Mobile apps | Internet Marketing Blog

Localization: the next big to-do for mobile app developers?

When the web was young, most websites were in English. This wasn't exactly surprising. After all, the web first emerged in the United States in a big way and was its largest initial market.

Over time, of course, the web has come to bring the world closer together and in turn, give companies anywhere in the world opportunities global in size.

For many companies, that meant moving beyond the English language to reach customers and stakeholders in their native tongues.

by Patricio Robles 03 November 2011 17:31pm 4 comments

Native apps versus mobile websites: three simple rules

Should you build a native app or a mobile website? The answer depends on who you ask, and there's a very good chance that the person you ask will have very strong feelings one way or the other.

Yes, the native versus web debate is still alive and well, and those on both sides are still ready to throw down over their beliefs.

by Patricio Robles 24 October 2011 13:35pm 10 comments

Adobe doubles down on its HTML5 mobile bet

For Adobe, the rise of mobile, and the iPhone and iPad in particular, has been bittersweet.

Yes, the company most recognizable to consumers for its Reader and Flash products, has plenty of new opportunities thanks to mobile, but exploiting them has required the company to look at a number of Plan Bs.

The primary reason: Apple doesn't like Flash. Adobe tried to persuade Apple that Flash isn't so bad, but that wasn't going anywhere, so the company has been increasingly betting its mobile future on other technologies, like HTML5.

by Patricio Robles 04 October 2011 16:26pm 1 comment

Mozilla's WebAPI: one mobile API to rule them all

Will the future of mobile apps be controlled by native apps, or web apps? Or will both share the spotlight?

Today, there's little doubt that native apps are winning the hearts and minds of consumers and developers alike. And for good reason: if you want a great experience that takes full advantage of the capabilities of today's most advanced mobile phones, you need a native app.

by Patricio Robles 24 August 2011 14:11pm 1 comment

Start Me Up! A profile of We&Co

We&Co is a new location-based app that is all about great service. If you receive excellent customer service you can 'thank' those responsible. It's a fine concept, given the importance of customer experience in modern business.

I asked co-founder Ryan Jones to provide us with a lowdown on the app...

by Chris Lake 09 August 2011 13:36pm 0 comments

Five tips for building addictive mobile apps

According to a new survey conducted by MTV Networks (MTVN), a whopping 83% of mobile app users say they're addicted to their apps. For obvious reasons, that's good news for companies participating in the still-rapidly growing app economies built around Apple iOS and Google Android.

But of course, not all apps are successful. In fact, another new study shows that nearly a third of the Android apps released on Android Market have disappeared.

by Patricio Robles 09 June 2011 15:48pm 2 comments

Fortune bets on the web for its Fortune500+ mobile app

Mobile is here to stay, and publishers are eager to embrace it, even if figuring out how to is not an easy task.

Thus far, publishers have focused much of their effort on building native mobile apps, and it's no surprise why: mobile apps are being downloading at a frantic pace.

According to a recent report by IHS Screen Digest, the top four mobile app stores may generate close to $4bn in revenue this year, and ABI Research has forecast that by 2016, consumers will download 44bn mobile apps.

by Patricio Robles 05 May 2011 14:12pm 1 comment

Mobile app sales to explode in 2011: report

Mobile applications have taken off in the past several years. Thanks in large part to the rise of the iPhone, millions upon millions of consumers treat their mobiles like computing devices. It's a trend that nobody expects to slow anytime soon.

But despite the rapid growth of mobile apps, when it comes to app sales, there's good news for everyone in the mobile ecosystem: the best is yet to come.

by Patricio Robles 27 January 2011 10:03am 3 comments

Amazon's Android app store pricing model could be good for developers

It's no surprise that Amazon is launching an app store for Android. The ecommerce giant has come a long way since it started selling books online. Today, Amazon is rapidly evolving into a content company. And mobile apps are already a big part of the digital content business.

But despite Amazon's brand and size, there's no guarantee that it will become a successful player in the mobile app space. Apple is the 800 pound gorilla, and history isn't exactly conclusive when it comes to Amazon versus Apple. While Amazon's Kindle seems to be holding its own with the iPad, its MP3 store has hardly put a dent in the success of iTunes.

by Patricio Robles 17 January 2011 09:32am 1 comment

Can carrier billing save Android Market?

Google's Android operating system may be a prominent fixture in the mobile world, but when looking at the app economy within it, Android is having a hard time competing with Apple and iOS.