apps | Internet Marketing Blog

Apple shows chinks in the armor with Maps fiasco

Apple just won a billion-dollar lawsuit against its biggest competitor, Samsung. The iPhone 5 is selling well, despite overzealous analyst expectations. The company could, at some point in the not-too-distant future, be the world's first to be valued at one trillion dollars.

It can be easy to forget that Apple isn't perfect, but the high-flying company seems to be trying its best to remind us in the wake of its Maps fiasco.

by Patricio Robles 01 October 2012 14:15pm 7 comments

Retail executives cautious about mobile investments: report

It's hard to find a market today that isn't being impacted by the rapid growth in mobile usage. Smartphone penetration continues to hit new milestones and executives in just about every industry are trying to figure out how to capture the mobile opportunities that increasingly seem within reach.

Just how big are these opportunities?

by Patricio Robles 12 September 2012 14:47pm 3 comments

Facebook and gambling: what it means for brands

Despite its rocky debut as a public company, Facebook is focused on a long-term strategy. Or at least that's what the company's top executives say.

But actions speak louder than words, and it's increasingly clear that the world's largest social network is pushing to increase revenue meaningfully as quickly as possible.

by Patricio Robles 07 August 2012 20:10pm 2 comments

Apple finds itself playing defense in the App Store

Life is generally pretty easy for Apple. Consumers love its products, which they continue to snap up at a rapid pace, and the company's iOS ecosystem is arguably the most impressive around.

But the past week has been anything but easy for the Cupertino-based tech giant.

by Patricio Robles 06 July 2012 20:52pm 3 comments

Do I really need an app for that? [video]

2012 saw the 30 billionth download from the Apple App Store and there are now over 650,000 different apps available to consumers. Apple’s assertion that “There is an app for that” does indeed appear to be correct.

2012 has been labeled the year of the app, but as you consider your mobile strategy it is legitimate to ask: “Do I need an app for that?”

This video is adapted from a talk I gave at this years IWMW and explores the context in which an app is the right solution. It also highlights the situations in which other mobile web solutions are the right approach for your organisation and your users.

Voted the best talk at this year's conference, this presentation is a must watch for anybody deciding on their mobile strategy.

by Rob Borley 06 July 2012 10:17am 3 comments

App Store issue causing iOS apps to crash

Developing iOS apps can be a rewarding and, for some, extremely lucrative exercise. But life isn't always easy for developers building iOS apps and distributing them through Apple's App Store, particularly when things go wrong.

Dozens of developers are being reminded of that today after an App Store issue began causing their apps to crash when users try to launch them.

by Patricio Robles 05 July 2012 16:22pm 1 comment

A personal trainer and entertainer in my pocket: social gaming and apps for diet and exercise

As smart phones and tablets flood the market, a quickly emerging trend is the use of apps and social gaming to encourage healthy eating and exercise habits.

Brands that are focused on improving health have seen this as an opportunity to drive healthy behavior changes and build lasting relationships with customers.

by Danielle Mackie 28 June 2012 21:37pm 1 comment

Microsoft announces Windows Phone 8

Windows 8 may be the biggest, boldest bet Microsoft has made in recent memory, and perhaps ever.

And the stakes got a lot higher for Microsoft on Wednesday as it announced what some had been speculating would come to pass: a new version of Windows Phone.

by Patricio Robles 21 June 2012 14:09pm 2 comments

Apple woos developers with promise of Chinese riches

Thanks to the incredible popularity of its devices, Apple may have one of the strongest software ecosystems out there, if not the strongest. If you're a developer and you're looking to strike it rich, there are few ecosystems that can compare.

In reality, of course, your chances of hitting the jackpot in the App Store are probably about as high as winning a lottery. The competition is fierce and most developers don't see their apps don't fly off the shelves. While that doesn't mean developers will flee Apple's ecosystem any time soon, it does pose a risk for Apple, who must look for new ways to keep developers on its side.

At WWDC this week, Apple may have found a way to do just that: China.

by Patricio Robles 12 June 2012 16:43pm 2 comments

Debenhams rolls out free wi-fi in its stores

Debenhams announced today that it will be providing free wi-fi in partnership with O2, in all of its 167 stores.

The wi-fi coverage will allow customers to access information about products, view reviews, order out of stock items, and receive discount vouchers straight to their mobiles.

This is a smart move from Debenhams, and one which addresses the threat of mobile use in store and turns it to the retailer's advantage.

by Graham Charlton 12 June 2012 10:22am 3 comments