Does Google Motorola Tie-Up Signal Turning Point For Android?

google motorolaThe bombshell news that Google is snapping up Motorola continues to shake up the industry this week, with watchers and insiders debating the massive implications for the global mobile ecosystem. But what about the long-term consequences for Android? Carsten Brinkschulte gives us three reasons why this could backfire and even close the door to an open operating system in the market altogether.

VIP Discount For Mobile Future Forward Summit

Mobile Future Forward boxWhere can you get the inside track on the developments that will transform the next five years in mobile, while connecting with the executives that are leading change? Spend one day (September 12) at Mobile Future Forward in Seattle.

From disruptive technologies to new ways to monetize mobile networks, and from connected devices to the dilemma of delivering content and advertising to the 20+ screens that play a role in our daily lives, this high-caliber, thought leadership summit -- organized by consultant and industry authority Chetan Sharma -- covers all trends that truly matter.

Amazon, Apple, Google: Let The Content Cloud Battle Begin

content cloud battleWhen Apple officially threw its hat into the ‘content cloud’ services ring with their iCloud announcement last month, it capped a trifecta of launches from the three leading over-the-top (OTT) players: Apple iCloud, Google Music and Amazon CloudDrive. Does the advance of these giants mean everyone else should hand over their first-mover advantage?

Definitely not. Granted, it is a crowded space, but there are also clear lines that define their market reach and target audience. Some players are competing on services (sync, backup, media management) and others are betting to win based on their customer focus (consumer, small & medium business (SMB), enterprise and/or selling white label solutions to operators and device makers). A quick scan of the competitive landscape in the D2C (direct-to-consumer) space reveals an interesting mix. Some might sound familiar (like DropBox, SugarSync and Box), while many of the 'white label' firms that play behind the scenes might not (NewBay, Funambol and FSecure).

COM #250: Nokia Quiz, Apple’s iCloud, Mobile Ad Networks, Mobile Web Influencers List

Carnival MobilistsThe monthly Carnival of the Mobilists (COM) sets up camp at MobileGroove with an entertaining and eclectic mix of themes and topics that speak volumes about recent developments in mobile. From a curated list of Mobile Web influencers to an examination of the pros and cons of mobile apps, it's all there - so let's dive in!

Tomi Ahonen is in rare form this month with a deliciously disruptive post dripping with sarcasm. It would be a great laugh if it was only fiction. But this quiz, which tests our ability to run Nokia into the ground (as it appears Microsoft and Stephen Elop are doing as we speak), is based on keen observations from a long-time Nokia watcher (and former employee).

Winning Customers With Competitive Mobile App Stores

mobile appsThe proliferation of connected devices and platforms has encouraged more than 120 companies and providers – including online retail giant Amazon – to establish an application storefront and get in on the action. More application stores may mean more choice for consumers, but it also turns up the pressure on application store providers to choose the right business model, one that that will bring them mass-market success and competitive advantage. Alexander Vlasblom reveals the characteristics of winning and competitive app stores.

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What matters most to developers as they learn to market and merchandize their apps? What separates successful app stores from

When Netsize published its first report (Application Store Billing) in May 2010, it was the first in the space to identify and document the characteristics of a winning and competitive app store. Based on a survey of 1,000+ mobile professionals and practitioners across 67 countries, the report concluded that the four C’s - Convenience, Compatibility, Choice, and Charging are the top enablers of application store success.

European Retail Goes Mobile; How Do Europe’s Top 300 Brands Stack Up?

mobile retail readinessWhat is the state of mobile retail readiness in Europe? How are Europe's biggest retail brands extending their brand experience through mobile? What approaches are retailers taking to engage influence consumers throughout the purchase funnel (awareness, engagement, consideration, conversion and loyalty)?

Get the inside track by joining MobileGroove and Acquity Group executives this Wednesday (June 22) for Global Insight: European Retail Goes Mobile. The 30-minute online webinar (12-12:30 CST or click here to see the time in your region) will deep dive into the trends and mobile intelligence gleaned from Acquity's first-ever European Mobile Audit of the top 300 European retail brands.

Premier Inn: Attracting Premium Customers With Cross-Platform Approach

premier inn logoWould you block people who drive an SUV from parking and entering your store? Probably not? So why focus your mobile app strategy on serving users of a single device (such as the iPhone, for example)? iPhone apps may be popular. But limiting your mobile strategy to one platform effectively discriminates against customers on the basis of their technology preference. Not a smart move. We look at Premier Inn, a hospitality brand in the U.K. that wracked up record downloads (and bookings) by offering a cross-platform app that works on all leading devices.

In 2010 Premier Inn noticed that a large percentage of their bookings were being made last-minute by business professionals and people on-the-move. However, the vast majority of these premium customers were not using their desktop PC to find and book rooms, they were using their mobile devices. Or at least they were trying to.

Content Discovery & Personalization Companies: Enter The 8th Annual Meffy Awards

Meffys Awards 2011Is your company driving more personalized mobile content discovery and content sharing, making it easier for us all to find, purchase and popularize mobile content? If the answer is 'yes,' then stand up and be counted. You have three more days to submit your entry to the Meffys. Now in their 8th year, the Meffys are the industry’s most coveted awards, honoring innovation and achievements across mobile content and commerce.

The deadline for entries was extended to May 6 due to popular demand, so don't miss out on the opportunity to showcase your service and have it viewed by the top journalists and analysts who sit on the judges panel.

If your company is shortlisted, then you can count on being center stage at the annual gala event (and top of mind with the hundreds of leading industry execs and decision-makers who attend the ceremony each year). TV personality, comedienne and author Ruby Wax will host the 2011 Meffys Gala Awards Dinner (July 7) at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London’s Covent Garden.

Make Way For The New User Content Ecosystem

ecosystemThere’s a sea change underway shaping the way we all communicate. No longer limited to a specific device, people enjoy the freedom to seamlessly network with friends and co-workers, watch videos, share photos, or generally wander the Net 24x7 – wherever and whenever they choose. NewBay's Steve French maps out the new landscape and impact on all the players -- particularly mobile operators and device makers.

Today’s rich communication experience doesn't just transform how we connect and communicate with our friends, families and social networks. It also encourages us to create and share content, including user- generated content (UGC) and premium content. At the other end of the spectrum, content delivery and social networking have converged with developments in cloud-based storage, device innovation and the advance of ubiquitous broadband to enable new experiences that were not possible in the past.

Amazing Amazon: Will It Dominate The Mobile App Economy?

King of the jungleWhile last week's #doxchat Tweetchat focused on all the big-picture issues around the emerging mobile app ecosystem, the real discussion -- one that Tweetreach reports reached a whopping 58,000+ people via 400+ tweets to achieve exposure of nearly 412,000 -- centered on the likely impact of Amazon on the app store landscape.

The best response came from @iboy, who shared a "visualization of what Amazon will do to other Android app stores." It's a eye-opening image that should have alarm bells ringing in operator and OEM board rooms -- everywhere.

Are Operators Heading For A Showdown? Mobile App Tweetchat Asks Matt Anderson & Ajit Jaokar

doxchat tweetchatThe avalanche in apps and app stores doesn't just mean more choice for consumers and more opportunity for developers. It also ushers in a new App Economy with new players and new rules. What is the impact of the Amazon app store? What is the role of the mobile operator? What revenue share operators realistically expect? And finally - with mobile commerce poised to be THE next big thing– are operators heading for a showdown with banks and credit card companies?

These are a few of the questions I explore in a podcast interview with Matt Anderson, an active blogger and outspoken commentator on the industry, who also heads up product marketing at Amdocs Interactive. Tomorrow (April 6, 5 pm CET/ 11 am EST ) Matt and Ajit Jaokar, author, speaker and mobile app authority, join me in a Tweetchat (#doxchat) to debate how the App Economy might play out and the impact on all the players.

Mobile Operators Must Accelerate Contactless Payments To Stay Relevant

contacless paymentApple, Google and Nokia and Blackberry are bent on embedding contactless payment technology (NFC) into their devices, thus making it possible for consumers to buy goods and services in physical shops and locations.

Each OEM is at a different stage on their experimentation with this technology. Nokia already offers several devices that support NFC; Apple is going ahead with its own NFC initiative; Google claims it will support mobile payments (via NFC) in the near future; and Blackberry has said it will support NFC in devices going forward.

YOU Are Invited; Tweetchat Takes Hard Look At Mobile App Economy

apps in app storesThe mobile app economy is growing, mobile commerce is exploding and the value chain is crowding as mobile operators, credit card companies, financial institutions, and Web giants such as Google jockey for position.

If this week's hot news is any indication, then the industry is indeed in for a roller coaster ride as mobile payments (for everything, not just apps) becomes the next big battlefield.

Mobile Marketer tells us that American Express has taken the wraps off its Serve digital payment and commerce platform, offering person-to-person, online, mobile and traditional card capabilities in a single account. The Wall Street Journal (via MoCoNews) reports that Google is building out its plans to push contactless payments (using near-field communications or NFC technology). Google has been talking up NFC for several months now, but now it's also got MasterCard and Citigroup on board. And the list goes on.

Capitalizing On Operator Billing Opportunities In Developed & Developing Markets

mobile payment opportunitiesEditor's note: We continue today with part 2 of this series looking at the opportunities in mobile payments -- and where mobile operators need to focus their efforts if they want to stay in the game.

Where is the real opportunity in mobile payments?

Developed markets are tough ones to crack, since consumers already buy a significant amount of goods and services (real stuff in real stores and digital content in the iTunes store) with their credit cards.