Mobile Groove

The Mobile App Economy is in full swing, but does it mark a new chapter in our history? Or can we learn from history to make sure everyone in this new ecosystem —particularly the independent app developer —benefits and prospers? Mike Anderson draws startling comparisons between the current app frenzy and the California Gold Rush of 1848 to provide developers some solid business advice.

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A lot of people like to say that there’s a ‘gold rush’ mood in the Apps industry at the moment. Hell, I’ve probably said it myself. It’s something of a cliché, and like most clichés, you use it unthinkingly. But I’ve been thinking about it, and I’ve come to realize that the description is far more apt than most people in the apps space realize. Indeed, exploring the comparisons tells us a lot about where our industry is headed.

Mobile apps isn’t the only game in town. Developers need think big-picture and focus efforts on multi-platform apps capable of connecting our devices and our experiences. This is the trend to watch for 2012 and why Mike Johns, CEO of Digital Mind State, and his views on the vast opportunities at the intersection of apps, TV and social media are more pertinent than ever.

We catch up with Mike to talk about his success brokering profitable business relationships between brands and urban/hip hop artists to deliver a 360 degree entertainment experience combining social media interaction and TV (Social TV) and mobile apps.

Smart developers understand that selling apps is a serious business. The are exploring their options (developing for several platforms simultaneously), choosing commercially successful distribution channels (apps stores rather than third-party aggregators, for example) and preparing for a multi-screen future where the smartphone is just the entry point to a fluid app experience that flows across set-top boxes, tablets and a wide range of connected devices.

It’s a profound shift that market analysis and strategy firm VisionMobile has expertly identified and documented in Developer Economics 2011, a landmark, must-read report that

Google’s well-publicized philosophy includes the promise to “Do No Evil”. With that in mind, is the company out to do good or make money with the launch of GoMo, an initiative positioned as a driver to better mobile web sites produced for brands?

In practice, businesses can go to Google’s GoMo website at howtogomo.com to access a so-called GoMoMeter. This tool lets companies see how their sites look and perform on mobile devices, and offers “personalized” recommendations to assist businesses in the task of developing a more mobile-friendly experience for their sites.

Mobile is huge. And so is the value marketers and companies can wring out of a comprehensive mobile strategy that starts with a mobile-optimized website. Still, there is a disturbing disconnect between the number of consumers that research (and buy!) products on the move, and the number of businesses that have invested in a mobile-optimized website to satisfy their customer requirements. What’s the hold up? Richard Edwards surveyed mobile authorities and practitioners to get the answers.

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Are businesses mobile ready? A look at new research from Google and the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) — conducted by Ipsos GmbH and TNS Infratest — should have alarm bells ringing. Only a fraction of businesses in the five countries surveyed report having mobile optimized sites. The break down is even more of an eye-opener: US – 33 percent, U.K. – 17 percent, France – 12 percent, Germany – 37 percent, and Japan – 43 percent.

In the countdown to Apps World Asia (September 1-2, Singapore) we speak with Tak Miyata, senior vice president of global business at Mixi, the fast-growing and number one social network in Japan about Mixi’s strategy to expand its communications platform, enable third-party developers to make mobile apps for its members and encourage commerce that bridges online (digital) and offline (physical).

Mixi started out in 2004 allowing its users to post photos, share comments and links, and interact on community pages and forums based on themes ranging from recipes to rock-n-roll.