Mobile Application Downloads to Reach Five Billion by 2014

New York based research firm ABI Research says that the number of mobile applications downloaded by mobile phone users is expected to reach five billion by 2014. It says that the surge in smart phone sales and the increase in the number of mobile app stores are the reasons why there has been a sharp increase in the number of apps downloaded in the last few years.

The iPhone, according to ABI Research, is still the major player in the mobile app market. However, its market share is expected to reduce considerably over the next few years due to the rise of Google Android. Android currently has an 11% market share. Due to its increasing popularity and Apple’s shrinking market share, Android’s market share is expected to increase from 11% to 23% by 2014.

The reason behind Android’s growth in the mobile application market is not hard to fathom. As of now, 14 phones run the Android OS and the number is expected to increase sharply this year due to the introduction of new Android based phones. Also, the response for free mobile apps from Google, Google Maps being a fine example, has been great so far. Since Google is expected to come up with more such free apps and ad-funded apps, it is safe to assume that the number of mobile apps downloaded by consumers will increase in the coming years.

ABI Research has also made another observation. It says that even though the number of mobile apps downloaded by consumers is expected to rise sharply, it may not reflect positively on the revenue chart. It says that the proliferation of free ad-funded apps might make people reluctant to buy paid mobile apps. It is quite a bold prediction given the fact that the idea of ad-funded apps is still in its nascent stage.

What I believe is that there is enough space for both ad-funded apps and paid apps. While the demand for free ad-funded apps is likely to increase significantly, the demand for paid apps, particularly business centric mobile apps, will not disappear completely, as there are quite a few people who do not like the idea of a mobile app loaded with ads. So, I predict a mobile ecosystem where ad-funded apps and paid apps can coexist without any problems. What do you think? I am interested in hearing different opinions.

Categories: Cell Phone Advertising, All things mobile phones.

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Will Microsoft Tag Change the Landscape of Mobile Marketing?

Using 2D barcodes in mobile marketing is something that we are aware of. However, when Microsoft decides to do it, it definitely deserves a special mention. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that it will introduce a new barcode technology which will bring the print medium, internet medium, and the mobile phone together successfully.

At CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2009, Microsoft released the beta version of what they call Microsoft Tag – a barcode technology which can help to store data in the form of graphical bitmaps.

Microsoft Tag differs from QR codes or any other type of 2D barcode available today because of an important reason – It is based on a brand new technology called HCCB (High Capacity Color Barcodes) which uses triangle shaped color pixels to store data instead of the usual black and white square pixels. Moreover, these tags do not store any information. Instead, they store a unique ID which is used to retrieve information from Microsoft servers. So, it is now possible to store a lot more information than what can be usually stored in conventional 2D barcodes.

Here is how it works.

Microsoft Tag contains HCCB data which is nothing but a unique ID for the information stored in a Microsoft server. When the tag is read, the HCCB data is sent to the server and the publisher’s URL is returned to the mobile phone and the user is able to open the appropriate website in his mobile browser. All this takes place in a span of few seconds.

What you need

What you need is an internet enabled smart phone with a camera, a reasonably good data plan, Microsoft Tag application, and a Microsoft Tag account. This application works on phones which run on Symbian, Blackberry, Android, J2ME-MMP, Palm, Java 2 Micro Edition, iPhone, and any Windows OS.

You can open an account on Microsoft Tag webpage in a matter of few seconds and download the application on to your mobile phone for free.

How you use it?

When you see a print ad with a Microsoft Tag, all you need to do is activate the tag application on your mobile phone and take a picture of the barcode using your mobile phone camera. Immediately, you will be able to see the publisher’s website, which contains information about the product or service mentioned in the ad, on your mobile browser.

Why is it good for businesses?

It is a very simple yet effective way to reach the end user. It makes advertising a lot easier. When people find a product or service mentioned in a print ad appealing, they usually try to get more information about it. If the business owner can give them the information they want immediately, the chances of a sale increase significantly. This is now possible with Microsoft Tag. It is reliable, easy to use, and, most importantly, free. So, a lot people, small business owners in particular, can benefit immensely from this technology. I think this technology will make a big impact in the near future and will increase the scope of mobile marketing tremendously. Let us wait and see if I am proven right or not.

PS - You can read more about 2D barcodes and their role in mobile marketing here,here, and here.

Categories: Cell Phone Advertising, All things mobile phones, Microsoft, Mobile Web.

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Microsoft talks about Windows Mobile and Zune Phone

With Google gearing up to release Android, Apple gearing up to release its next-gen iPhone, people looked at Microsoft to come up with something new. There were rumors going on that Microsoft was actually planning to release a Zune phone which will be in the league of the iPhone and Blackberry. However, in a recent interview, Robbie Bach, the man behind Xbox, Zune, and Windows Live Mobile, has rubbished these rumors and has made Microsoft’s stand very clear.

Robbie said that Microsoft is not interested in developing an iPhone clone or a Blackberry clone. Instead, the company will focus on making Windows Live Mobile much better than what it is right now.

He also went on to say that people no longer look at their mobile phone as a mere tool for communication. People want to check emails, listen to music, surf the internet, send and receive photos, and watch videos on their mobile phone. So, Microsoft will work on making Windows Live Mobile capable of catering to a wide range of needs of mobile users.

On answering a question on mobile advertising, Robbie mentioned that while mobile phone advertising is certainly the way forward, it will be different from online advertising as it will be more personal.

I personally don’t want to see Microsoft coming up with a smart phone or whatever. We already have enough choices when it comes to mobile phones. What we need is a mobile platform which can take our mobile phone experience to the next level. That’s the reason why I’m excited about Google Android, Apple’s next-gen iPhone, and the improved Windows Live Mobile.

Don’t you think it’s easy to choose a platform which offers you everything you would probably want on a mobile phone than to choose a different, ‘latest model’ mobile phone every other month?

Categories: All things mobile phones, Microsoft.

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