Mobile Groove

In brief: This week we set the stage for a soon-to-be released Netsize report that reveals the business models and payments mechanisms necessary for app stores to achieve mass-market commercial success. Perfect timing to continue the Netsize Guide 2010 “Best Of” series with Patrick Mork, GetJar VP Marketing, and his sober look at the app store landscape.

With 75 app stores (and still counting) open for business it’s clear that creating competitive differentiation is going to be critical in the next weeks. What will likely separate the leaders from the laggards? Choice? Ease of payment? Content discovery? Something else?

It’s a milestone day for the fledgling app space. We have a solid report from esteemed colleague Chetan Sharma that gives a good overview of the size of the global mobile apps economy and some valuable insights into the regional

The Netsize Guide 2010 is breaking download records and an increasing number of “fans” have even purchased a paper copy of this must-read mobile industry resource. In view of the phenomenal popularity of this content, MSG is joining with Netsize to showcase a “best of” selection of executive interviews and hot topics that have everyone talking. We start the series with a timely and telling interview with Christopher David, head of Developer and Partner Engagement, Sony Ericsson. Over the next weeks I’ll expand the focus to include in-depth features and podcasts with the companies and influencers at the forefront of mobile and mobility.

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Regular readers will know that a high point of my year is collaborating with the Netsize team to collect the information, ideas and insights from industry authorities and +25 c-level execs that make the Netsize Guide the industry’s number one reference work. This year is no exception. To the contrary, I’m proud to report the Netsize Guide 2010 – the 9th Edition of the Netsize almanac– is widely regarded as the best edition ever (!).

One reason for the heightened interest could be the sharp focus on the future of mobile and mobility. The Netsize Guide, aptly titled Mobile Renaissance, pushes the boundaries and examines the

As promised in my earlier post, I’m back with a sneak peek at the controversial findings of the Mobile Trends Survey 2010, conducted by Netsize, a Gemalto company and leading mobile communications and commerce enabler. Drawing from an online survey of over 1,000+ mobile professionals and practitioners, the survey found that the vast majority (87 percent) of respondents believe the Apple App Store will be the most successful app store in the mobile space.

Google’s Android Market is a distant second (60 percent), followed by Nokia’s Ovi Store (30 percent) and RIM’s BlackBerry App World (27 percent). Respondents could choose more than one answer – which is why the total exceeds 100 percent.

Thanks to all the cool companies for reaching out to me over the last weeks with briefings and product demos. Keep those emails coming and I’ll pick the best to feature on MSG. A company that has been high on my radar is Nimbuzz, a mobile social messaging app that