Mobile on its own doesn't truly shine and many of us already know this...however, assessing the state of the market (smartphone market, mobile advertising market, social media market, etc.) and starting to understand how these markets will shape mobile on a global level is key. As one of the articles below cleverly says: "The first screen may not be the one you think". This is indicative that analysing consumer behaviour in the context of multi-platform development becomes crucial to your MARCOM strategy. A unified media strategy becomes fundamental, and more complex, in order for brands to provide a positive experience on all devices/screens/platforms, and media formats.

State of the US smartphone market

Date 04th June, 2012

The United States may be overtaken by China as the world’s largest smartphone market this year, but it’s nevertheless a huge and highly influential market. According to Comscore, more than 100 million Americans now own a smartphone, a number that keeps growing.

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Global Mobile Advertising Market Worth $5.3bn

Date 07th June, 2012

The global mobile advertising market was worth $5.3bn (£3.4bn) in 2011, according to a new study from the IAB Mobile Marketing Center of Excellence in the US, IAB Europe and IHS Screen Digest. The study also breaks this figure down into regional shares, with Asia-Pacific leading the way on 35.9 per cent ($1.9bn), followed by N. America on 31.4 per cent ($1.7bn), Europe on 25.9 per cent ($1.4bn), Latin America on 3.5 per cent ($200m) and the Middle East & Africa on 3.2 per cent (£170m).

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The first screen may not be the one you think

Date 12th June, 2012

We may argue that we didn’t need studies to tell us that tablets are taking attention away from TV screens. In fact, before tablets and smartphones even existed, laptops were already gaining ground in the living room. Today, the question is not whether we live in a multiscreen world or not, but which screen is the most valuable, the the bigger one or one getting the most attention from consumers?

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What does the multi-platform revolution mean to you?

Date 11th June, 2012

The internet used to be intrinsically linked to a physical device. The PC at work, the laptop in the lounge, but this is no longer the case. In my house alone I have seven separate devices I could use to connect to the internet in one way or another, be it the mobile in my pocket, the tablet while I watch TV, or via my games console. I may be interacting with your brand on all of these platforms, and I expect a positive experience.

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Apple announces iOS 6: new Maps, Passbook, Siri features, Facebook, and more

Date 11th June, 2012

During the keynote presentation for its 2012 Worldwide Developers Conference today, Apple unveiled iOS 6, the latest version of its operating system for mobile devices. Apple claims that iOS 6 has over 200 new features compared to iOS 5. For iOS 6, Apple has updated the Siri personal assistant that first debuted for the iPhone 4S in iOS 5 with a host of new features.

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Apple iPhone 3GS, 4 won't get turn-by-turn navigation, fly-over maps in iOS 6

Date 12th June, 2012

Apple has revealed that the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 will not be getting all of the new features that are coming with the brand-new Maps app in iOS 6 announced this week. Most notably, the older devices will not get the turn-by-turn directions and the nifty 3D flyover features that Apple was proudly displaying during yesterday's presentation of the new operating system.

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A third of brands provide a poor mobile customer experience

Date 12th June, 2012

While more than half of brands say that customers regularly research their products on mobile, 36% rate the customer experience they provide to mobile users as 'poor' or 'very poor'. As more brands launch mobile sites and apps, and use mobile marketing, providing an excellent customer experience becomes ever more important, and these results suggest there is much to be done.

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Why Mobile Advertising Needs Its Google Adwords Moment

Date 13th June, 2012

We’ve been talking the talk on mobile advertising for a while now, but it seems we’re a long way off from this actually reaching its true potential. The users are there, the physical technology is there and the appetite from advertisers is most definitely there. Yet we have yet to really find a formula or solution for mobile advertising that really, really works. That considers the tactile nature of mobile access and that presents ads in a format that suits both users and advertisers alike.

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180-Degree Video Player: The Ultimate Mobile Experience?

Date 13th June, 2012

Despite his award-winning efforts with still photos and video, Danfung Dennis still didn’t feel he could fully convey the experience of the Iraq or Afghanistan war. So he created a new medium. His startup, Condition One, has developed a video player for the iPad and iPhone that gives users some control over how they view a scene.

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Mobile TV Advertising will Reach £31m in the UK by 2016

Date 12th June, 2012

Mobile TV advertising in the UK will grow by a CAGR of 57.2 per cent between 2012 and 2016, to a total value of £31m, according to PwC’s Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2012-2016 report. Meanwhile, TV as whole – including broadcast, online, and mobile – is only forecast to grow by 2.2 per cent. The total UK entertainment and media market will grow by a CAGR of 3.1 per cent between 2012 and 2016, to a value of £63bn.

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