Archive for the 'Industry News' Category

Apple’s AppStore: Results and the Kill Switch Debacle

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Ainsworth Boyle
on August 12, 2008
in Industry News
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Last week, The Wall Street Journal ran an interesting article that covered some of the breaking news surrounding Apple’s AppStore and the 3G iPhone. Without a doubt, the initial statistics are impressive: $30 million in sales in the first month and 3 million 3G iPhones sold. I’ve used the AppStore several times, for both free and purchased applications (Tetris and Stagehand), and I am confident I’ll continue to purchase useful applications. I will admit, however, that I’ve cleared out several useless downloads (i.e. flashlight) from the first week with the phone. But amid the great news are several developers who are unhappy with Apple’s ability to remotely disable a program.

Thanks to the AppStore and iPhone OS X 2.0, the iPhone is the next frontier in software development. As I mentioned in my last Blackberry vs. iPhone articlethe system comparison has come down to an OS war. In his latest interview, Steve Job’s added, “Phone differentiation used to be about radios and antennas and things like that. We think, going forward, the phone of the future will be differentiated by software.” (Credit TUAW)

Knowing that the Apple’s iPhone strategy has created a gold mine for powerful mobile applications, why are developers so unhappy with the remote disable feature? It seems like more developers are jumping on the, “It’s a conspiracy!” wagon than the, “That’s smart OS development!” wagon. I was taken back by one blogger assuring this was Apple’s ability to disable all MS applications in one pull. Why would Apple do that?

Have AppStore developers forgotten one of the key reasons people are switching to Apple?! Apple integrates any and all necessary features to ensure the OS cannot be compromised or difficult to use. This is not Apple admitting they have a faulty screening process (we’ll give them a pass on the I Am Rich app); this is Apple protecting the OS that has created legitimate business opportunity for mobile developers (complete with Location Based Services).

This is not Apple’s desire to be able to shut down their competitor’s applications; they don’t need that. Apple is simply trying to avoid destroying the full-potential of mobile apps.

- Ainsworth

South Florida’s Fastest Growing Technology Companies

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Ainsworth Boyle
on July 30, 2008
in Industry News
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Over the past year the 3Ci team has been working hard to grow our staff, technology, and clients. Earlier this year The South Florida Business Journal named 3Ci the 2008 Technology Company of the Year for Interactive Marketing.

With the downturn of the economy, companies are trying to find newer and cheaper ways to acquire and retain customers. They are asking for what seems to be impossible, “How do we lower our marketing budget and increase our consumer base?”

There couldn’t be a better time for mobile. With over 262 million mobile subscribers, mobile is the most direct and cost-effective marketing channel. With that in mind, it might be the only way for brands to reach increasingly frugal consumers.

Mobile technology is just starting, but growing fast. In fact, each second 36 mobile devices are activated in the world, compared to just 3 births.

3Cinteractive would like to thank its partners and clients for turning to us for their mobile solutions and making us South Florida’s Fastest Growing Technology Company.

- Ainsworth

MobileMe: Re-Launching the iPhone vs. BlackBerry Debate

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Ainsworth Boyle
on July 16, 2008
in Industry News
. 1 Comment

When Phil Schiller first introduced MobileMe at WWDC he likened it to “push for the rest of us.” Now that the iPhone supports Exchange, and MobileMe offers a consumer-level solution, the debate of iPhone vs. BlackBerry is back. Many of the complaints I had heard were related to the lackluster e-mail service always loading, and the inability to easily manage junk mail.

MobileMe, the 3G service, and the iPhone 2.0 OS resolves these issues and more. During the first introductory days of the MobileMe service, “Push” was choppy and delayed by several minutes. By the end of the weekend, I was able to erase and re-sync/Push my contacts, calendar, e-mail, and bookmarks. Monday morning, I made a couple of changes using iCal and Address Book and the changes were at my iPhone just a minute later.

But, even before this feature, the largest complaint was not calendar or contact syncing; it was e-mail. If you’re wondering if Apple resolved the junk filter issue, you’ll still be disappointed. They have, however, made a small step by allowing users to easily delete multiple e-mails. The 3G network and Push e-mail have made e-mail faster, with no “loading…” screen, which was an irritating feature of Apple’s “fetch” solution. It’s not perfect yet; I hit a terminal “loading…” screen when I dropped service while opening an e-mail. Compared to iPhone 1.x, it’s night and day.

With Apple on the path to creating a MobileMe service that ousts BlackBerry’s Push service, what more is there left to compare? Keyboard? OS?

With the rumors of BlackBerry’s touch screen Thunder device, it’s even more of a debate of operating systems, and I don’t think BlackBerry is suited for an OS war.

- Ainsworth

See Also:
MobileMe on Wikipedia

My Experience at the 3G iPhone Launch

Published
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Ainsworth Boyle
on July 11, 2008
in Industry News
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Last year I made it to the initial iPhone launch. I arrived at a small AT&T store, on Linton Blvd, in Boca Raton, FL, six hours early. I was one of the first 20 people in line and just after 7:30PM I walked out of the store with one of the first iPhones.

This week, I’m on vacation in New York City. Late last night I debated making the trip over to the legendary 5th Avenue Store - I was at that store’s grand opening - but I decided a local AT&T store might be the better bet - I should have remembered AT&T stores sold out last year and Apple stores did not.

This years launch was 8:00AM; I strolled up to AT&T 86th and 3rd street store in New York City at ~8:30. I was about 150 people deep, give or take the handful of people that “ran into friends who happened to be standing in line.”

As many of you know, the activation process was now set to be done on sight. That only worked for the first customer as both AT&T and iTunes (Apple) would crash by 8:15.

As I got to the front of the store, the countdown began: “We have no more 16GBs and only 10 8GBs. We are accepting direct fulfillment.”

At this point, I began running the number of line cutters through my head, realizing I was 11 from the front. No more announcements would come, yet I was invited into the store with the chain closing behind me.

5 minutes later my AT&T salesman was handed an iPhone 3G and told, “That’s the last one.” Alas, I was handed my new iPhone 3G and told that the remaining activation process would have to be done at home using iTunes.

Needless to say, the new phone is sexy… however, iTunes is still struggling through the activation process. Once I’m able to get through the set-up process I’ll be sure to add updates on the MobileMe experience; I know there are a few debates about it’s ability to dethrone BlackBerry.

- Ainsworth

Text Your Crime Tips

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Ainsworth Boyle
on July 8, 2008
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As the teens and 20-somethings transition from voice-to-text, major city resources are doing the same. Brian Bernardi, Sgt of the Louisville, KY, Metro Police Department, who was interviewed in Fox News’ article realizes that the target demographic wouldn’t normally dial a Crime Stoppers line to report a crime. Departments are hoping a more familiar and discreet medium, like text messaging, will encourage use.

More than 100 communities, including Boston, Cincinnati, Tampa, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Indianapolis, New Orleans, and Detroit have implemented the system. Fox reports that in the 12 months since they launched the system, Boston police have logged 678 text tips, nearly the same as the 727 phone tips in the same period.

And tipsters aren’t shy when it comes to providing information. Police have reported tips that include specific times, drug information, names of suspects, locations, and license plate numbers.

Best of all, text tips still carry a cash reward.

- Ainsworth

Cord-Cutters: The Under-35 and Single

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Ainsworth Boyle
on June 3, 2008
in Industry News
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In-Stat has reported that the trend of US wireless users going without a home phone is growing.

But even the expected “young, single, living alone, or sharing quarters” are not alone: 24% of landline owners considering moving entirely mobile. These cord cutters are big spenders, as they represent the highest penetration of family or group mobile rate plans (In-Stat) resulting in the highest spending at $111.41 p/ month.

Current cord cutters respondents use 22% more cellular minutes than the average survey responded, and 40% more than those loyal to their landlines (In-Stat).

This is the same generation that is spending more time interacting with online content and moving away from traditional wired mediums such as TV and Radio. As the content generation continues to evolve the way brands deliver their message, the opportunities in mobile marketing are just beginning.

Tomorrow I’ll explain a bit more why SMS is the channel to Generation Y.

Mobile Marketing Audits and Provisioning are Getting Better Eyes

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Ainsworth Boyle
on May 20, 2008
in Industry News
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In addition, to the recent FTC announcement, we’ve noticed a few other regulatory changes from the major mobile carriers. It is possible that these two events are separate, but they seem too coincidental. With 2008 being a break-out year for mobile, the regulating bodies are putting forth their best effort to protect the sensitivity of mobile numbers.
Once a short code has been purchased with the Common Short Code Authority it must be provisioned with each of the mobile carriers. Part of this process includes submitting a detailed program summary outlining everything from the program’s sample message flow, to the expected traffic volume. Each carrier has a different process for managing these applications.  Some, like AT&T, prefer a short approval process (2-4 weeks) whereas others, like Verizon, have a longer process (6-8 weeks).  AT&T’s method was supported by ongoing monthly audits, whereas Verizon preferred to complete all due diligence upfront. This makes for an interesting process to manage.
In the most recent weeks, we’ve seen a significant change in the requirements for the submission process. AT&T has begun taking more upfront time to approve programs and all of the carriers are more detailed in their acceptable use requirements. This has pushed AT&T’s approval timeline from 2-4 weeks to the 6-8 week mark. Without a doubt, this is an effort of the mobile carriers to protect their consumers and minimize any chances of a marketer abusing the technology.
Mobile carriers that audit ongoing programs are making sure that the program hasn’t changed from what was approved. They do this to prevent scams, but mostly to make sure that each consumer has a positive experience with each program. Many carriers realize that consumers do not differentiate an SMS content provider from their actual mobile carrier, so SPAM or faulty programs are often a poor reflection on the carrier. The FTC is taking a bit of a different route and acting as a second auditor across all mobile programs. The FTC’s main goal is to protect the under-eighteen crowd from aggressive marketers by scanning for misleading messages. This is a different angle that indirectly protects the mobile marketing industry because it reduces the likelihood of SPAM, which would desensitize mobile consumers.
While the carrier’s reaction to these events have created more policies for program summission, the additional few weeks to launch a program are significantly outweighed by the benefits of a well protected marketing medium. But even with these regulations, marketers still must do their part.

- Ainsworth

The Hang Up Act of 2008: Peter DeFazio is on to Something

Published
by
Ainsworth Boyle
on April 23, 2008
in Industry News
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The only thing worse than a stranger talking loud on their cell phone, is a being trapped, 35,000 feet above ground, with a stranger talking loud on their cell phone. With a slew of European airliners, such as Air France, beginning to test in-flight mobile use, the US is going to find itself with a decision to make. Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore, has decided to put his stake in the ground, requesting the government to clarify the use of mobile phones on commercial airlines. In his bill, The Hang Up Act of 2008, DeFazio suggests banning voice communication, while still allowing use of text messaging and e-mail capabilities.
Continue reading ‘The Hang Up Act of 2008: Peter DeFazio is on to Something’