Android will flourish. Apple will flounder. 2012 will see mobile wallets go mainstream outside of Japan and South Korea and people take advantage of the impulse opportunities to shop local deals on their phones, while relishing in the eCommerce experience afforded by tablets. Web and mobile apps will help us share more, and we will also outsource more. In no particular order, here are some ideas to ponder for 2012:
Android continues to flourish. With better technical specs, ever sleeker designs and sharper pric...
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It's taken a while....a long while, but one of New Zealand's mobile network operators have seen the light and decided to delve into the mobile advertising space first hand, rather than rely exclusively on third-party partners. Leveraging their free to access Live! platform to make high bandwidth content available to consumers at no cost. When the concept launches, you will likely be watching advertisements before you can view the desired content. They will probably try to get you to watch an ad at the end of the ...
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Clear Channel Radio is working with mSpot, to position a number of Clear Channel streaming stations onto the mSpot deck, including Contemporary Hits Radio (CHR) and Urban programming from terrestrial stations WHTZ (New York), WWPR (New York), KHHT (Los Angeles), WGCI (Chicago) and WMIB (Miami). The channels were developed by Clear Channel's Format Lab, a virtual community of programmers and production specialists that generate stations for non-traditional outlets like this one. Over the next month, the group will l...
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The USA's wireless trade association, CTIA has announced that wireless data service revenues for 2006 rose to US$15.2 billion. This represents a 77% increase over 2005. Wireless data revenues now total roughly 13% of all wireless service revenues.
"Wireless broadband is growing faster than cable and DSL combined and because of that fact subscribers are accessing new and exciting types of content on their mobile devices."
CTIA - The Wireless Association President and CEO Steve Largent
More than 158 billi...
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Sprint Slashes Full-Track Download Prices, Matches iTunes
Was the headline that grabbed my attention. A Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MNO) in the US has just twiddled down the price of its full track OTA songs to US$0.99 from what used to be an exorbitant $2.49. Locally in NZ we have seen similar moves, lead by Vodafone, who dropped from NZ$3.50 to NZ$2.00, and eventually matched by Telecom. The indication is that MNO's are realising that people are not willing to pay a premium for downloading songs to their m...
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SpiralFrog, the oasis in the desert, the light at the end of the tunnel for record labels has been causing a stir off late. The site has not yet found its feet as the company continues to grapple with content license holders. In theory, the model is simple: Advertisers pay to be put in front of a a large audience attracted by free and high quality digital downloads. In practice, what we are not told is that Spiral Frog is likely coughing up millions in up front licensing fees to each of the record labels. Furthe...
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Ringtone Sales Begin to Level, Morris Questions Pricing
Ringtones are generally regarded as an indefatigable cash machine, one that will keep churning heavy profits. The mobile jingle has been an unexpected bearer of gifts, and a multi-billion dollar one at that. According to first-half figures from the RIAA, ringtones and related assets contributed revenues of $356.4 million in the US alone, double the amount from last year. And most projections point to explosive growth ahead. That sounds like a lucrative format...
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Over the past six months we have been working on implementing a digital music download solution that will allow radio stations to monetise their audience. The whole system is built around a person's instinct to make an impulse purchase of a song they are listening to. Teh technology is straightforward, however, we have struck hurdles in reaching equitable commercial deals with the record labels and also the mobile network operators.
Digital Radio Downloads Approach British Market
Today i read...
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Here's an example of the kind of stuff I would love to be able to download to my phone and play on the bus, train, taxi or walk to work:
joshualowry.vox.com
Radio stations have a ton of this stuff and consumers just love it. I got sent this one by email, but guess what, I'm not always at my desk and I'd love to be able to go and find content like this when I am bored.
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A company called Cellfire have come out with a downloadable app that let's you download discount and specials coupons to your phone. When you decide to use the coupon, you have to click 'use' and then it looks like a redemption code is generated on the fly. You show this to the cashier, and presto! instant savings. So rather than being a push, broadcast style marketing channel, this is a...."oh yeah, let me check cellfire, maybe I can get a deal somewhere" type of service.
Delivery of mobile coupons in this ma...
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