A week after Google VP of Engineering Andy Rubin said that mobile doesn’t need another operating system , Microsoft responded with what analysts believe can be a long-term game-changer.
The Windows Phone 7 launch in New York shocked many in two ways. First, those who had not seen a demo marveled at the social networking innovations – for instance, through the contact list, users can reach friends and others on Facebook, post quickly on YouTube and Twitter, and more. Second, the reviews from the pundits were downright Apple-esque – in dozens of reviews, the commentary was uniformly glowing.
What will all this do to global handset market share?
Microsoft has a market share of only 5 percent in the global smartphone market, according to research firm Gartner, compared with 9 percent a year ago.
“This is a marathon, not a sprint. They (Microsoft) are not going to change their position today or in the next month,” Michael Gartenberg, an analyst at research firm Gartner, told Reuters. “But they’ve established themselves as a credible player.”
Globally, it’s still Nokia’s game. In the second quarter of 2010, Nokia’s mobile device sales to end users reached 111.5 million units and a share of 34.2 percent, according to Gartner. Nokia slipped 2.6 percentage points year-on-year.
Google’s Android system had a 17 percent market share, jumping from only 2 percent a year ago.
Samsung sold 65.3 million devices in the second quarter of 2010 that translated into a 20.1 percent market share.
Apple’s mobile device sales reached 8.7 million units or a 2.7 percent share of the overall mobile device market, but a 14.2 percent of the smartphone market. Apple maintained its number 7 position in the worldwide mobile device market and held the number 3 position in the worldwide smartphone market.
HOW I SEE IT: Microsoft reportedly will spend up to a half-billion dollars to market Windows Phone 7. A positive user experience will accelerate the adoption of smartphones. Gartner expects almost 270 million smartphones to be sold worldwide this year, up 56 percent from last year. Of course, another operating system complicates the lives of marketers who will now have to modify campaigns to render properly on more devices. But the plusses easily outweigh the minuses. Innovation and huge marketing spends will not only speed up the adoption of smartphones; they will create opportunities for marketers to reach consumers in richer ways. That will translate into more sales and brand loyalty.
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At the Mobile Marketing Forum in New York, Disney executives said it projects 50 percent of consumer engagements to come via mobile by 2012.
This week at the Direct Marketing Association’s National Conference in San Francisco, Disney shared more on its mobile vision.
Disney will offer deeper location-based services in the next six months to broaden its entertainment experience and to become “site location-aware,” said AJ Rhodes, director of strategy and marketing at Disney. Consumers will be able to use their mobile devices to grab offers and exclusive content.
Of note, Rhodes said Disney has seen more mobile interactions with consumers via the mobile web than by downloadable apps.
HOW I SEE IT: It’s finally time to stop asking when the year of mobile advertising arrived. Vision from companies including Disney is hard evidence the market is here. Indeed, Disney’s sharp focus and deep commitment tells us that this is about execution, not experimentation. Put simply, cementing mobile in the center of marketing and advertising (as Disney is clearly doing) is no longer an option, it’s a business imperative.
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As bigger dollars flow into mobile marketing, more want to earn a living in this wacky but emerging industry. So where does one turn to gain the knowledge and skills?
A couple of places come to mind.
First, one can learn the basics at the Mobile Marketing Association’s web site and by becoming certified through the MMA’s Certified Mobile Marketing Program. First launched in the U.S., the program is now available in the South African and Singapore regions. The MMA is also developing programs for the LATAM, and Canada regions, as well as more regions in EMEA and APAC.
Full disclosure: I co-created the program with Michael Becker, which leads me to the second resource worth noting. This week, Michael, now the North American Managing Director of the MMA, brought Mobile Marketing For Dummies to the marketplace. In the book, he details the elements of mobile marketing, provides tips on how to engage your customers, and compares the advantages and disadvantages of using one mobile tactic rather than another.
HOW I SEE IT: Scan the marketing want-ads or #job tweets and mobile expertise is in huge demand. That’s a trend that spites the economy and underlines the growing requirement for people with this skills set. You certainly can’t say that about many other disciplines. I was a traditional marketer until I took the plunge into mobile. (And that was in 2005!) Now it’s a tidal wave. No reason why others can’t follow a similar path. But we will need maps to navigate our way. Michael’s book comes at a time when blueprints and how-tos are welcome. And there is also an opportunity for everyone in mobile marketing to share the knowledge and contribute to the growth of the space.
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A career author and sought-after speaker, Jeff Hasen builds, strengthens and protects brands. Companies benefiting from his talents have landed on Wired’s list of most innovative entities on Earth and been named pioneers and the early leader in the burgeoning mobile marketing category. Jeff co-created the certification program for the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA). He is one of only two individuals certified by the MMA to train professionals and students on mobile marketing definitions, techniques and benefits. At Hipcricket, he conceived and led the execution of an accelerated rebranding effort in advance of the mobile marketing software and services company being named “the early leader in the mobile marketing space in the U.S.” by Frost and Sullivan. Hipcricket also won consecutive annual pioneer awards from CTIA — The Wireless Association. Follow Jeff on Twitter (@jeffhasen).
