Mobile Application Development
Mobile application development is undoubtedly the newest wave to hit the technological world. Most applications are downloaded by customers from various mobile software distribution platforms. Many field experts estimate that worldwide downloads for mobile applications will flourish from 11 billion in 2010 to 77 billion in 2014; with mobile app revenues exceeding $35 billion.
It’s no secret that mobile applications can drive productivity, however, there a few critical factors that will determine its success. While there are many mobile applications that come pre-installed on phones, enterprise and personal digital assistants, there are many more available from numerous mobile software distribution platforms.
Almost any smart mobile web browser such as those installed on iPhones, Android or BlackBerry phones, can expect mobile web apps to run relatively well. The industry term for a non-smartphone is ‘Feature phone’, and make up 70% or more of the mobile handsets in the US; with the majority of them possessing internet web browser capabilities.
The best philosophy is to design your Mobile App with the mindset that the user deserves a worthy experience. The idea is to help users to accomplish tasks quickly and easily.
What the website was ten years ago, the mobile app is today; a luxury tool that has shifted into a necessary tool.
“There’s an App for That”
Smartphones have become an integral part of users’ daily lives. Consumers use smartphones as an extension of their desktop computers and use it as they multi-task and consume other media.
- 72% use their smartphones while consuming other media, with a third while watching TV
- 93% of smartphone owners use their smartphones while at home
- 71% of smartphone users search because of an ad they’ve seen either online or offline
- 82% of smartphone users notice mobile ads
- 74% of smartphone shoppers make a purchase
- 88% of smartphone users who look for local information take action within a day
Action-Oriented Searchers: Mobile search is heavily used to find a wide variety of information and to navigate the mobile Internet.
- Search engine websites are the most visited websites with 77% of smartphone users citing this, followed by social networking, retail and video sharing websites
- Nine out of ten smartphone searches, results in an action (purchasing, visiting a business, etc.)
- 24% recommended a brand or product to others as a result of a smartphone search
Local Information Seekers: Looking for local information is done by virtually all smartphone users and consumers are ready to act on the information they find.
- 95% of smartphone users have looked for local information
- 88% of these users take action within a day, indicating these are immediate information needs
- 77% have contacted a business, with 61% calling and 59% visiting the local business
Purchase-driven Shoppers: Smartphones have become an indispensable shopping tool and are used across channels and throughout the research and decision-making process.
- 79% of smartphone consumers use their phones to help with shopping, from comparing prices, finding more product info to locating a retailer
- 74% of smartphone shoppers make a purchase, whether online, in-store, or on their phones
- 70% use their smartphones while in the store, reflecting varied purchase paths that often begin online or on their phones and brings consumers to the store
Reaching Mobile Consumers: Cross-media exposure influences smartphone user behavior and a majority notice mobile ads which leads to taking action on it.
- 71% search on their phones because of an ad exposure, whether from traditional media (68%) to online ads (18%) to mobile ads (27%)
- 82% notice mobile ads, especially mobile display ads and a third notice mobile search ads
- Half of those who see a mobile ad take action, with 35% visiting a website and 49% making a purchase