State of Mobile Report

App Annie is well-positioned to comment on what is happening with mobile apps as they've been crawling the app stores from nearly the beginning.

Their 2019 report is worth reading for a free registration but you can get a quick run-down via Forbes. Basically mobile gaming is a massive business and is still growing at a double-digit rate.

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Global app store consumer spend reached $101 billion in 2018, up 75 percent from 2016. This figure is expected to exceed $120 billion in 2019, according to mobile data and analytics provider App Annie. The company released its annual The State of Mobile in 2019 Report — a comprehensive guide for businesses looking at mobile.
Here is the full article:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tjmccue/2019/01/30/mobile-app-state-of-mobile-2019-report-from-app-annie/#6d3a8eb434ab

Go here to get the full report:

https://www.appannie.com/en/go/state-of-mobile-2019/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

eCommerce Native App or Hybrid Progressive?

I've had quite a few conversations this year around the question of when a company, retailer or manufacturer looking to go direct to consumers, should build a Native mobile app.

That isn't an easy question to answer.

The company culture comes in to play and the relationship the brand has with its customers.  If you just need a simple interface for online sales then why build a native app?  Mobile web is a great solution.

Then one app I've been using came to mind: Hamilton

Yes, the app for the Broadway musical.  For a while I was in that app every day as the lottery for shows in Boston was held every day.  I found myself doing lots of other things in the app and play around with it a bit even now that the show has moved on from Boston.  It occurred to me if they can get me in to their app every day then the opportunity exists for other brands to do the same.  If the relationship with their customers demands it.

Here is a little article on a different approach:

https://econsultancy.com/five-ecommerce-brands-success-progressive-web-apps/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Essentially, PWAs [progressive web apps] are mobile apps that are delivered through the web. By using an app shell and pre-caching on a user’s phone, they can be added to the home screen and will load instantly.

Google states that 53% of users will abandon a site if it takes longer than three seconds to load. As a result, the functionality of a PWA can simplify the online shopping experience, and even improve conversions.

Recently, we’ve seen a number of ecommerce brands capitalise on the technology.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

The New iOS for your iPhone and iPad

iOS 12 is out now and once again Apple is playing catchup with its hardware.

The hardware in their mobile line is 2nd to none in most areas but the software behind it lags year after year. 

The first two paragraphs in this story tells quite a bit:

Apple's iOS 12 software update is available today for supported iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices, and on the surface, it looks like one of the smallest new iOS releases Apple has pushed out.

This isn't a surprise; Apple said earlier this year that iOS 12 would be more about performance and stability than adding new features. Some major additions that were originally planned—like an overhauled home screen—were reportedly delayed to a later release.

Here is the full story:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/09/ios-12-thoroughly-reviewed/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Apple Car Play Finally Opening Up

Do you have a preferred map navigation program?

I admit I became completely hooked on Waze when you could select Elvis Presley for your navigation voice.

<Elvis Voice> Uhh Right hand turn comin up baby.<End Elvis Voice>

Not so much since it was acquired by Google, lost the Elvis voice, and the real-time traffic data began showing up on Google Maps.

My new car, a 2017 I bought last summer, has Apple CarPlay in it that I never use.  Why?  It works great if you stay within the walled garden of Apple programs.  Want a map program other than Apple's?  Nope.  Music? Just play from your iPhone (Apple Music) and it works great but Sat Radio?  No, not going to be friendly with that.

Finally some of that will change with the new version of iOS coming soon.

Here is the full story:

https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-carplay-ios-12-will-finally-let-you-use-google-maps-waze/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

**UPDATE** The big iOS update has quite a bit more to it.  Read on: iOS UPDATE DETAILS at CNET

What to do About Smartphone Addicts?

Is there a smartphone addict in your life?

Is it you?

Your significant other?

Children?

Co-workers?

Students?

What can you do about it?

Plenty.

Read more here:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2018/02/05/this-millennial-discovered-a-surprisingly-simple-solution-to-smartphone-addiction-schools-love-it/?utm_term=.7e4c900d9068

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Ditch the phones.

He founded a company, Yondr, whose small, gray pouches swallow phones and lock them away from the fingers and eyes of their addicted owners. Since it started in 2014, hundreds of thousands of the neoprene pouches have been used across North America, Europe and Australia.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Improving Retail Mobile Apps

Continuing the discussion on retail mobile apps.  I've been in and around this game for many years.  What I see is a new kind of "Tier 1" retailer. 

There's the classic Tier 1, but then there is a superpower level.  That retailer has it all: great retail stores, great mobile app, great online shopping.  Which ones qualify?  Walmart, Amazon, Target, Starbucks .... anyone else?

Here is the story:

https://www.clickz.com/retailers-improve-app-experience/207018/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Most retail apps leave something to be desired, according to Jim Cusson, President at retail marketing agency Theory House.

“I think of that quote from Field of Dreams: ‘If you build it, they will come,’” he says. “A few years ago, there was this rush to build apps and everyone wanted one, whether it had a true purpose or not. You see a lot of injured soldiers on the battlefield now because companies have invested money in an app that’s obsolete.”

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Retailers and their Mobile Apps

Recently found a great little website for all things related to digital marketing.  Worth checking out:

https://www.clickz.com/

Here's one of the stories that grabbed my attention.  6 retailers who have outstanding mobile apps:

https://www.clickz.com/6-retail-brands-nailing-app-game/207024/

Here's a snippet from that piece:

Earlier this year, the app market data and insights company found that the typical consumer uses 10 apps per day. For most people, it’s unlikely that many of those 10 are retail apps. Amazon is the category’s sole representative on Apple’s Top Chart.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Why I’m Going to Buy the New iPhone X

What matters to you when it comes to smart phones?  Latest and greatest?  Well, okay, but what does that do for you?  Why does the latest and greatest matter to you?  Utility then?  Okay.  What does this new gadget do that I need and wasn’t available before?

What if it’s just better?

That’s why I’ll pick up the iPhone X when it comes out.  Forget about the silly (but perhaps hyper futuristic) “Face ID” capability where you unlock the device with you face.  This new beauty has the very best screen, OLED, and the best camera, and is in the form that I prefer.

Here’s what sold it for me: the dimensions of the device.  I’m going to boor you a moment with some numbers.

Dimensions of previous iPhones:
iPhone 6S – 5.44” x 2.64”
iPhone 6S Plus – 6.23”x3.07”
iPhone 7 and 8 are similar to the 6S
iPhone X – 5.65”x2.79”

Let us take a look at that.  Starting with the 6S series the camera was improved in the “Plus” version over the smaller phone.  This has continued through the 7 and now 8.  Want the nicer camera?  You have to get the much larger device.  This has bothered me, but Apple just changed that.

They took the hardware of the larger “Plus” models and put it in to the much smaller iPhone X, plus they  greatly improved the screen to OLED technology, and only had to make it slightly bigger than the smaller non-Plus phones. That’s what I’ve wanted all along.  The quality phone of the “Plus” with the form factor of the non-Plus.

That’s it.  I’m in.

Prediction time.  We’ll see the iPhone X sell well and the next generation will bring back the “Plus” concept to the premier level phone.  We’ll get something like an iPhone 8S with 8S Plus and a premium iPhone XI with XI Plus.  Coming to your local Apple store in 2018.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Apple Event 2017

I actually wrote this up quite a while ago but then needed to transfer it to my blog.  Ugh.  My new workflow for this is not pretty, but I'll find a way.

Here goes...

iPhone
Three new phones: the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and … the iPhone X (or “ten”).  I’ll pop an article or two at the bottom of this entry.

iPhone 8 and 8 Plus
Think iPhone 7 improved.  Or as one writer noted about the new glass backed phone “now you can shatter the glass on the front AND back of your expensive new phone”.  It is necessary for wireless charging introduced with this version so … okay, fine it looks good too.

iPhone X
This is the one we had heard about and were waiting for and it mostly lived up to the hype.  They basically took the guts of the iPhone 8 Plus and put it in to a form factor like the plain ole 8.  Not huge like the Plus, but with the excellent camera and a greatly improved screen with (finally) OLED technology.  This is a really great phone.

Apple Watch
Fitness and health is the mantra for these wearables and with good reason.  The series 3 mostly improves the software around those with version 4 of the software but also adds an option for LTE connectivity so you can leave your phone at home and still get data, phone calls, etc.  The first time you hail a Lyft ride from your watch you’ll gasp I’m sure.

Apple TV 4K
So now that the whole world of television has gone to 4K resolution Apple is finally following.  Great.  Next.

Not a bad event this year, but, these keynotes are really feeling unnecessary to me.

Here are the articles:
Wired.com has a page with links to a few articles, one for each new product line.
https://www.wired.com/2017/09/apple-iphone-2017-liveblog/

Want to save some money on the new iPhones?
http://fortune.com/2017/09/14/apple-iphone-x-black-friday-deals/

Did Face ID fail on stage?  No, the rehearsal failed, according to Apple
https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-face-id-didnt-fail-during-iphone-x-demo/

The iPhone at 10 Years Old - It Begins

We will be seeing a bunch of these articles as the 10 year anniversary approaches.

I have one phone from each major update, including a working original iPhone.  I have the Game 4 from the 2004 ALCS MLB game between Boston and New York on it that I pull up some times.

Good little read here to see how far the smartphone has come:

https://www.cnet.com/news/using-the-2007-iphone-in-2017/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

App Marketing in 2017

Great little read that should help update your (and my) understanding of how to market mobile apps today.

Here is a snippet from the piece:

In the early days of apps, life used to be so simple. You built it, released it into the app store(s), spread the word about it and waited for the downloads to roll in. That was in the days when apps were novelty items and people were still amazed at the utility and functionality that could be coded into something they could keep on their homescreen and use whenever they wanted.

Fast forward a few years – nine to be exact – and things look somewhat different. While mobile phone OS fragmentation has eased somewhat, leaving iOS and Android as virtually the last men standing, the fact remains that there are more than 2m apps in Apple’s App Store, and another 2m+ in the Google Play store.

Here is the article:

http://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/app-marketing-101

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

BRotD - Entry 0250 Mobile App Marketing

Best Reading of the Day

Great article, yet again, from the folks at Google.

Never forget however they are looking to sell you something.  Don't let that stop you from reading this if you are in to mobile apps.

https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/articles/app-marketing-new-download-growth-engaged-users.html

Here is a snippet from the piece:

App marketers may be flush with new downloads, but not everyone is equipped to make loyal users out of them. Ken Rudin, director of growth and analysis at Google, shares tips on how data can provide the insights needed to keep new users engaged and loyal.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

BRotD - Entry 0249 Microsoft vs. Apple

Best Reading of the Day

The never ending war continues.  It is as if the novel "1984" was actually about computer wars struggling for the hearts and minds of customers everywhere (not to belittle the tragedy of war).

Great read though:

http://www.cio.com/article/3188853/it-industry/microsoft-vs-apple-strategies-change-but-the-battle-continues.html

Here is a snippet from the piece:

The Microsoft vs. Apple argument is getting old. At this point, it's safe to say there's enough room in the enterprise for both tech giants. Still, it's difficult to ignore when one starts to surpass the other in either enterprise or consumer popularity.

Earlier this month, Apple revealed to TechCrunch that Windows 10 is four times as popular as macOS or OS X, with 400 million estimated devices running Microsoft's OS. And earlier in 2016, Microsoft claimed that disappointment over the MacBook Pro drove sales of the Surface Book and Surface Pro 4.

Although the numbers suggest Windows 10 is more popular, it's also important to note that Windows 10 is available on more tablets and laptops than macOS or iOS, with greater options for entry-level and budget models. It's easier to own multiple Windows 10 devices on a budget, compared to Apple's smartphones, tablets and notebooks.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Smart Phone One-Handed Mode

Ever since Apple decided to make their flagship iPhone larger I've enjoyed the larger screen while missing the usability of the days when one hand was enough to do everything on my phone.

To help with this Apple introduced what their marketing geniuses called "Reachability" where you double-tap the home button to pull down all of the icons on your phone.

I never use that function.  Never.

But what about this?

https://thenextweb.com/mobile/2017/04/03/every-smartphone-phone-come-one-handed-mode/#.tnw_nasSC5wC

Check out that screenshot.  The entire screen shrunk down, on command, to make it simulate a smaller device.  Now that is cool.  All of the advantages of a larger screen with few of the drawbacks.

Awesome.

This is now my must-have feature for iOS.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Apple App Store Revamped

Still can be hard to fathom, at times, exactly how enormous the app store business is.

Enormous.

Gigantic.

Any changes have enormous, gigantic ramifications and Apple has just changed quite a bit. Good to take a look:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-21/apple-s-app-store-gets-a-makeover

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Apple Inc.'s App Store has turned countless software developers into millionaires since its launch almost a decade ago. But working with the famously controlling company has often been frustrating. Apps were rejected with little explanation, and Apple has been stingy about sharing customer data that could have helped developers improve their products.

Apple can no longer afford to brush off the developer community. With sales of iPhone, iPad and Macs slowing, the company is under pressure to extract more revenue from services, a bright spot that includes the apps business.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Charging Your Smart Phone

I've recently gone through a bit of a learning curve on the reliability of that battery indicator in our smartphones.  Turns out 100% may not be 100% all the time.  Seems completely ... false but I can't conclude otherwise after my recent experiences.

Cutting to the chase for those who don't want to read a bunch or dive in to the details: (1) make sure you have a good power cord for charging, plugged in to the wall, (2) ensure your battery charging port on your phone is clean.

Okay, so what brought this on?  I've noticed my aging iPhone 6 has been having battery issues.  Just doesn't seem to hold a charge well now, after more than 2 years of use (hey, its the 10 year anniversary of the iPhone and I'm holding out for this year's model!).  I've never put this phone in to a case so I don't have a protective cover for the battery port (bingo!).  Plus, my amazon generic charging cord was busting and barely working.  Regardless, if I left it plugged in long enough the reading achieved 100%.  Good to go right?  No.  Battery charging would collapse quickly after unplugging.  I figured the aging battery was going bad, at least, until I dropped it once more and the LCD quit working.

$100, a new LCD with a new scratch-free glass screen (bonus!), a free cleaning of the battery port, AND a new power cord suddenly changed everything.

Wow!  Not quite like a new phone but greatly improved.  When this phone reaches 100% it lasts most of the day, once again.  Wow!

So, 100% may not actually be 100%? Yeap.

Here is an article on cleaning your battery port:

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/use-a-toothpick-to-clean-out-your-iphone/

Here is a piece on the problems the iPhone 6 and 6S has been having with the battery indicator:

http://fortune.com/2016/01/19/battery-issues-iphone-6s-and-6s-plus/

Don't assume just because you don't own an iPhone 6 or 6S you won't have similar problems.  Follow the recommendations above to get the most out of your aging device.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

**UPDATE** Wow, just found this about an Apple battery replacement program for the 6S and maybe coming for the 6:
https://appadvice.com/post/iphone-6-battery/735269

Apple Purging their App Store

The Google Play store has been a bit of a mess every time I've ventured there, with deceptive or fake apps all over the place.  Microsoft has problems as well.  Now Apple is publicly cleaning up its store.

Worth a read for iOS users and those interested in generally following these market places:

https://techcrunch.com/2016/11/15/apples-big-app-store-purge-is-now-underway/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Earlier this year, Apple promised it would clean up its iOS App Store by removing outdated, abandoned apps, including those that no longer meet current guidelines or don’t function as intended. That great App Store purge now appears to be underway, according to new data from app intelligence firm Sensor Tower. The company found that app removals increased by 238 percent in October 2016, with mobile games seeing the most deletions.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Apple Watch Apps Not Happening

New data on the development front is quite interesting.

Very, very few new apps for the iPhone are also providing a watch app companion.  Not a good sign when you are Apple trying to get a new platform up and running.

Read on:

http://watchaware.com/post/17232/realm-developers-losing-interest-in-the-apple-watch

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

UX for Mobile - Menu Navigation Methods and the Hamburger Stack

I've referenced the following article a few times in my professional life and found I hadn't grabbed it for my professional blog.  I'm correcting that oversight now.

Ever wonder how and why we build the ways we choose to navigate in your favorite apps?  Have you ever used an app, or website, and thought you had a great "experience" using it, or, more likely, a terrible experience?

Read on:

http://thenextweb.com/dd/2014/04/08/ux-designers-side-drawer-navigation-costing-half-user-engagement/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

So, you have a mobile app where there are more pages or sections than can fit on a mobile screen at once. Your first thought might be to create a tabbed design, with a row of tabs along the top or buttons along the bottom.

But wait… that extra row of tabs or buttons wastes a lot of valuable real estate on a small mobile display, so let’s not do that. Instead, let’s move the options into a side menu, or side drawer, as our Android team keep reminding me it’s called.

Here is one more article on this:

http://techcrunch.com/2014/05/24/before-the-hamburger-button-kills-you/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

BRotD - Entry 0235 Are You Investing Too Much in Your Mobile App?

Best Reading of the Day

I've spent many years working on software development projects and was an early adopter of smart phones with their "apps".  The past few years I've worked exclusively on mobile apps in a consumer-facing product capacity so I'm fluent in the strengths and weaknesses of mobile apps.  However I'm also likely biased, with an inherent blind spot, in favor of mobile apps due to my career choices.

How can we shine some light in to the darkness of our blind spots with out asking questions and challenging ourselves?  A recent article by the folks over at Econsultancy will help me and might help you as well. It is titled "Eight Reasons to Kill Your Native Mobile App".

https://econsultancy.com/blog/66977-eight-reasons-to-kill-your-native-mobile-app/

The key word there is 'native'. They aren't declaring a withdrawal from support of mobile in general, just emphasizing the native development vs. mobile web question.  Native apps are much, much more expensive than mere mobile websites or 'hybrids' where a simple app encapsulates mobile web content.

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Companies have invested significant sums in developing native mobile apps but the harsh reality is that many have little to show for it.

While many continue to maintain and invest in their apps despite the results, some are deciding that it's better to pull the plug.

One such company is Atavist, a digital magazine that launched in 2010 just as excitement around media consumption on phones and tablets was building.

But five years later, the upstart publisher came to the conclusion that the most sensible thing to do was kill its native app.

When should a company make a similar decision? Here are eight reasons it might make sense to retire a native app...

The article linked in that snippet is worth reading as well.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant