Mobile App Guidelines Break New Ground; Apple & RIM Target New Heights
This was a week for transparency in mobile with something for everyone. For consumers, there was movement on the privacy front with the Mobile Marketing Association releasing its Mobile Application Privacy Policy. The document is hailed as a first, providing precise guidelines that addresses the core privacy issues and data processes of many mobile applications.
For industry watchers, news from RIM and Apple gave us a deeper look at company performance and clues to the capabilities that likely play a lead role in deciding the leaders from the laggards.
While it was hardly a shocker when BlackBerry maker RIM made a change at the top (investors and analysts had been calling for the appointment of a “transformational” leader for some time), the choice of candidate to replace co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie did come as a surprise.
Even more unexpected was the comment by the new CEO Thorsten Heins — an insider and current Chief Operating Officer — that he didn’t “think that there is some drastic change needed.”
Read between the lines, and his leadership style likely supports the status quo, not transformation.
As Heins put in his interview with Reuters, process is the focus. “I’m a German so I like this word, the process discipline, I think that is something we need to get better at. But this is not a seismic change. This is scaling the company further and we will continue to scale this company up. We need to be more consumer-orientated because this is where a lot of our growth is coming from.”
Heins is upbeat about the “new heights” that can be reached. “Innovation is endless, we will have a lot of fun.”
In addition to having insights into work-in-progress at RIM, we also have the inside track on Apple’s performance in the last quarter. Specifically, Apple sold 37.04 million iPhones, 15.5 million iPads, and 5.2 million Mac computers. It produced $46.33 billion in revenue and earned $13.06 billion.
How I See It: I appreciate the transparency, but it’s not a one-way street. We also “saw right through” Heins’ spin and claim that change is not the order of the hour. Put it in perspective, and the 37 million iPhones sold by Apple in the last quarter is a number that gives us insights into how bad things are at RIM. According to reports, the 37 million iPhones are equal to approximately half of all BlackBerry devices in use today. Now let me tell a personal “BlackBerry fail” story. I’ve owned three BlackBerry phones over the last eight years. Lately, I’ve had to defend my choice since I also have an iPhone and get the same email on that device. I had a $35 a month data-only account with AT&T, which was sufficient until my company switched to Microsoft Exchange to manage and deliver email. AT&T and BlackBerry told me I needed a new plan, one that would increase my monthly cost by $50. Despite my 15 or so years experience with AT&T and long tenure with RIM, neither would suggest anything sensible to keep my business. So it’s more than innovation that is needed to get RIM back on track. It’s about coming up with better service options and approaches aimed at long-time customers who would stick with BlackBerry if the offer was right.
MMA mobile app guidelines
The MMA is stepping up to address the thorny issue of app privacy with guidelines that go a long toward helping developers explain the privacy practices of each of their apps and stay in compliance with applicable law and industry standards.
And it couldn’t come at a better time for all the stakeholders. “Mobile app developers asked for clear, transparent policy language that consumers can quickly and fully understand,” MMA Global CEO Greg Stuart said in a statement.
The guidelines address key issues including:
- Annotated guidance on core privacy principles and consumer-friendly language for developers to consider using
- Ways to inform users on how data is obtained and used
- Guidance on security and confidentiality of information
How I See It: The MMA and its members should be applauded for taking this step. Common sense would tell marketers to proceed without the document, but having agreed guidelines that we can follow will certainly help. Now we’ll need to monitor how well developers follow the practices laid out in the MMA document (or not). As I’ve written in earlier columns here on MobileGroove and elsewhere, privacy concerns tops the list of burning issues in 2012 that the industry must address. The answer lies in practices that reassure consumers that mobile apps — and their developers — are not abusing user trust or divulging personal information to partners and third-parties without people’s express consent. The MMA guidelines demonstrate resolve — in words and deeds. Will it all work the way we want it just because there is a policy in place? Of course not. Expect breaches, then histrionics from politicians and regulators trying to get on the news in the name of consumer protection.
About Jeff:
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).
