$19B Acquisition Lighting the Mobile App Developer World On Fire
By John Houghton on March 26, 2014
They say that the rising tide floats all ships. What about a tidal wave? Many people are dumbfounded at the valuations that app companies are receiving, especially in the messaging world, but looking back at history can provide some perspective.
Messaging has been hot for a while, starting with AOL in the 90s, then platforms were developed that integrated the many messaging solutions. Microsoft bought Skype for $8.5 billion in 2011, and although that wasn’t an app deal, it set the tone. Facebook then bought Instagram for $1 billion in 2012; the biggest app deal to date, and it seemed like a lot, but that deal has been totally eclipsed by Facebook’s latest $19 billion dollar […]
Mobile App Increases Revenue at Walmart
By John Houghton on March 18, 2014
“Customers who use the app actually shop with us two times more frequently and spend 40% more than a customer who doesn’t use our apps,” according to Wendy Bergh, Vice President, Mobile & Digital Strategy at Apps World 2014. While many companies want assurance of a return before they invest, Walmart is an example of an innovative company who took a risk by investing in mobile apps without any clear return in sight. By taking a risk and carefully listening to her customers she was able to provide a substantial return on investment to Walmart through mobile apps. It makes sense that Walmart would find this opportunity, because there is a lot of low hanging […]
Sell Your App Idea With a Prototype
By John Houghton on March 6, 2014
The most effective way to sell a mobile app idea is to create a complete prototype so that your stakeholders can get a sense of the full experience of your app. People are visual, and by showing your idea in action you can capture the excitement and give a sense of what the app really does. That’s the advice of Marco Paglia, Google’s Design Lead. An effective presentation can help you secure funding or get your company’s buy-in on the concept and design.
In other words, your prototype needs to be fully functional and complete with graphics and transitions. In order to sell the idea, the prototype must be striking and visually appealing. Then it […]
iBeacon: Secret Weapon For Retailers
By John Houghton on February 25, 2014
As part of our continuing coverage of Apps World 2014 in San Francisco, I talked to Brent Hieggelke, Chief Marketing Officer of Urban Airship. Urban Airship provides notification services for app developers, and this ties very nicely with beacons that can trigger events like personalized notifications when a user is at a particular location in the store.
Until now marketers could only learn about their customers through their web browsing and mobile app usage, but now data are available on a customer’s physical movements throughout the shopping experience. Can you imagine the possibilities? Thus far, advertising costs have dropped dramatically because of the very precise targeting available through online advertising. Now, retailers can set up all […]
Mobile App Developer Hiring Continues
By John Houghton on January 31, 2014
Mobile app developers are in demand and will be for the foreseeable future. According to what I’m seeing in the marketplace, projects that were previously shelved due to lack of funding are now starting to get attention and funding. Apple’s iOS is still the first target for an app’s release, with the iPhone being first, followed at a distance by the iPad. This is despite Android’s dominance and having the market share of mobile devices, but not yet having the mindshare. Apple is the number one brand (according to Interbrand), and everybody wants to be associated with it. All a company has to do is develop a good iOS app; however, that’s not as […]
iOS Developer Salaries Hold Steady
By John Houghton on January 31, 2014
I get a lot of questions about what it costs to develop iOS (iPhone/iPad) apps, and people often wonder what it takes to retain an iOS developer. My company is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, and I’ve hired a lot of iOS developers, so I can share some insights and interpretations about what I see going on.
I checked a number of sources, and it looks to me like the job site Indeed.com has the most accurate numbers. According to Indeed, and as of today, January 30th, 2014, the average iOS developer in San Francisco makes $122,000 per year, while a senior developer makes $139,000 per year. The salary for this job category is […]
iPhone App Development On Windows
By John Houghton on January 30, 2014
I get a lot of questions about the requirements for iPhone app development, and wanted to write a post to clear up some of the confusion. In order to create an app, you need a software development kit, or SDK. It’s best if you get the native SDK from Apple. “Native” means that it is the primary tool that Apple intends for you to use when writing your iPhone app. This SDK can also be used to code apps for the iPad. I recommend that you use the SDK that Apple provides. It is possible to download non-native SDKs from different providers, such as Appcellerator or Phonegap, but by using these non-native SDKs, you become […]
Increase Your Customer Knowledge with Mobile Analytics
By John Houghton on January 29, 2014
Do you want more data about your customers and prospects? It’s a worthwhile pursuit. He who has the data, has the power; and if you have the data, you also stand a much better chance of winning. I remember in my Marketing class at UC Berkeley, when my professor David Aaker explained that in the ‘70s, the grocery store retailers held the power because they controlled the shelf space. Then when the brands began to harness the data, the power position reversed, so that the brands now told the retailers what to do. This is because the brands were first to harness customer data. Information is power, and as the playing field has shifted to mobile, […]
Extreme Mobile Targeting Through iBeacon
By John Houghton on January 29, 2014
One of the biggest problems companies face in advertising is that the majority of advertising spend is wasted, and this drives up the cost a company has to charge for goods and services. Enter iOS (iPhone/iPad) apps and iBeacon. One of the biggest promises in mobile advertising is the ability to put together customer profiles, not only based on online activity, but also physical activity. What if the supermarket knew that a customer had been to the beach on a hot day? Why not suggest a six pack of cold beer and a spray can of sunburn reliever?
Enter the iBeacon. iBeacons work via 2.4 GHz Bluetooth 4.0, which can be powered by small batteries. The […]
Mobile App Development Cost and Design
By John Houghton on January 28, 2014
Two of the toughest issues for mobile app development company stakeholders are cost and design. On the iOS platform (iPhone/iPad), particular attention is paid to design, and Android also has its own design language; however, the navigation patterns can be quite different between the two platforms. In this video episode of Mobile App Development TV, we talk to Pete Petras, who is the US Creative Director for Globant. Globant is a technology service provider focused on developing compelling experiences with particular expertise in mobile app development. Pete talks about the cost incurred when companies undertake development projects, and how user experience is becoming a driving factor in app success. Watch the video now:
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