescriptions, and doctor’s appointments. According to the mHealth App Developer Economics 2014 report, there are about 100,000 health apps available for the two largest mobile platforms, Apple and Android. Android specifically has seen a considerable growth in applications listed under the ‘health and fitness’ and ‘medical’ sections on Google Play.

New technologies are being developed every day; according to Fox News, mobile-enabled diagnostic and screening tools will be launched in the coming year.

As wearable mobile devices evolve, we should also be seeing more around the clock monitoring. This would allow patients and their doctors to keep track of vitals and so much more.

Having a mobile healthcare app is convenient for both patients and healthcare workers. It saves time and is an extremely efficient way for a patient to keep track of what is going on with their health.

Check out some of the healthcare apps we have developed here! Do you currently use any healthcare or fitness apps?

More and more companies are deciding to jump on the mobile payment bandwagon. This new phenomenon is not only beneficial for companies, but also for consumers. Mobile payment makes transactions easy and fast, therefore making lines move faster and more efficiently. You also won't have to worry about fumbling around with your wallet! 

A research firm, Forrester, expects mobile payments to rise significantly in the coming years. This is not too surprising given the surge in mobile usage and the convenience mobile payment provides.

Now, competition between services is beginning to arise. Some retailers have decided to not use Apple Pay, but instead are launching their own mobile payment system entitled CurrentC which will allow companies to track customer data and lowers transaction costs. There is also a new type of payment in the works called FitPay, which uses wearable fitness bands. We will also be seeing  a Click to Collect payment method that will allow consumers to make a purchase online and pick it up at the store.  

When it comes to mobile payments, it will be interesting to see what companies decide to use. The competition is just going to become larger from here, but who will come out on top? 

According to the Buzzfeed Insights Report, social, mobile, and online video are three technologies that are drastically changing media. 

Social media usage has grown and will not stop growing any time soon. Instead of watching television, reading a newspaper, or even going directly to a company website, people are beginning to rely on social media to provide them with the latest news and entertainment. For instance, Buzzfeed articles and videos are shareable which is why they have been so successful through social media platforms. With the rise of social as well as mobile usage, it is paramount that content is compatible for these platforms. 

Mobile is becoming the dominent platform for social media usage, and will continue upward. Because of this, Buzzfeed is beginning to create content for mobile first, resulting in more traffic and more sharing. People aren't just reading more content on their mobile devices, but watching videos too. Watching video on mobile has surpassed watching video on desktop. The usage of online video is even surpassing television!

Buzzfeed has the right idea when it comes to being responsive to the trends of their users. Other businesses should follow in their footsteps and keep up with consumers. We should be seeing an even bigger shift in social, mobile, and online video as time goes on.