App Employment – Jobs in Apps

We are starting to see some spectacular numbers from our American friends as to how many jobs in apps have been created in such a short time. As Australia frets about the slowdown in hard commodities and the debate will rage for years about how we handled the wealth of our resource boom as another boom is shaping.

Firstly to mention one VC’s comments recently he joked that we’d made such a mess of the mining boom they were now looking at soft commodities such as grains, farming and more importantly technology companies for investing opportunities.

So here are some facts from America from a board member of the Application Developers Alliance. Nationwide in the States the app economy has produced 519,000 plus jobs. The study showed app developers and consultants were being recruited by large corporations, government departments, start ups and tech companies across the country.

In America the app industry has created more than a half million jobs in the 5 years since Apple’s iPhone launched. This in itself shows how much of an exciting time it is to be building, launching, consulting or developing apps for mobile devices.

The data for Australia we imagine has the ability to be just as impressive, as a nation we embrace mobile technology more every day. So for all the doomsayers asking where all the mining jobs will go. Who knows but the app economy has capacity.

Domain Names And The Appconomy

It’s easy to see how the growth of the mobile industry is unstoppable and changing the way we interact with our mobile devices.

Using the iPad for the first time was a revelation in where the world is heading and similar to the 90’s and websites being the new frontier we now have apps. The incredible thing about tablets either Android or Apple is that they are faster, the display is sharper and the user experience is better.

As someone who has always held an interest in domain names and their perceived value it started to dawn on me I hadn’t used a browser on the iPad for over 10 days. Just about everything I needed was accessible via an app.

The home screen I set up was full of apps for sites like Twitter, You Tube, and Facebook. So if it was a gaming app, an app for productivity or the Google Docs on the GDrive app, to do lists, with the Reminder app, or watch videos on YouTube they were all there. Nowhere in my day to day use of normal surfing did I need a domain name typed into a web browser.

Of course I’m not trying to say this is the end of search and web browsing but what I can definitively say that unless I was using my desktop for work research, domains didn’t matter, as there is an app for everything.

As a passionate domain owner I’ve realised I need to accept my portfolio may no longer be worth what it was 2 years ago. For normal users, browser usage is decreasing in favor of apps. Most major websites of significance have an app, which makes use prettier and easier to use than the browser version.

Apart from searching for solutions on Bing and Google, most people only visit a few websites daily therefore when apps for these are widely available, browser searching will fall away from levels we currently know.
Apps having the ability to replace domain names as the id and location of sites now don’t come as a shock to those who’ve been around since the boom times of the net. Domains names have been created as a nicer and easier way to remember a complex web address.

Working in the industry I can imagine a future where sites exist as placeholders for app download pages. As human nature shows through the use of technology touching an app icon on a tablet or smart mobile phone, is even easier than trying to find the correct web address. Especially after Google decides to throw out another algorithm change just as you think you have corrected your site since the last update.

The future is in favor of this app economy. Windows 8 ‘Metro’ has its interface designed to be used with apps, surfing the web is almost treated as something that had to be included. So App developers and consultants you’re on the money as web browsers will eventually be a second best to app stores which I have to realise will make the relevance of domain names decrease over time as I guess so too will the value of some.

We are already experiencing this among mobile startups worldwide whose primary products are mobile and tablet apps. They are happy to use prefix domains, dash domains and numerical domains as they are aware their app will actually be discovered and from inside an app store, and not the internet.

As a portfolio owner of several domain names I can think of all the reasons on the planet to argue against what is happening. However working among the industry I can’t pretend the internet isn’t going through some fundamental changes. For two decades, typing a domain name into a browser was the only way to navigate to a website. Now, there are several. Sales for smart phones will hit 1.6 billion in 2016; sales for tablets will be around the 450 million mark. We are seeing some people use their smart phones as a primary internet device. As the user experience is made to engage users with smart phones and tablets engineered web traffic is likely to decrease, especially in my developed world first.

So thankfully I get to see the world as glass half full. I've made a lot of friends setting up internet companies and with that can come some riches too. However as I sit here and write this I an also appreciative of having been introduced to the exciting world of apps. I think the smart people in the industry are placing a down side to the value of a good domain. Great domains will still achieve great value and sale prices. Imagine ten years from where we are now.  Nothing stays the same and the internet changes at a break neck pace.

Nokia phones as heavy as bricks and websites were where you went to because they had the information or product you desired. How will things be in the next five years? You would be a brave and naive person to think domain names and websites will still be having the importance they have today.

The Stunning Growth of Android Mobile Devices

So Apple’s early leader advantage in the smart mobile phone and tablet markets with the iPhone and iPad products are lagging behind the growth of Android.

Thanks to the development of Google they have caught up and to a certain extent overrun the competition on the market. Google have taken the operating system from a basic concept to a streamlined, powerhouse in just a few short years of mobile development.

Let’s look at the numbers of Android devices sold each and now every day to look at how mobile technology is changing how the world communicates. More than 1.3 million Android devices are being activated each day and this amazing growth shows no sign of slowing down.

Product Management Director for Android announced yesterday 500 million devices are now active since the beginning of the operating system in September 2008.

So why should you take notice of this platform? It’s because of its open nature that companies across the globe have been able to harness the technology of internet capable devices that almost anyone can afford to buy in the Western World. Google’s open approach to its software development has allowed it to overtake iOS due to the difference in how Apple and Google are doing business against each other.

With the release of the new Smartphone from Apple today (the new iPhone5) we see once again it’s for Apple products only. They develop each Apple product alongside the operating system with some developers believing native development is the only option. However Android is made to work as best as possible with any many numbers of hardware variations that is now on the market.

Do not be fooled by sharp talking developers that iOS native is the only way to develop an app for example. Android which seen by some developers as frustrating to themselves and consumers are misguided statements. Having seen Google innovate at a rapid pace and improve its market dominance daily, one can hardly argue.

So the biggest losers in this exploding market are Microsoft and RIM who can hardly compete and are hoping their latest generation of operating systems will try to recover some of their former market share.

Microsoft with the Windows Phone 8 has many critics praising the new OS platform. Let’s see what they do in the coming months.

Google sets its standards high and its market growth targets even higher. So what are we seeing today on the back of Apple’s iPhone 5 release? The fact is Android is growing at a faster rate than they anticipated and now the platform is making its way into Cars, TV’s and Laptops. How many Android devices will have been activated this time next year? Maybe 1 billion but what we do know is that if you want an experience that the masses are enjoying every day you don’t just need to reach for an Apple a day to get into the app market or turn on a smartphone or tablet.

Mobile Tech News September 11th 2012

Mobile technology news for 11th September:

Apple Reduces Chip Order From Samsung
While the Apple and Samsung relationship has always been complicated, it appears that Apple Inc is starting to take action by reducing orders for memory chips for its new iPhone from main supplier and competitor Samsung Electronics Co according to Reuters.

Samsung is a core Apple supplier that produces micro-processors, display screens and memory chips (DRAM and NAND) for the iPhone, iPad and iPod.  Reuters report that Apple has been cutting back its orders from Samsung as it seeks to diversify its supply lines.

Amazon Appstore Reaches 50,000 App Milestone
On top of the latest Kindle release Amazon has announced that they passed 50,000 apps on its Android-based Appstore after just 18 months in business.  While this doesn't compare to the 6000,000 apps on Google Play, this benchmark will prove beneficial as Amazon continues to grow in the app space.

Amazon's Jeff Bezos recently stated: “Kindle Fire is a service. What does it mean for a hardware device to be a service? It greets you by name. It has the lowest prices on content, it keeps your place for you, it keeps all of your content in the Amazon cloud, backed up, worry-free,” which demonstrates the huge emphasis they are placing on the services above the hardware.

Amazon Expanding In-App Purchases To Include Physical Goods
In a clear shot at Apple Inc, Amazon have announced that they will start allowing Amazon 1-Click Purchasing to be used for in-app purchases on the Kindle.  Starting with Activisions Skylanders Cloud Patrol users will be able to purchase a physical toy and a digital version of the character to be used within the 99 cent game.  This is sure to expand to other products such as Angry Birds who already have an extensive merchandising line through retail outlets and Zynga which is close to completing a licensing deal with Hasbro to develop a wide range of toy and game experiences based on FarmVille and their other successful games.

Real Money iPhone Gambling Starts In The UK
The Big Fish Casino app, available on iOS and Android has been enabled by Betable, a UK based gaming service that has developed an API to enable developers to quickly provide a payment engine for users to play with real money in apps.  Most likely, all payments are being processed through Apple iTunes which would ensure Apple gets their standard 30% cut and surely makes this proposition more palatable for the once gambling-phobic Apple.

Is Bada Samsung's Backup OS Plan?
Given the legal trouble currently surrounding Samsung, it is easy to overlook the fact that Samsung already have their own Bada operating system which pre-dated their current Android engagement and could provide a Plan B in case things with Android don't work out as planned.  While it would certainly take a solid commitment to re-invigorate Bada, a lot of the related infrastructure (i.e. an app store ecosystem) is already in place and the OS originally shipped on seven Samsung devices and could easily be brought back to life.

Enterprise Application Development A Top Priority For CIO's
With Gartner predicting that mobile application development projects targeting smartphones and tablets will outnumber native PC projects by a ratio of 4:1 by 2015 provides an indicator that mobility is clearly on the minds of enterprise CIO's.  With cloud computing changing the way applications are designed, tested and deployed teams are more able to quickly and easily develop new apps in a rapidly changing environment and while cost is still a major driver, agility, flexibility and speed to deploy new applications will drive the majority of development through mainstream enterprises and government agencies.

Mobile Tech News September 5th 2012

Mobile technology news for 5th September 2012:

Can Nokia Come Out On Top In Apple v Samsung?

It is possible that the troubled handset maker may get a boost from the recent verdict in the Apple Vs. Samsung legal tussles which have the potential to add value to Nokia's huge library of mobile patents.  With over 10,000 mobile-related patents registered over the decades in which it led the mobile industry, these could form the foundation for a resurgence (or buy-out) of Nokia.

Who Was Really Behind The Facebook I.P.O Disaster

The New York Times is reporting that Facebook's chief financial officer, David Ebersman was behind the critical decision making that has seen the company lose more than $50 billion in market value in just 90 days.  While the Facebook I.P.O has certainly received its fair share of coverage in the media, until now, the majority of blame has fallen at the feet of Mark Zuckerberg and the Nasdaq computer glitches on Facebook's first day of trading.

Why Coupons Are Driving The Mobile Payment Craze

Juniper Research estimates that the mobile market could be worth about $670 billion by 2015 and with 58% of consumers now shopping with coupons, this appears to be a match made in heaven.  The coupons and special offers are driving the success of many retail apps as they deliver a more convenient way to redeem rewards, thus increasing app usage and user retention.

Are Apps Becoming Essential For Retailers

The Business Insider War Room reports on a Harris Interactive survey suggesting at least 54% of mobile app users indicated that it could cost them a wasted trip to a retail store just because they don't have a mobile app developed that included prices, product availability and other useful information.  This is an interesting shift and clearly shows that consumers are looking for apps with local business information.

Don't Ignore The Web In The Rush To Mobile

While a mobile-first strategy may be an option for many start-up companies, the reality is that there are just some things you can't do as well with a mobile app and an integrated mobile and web strategy is often the best result.  By having clear priorities and reasoning behind your mobile strategy will allow you to make the best choice for your organisation.

How Samsung Plans To Keep Apple Away Day to Day

Samsung Electronics the world’s biggest technology company announced this week it would take options into consideration to make sure its products stayed on US shelves. This has been in response to Apple insisting on a ban on sales of some makes and models of their smart mobile phones.

Last week Apple won a $US1.05 billion US court judgement in a patent suit , on Monday Apple wasted no time and filed a court request to stop 8 Samsung selling mobile devices including its Galaxy and Droid smart mobile phones. Samsung announced in a statement “They would be taking all necessary measures to ensure the sales and availability of products in the US market."

Last Friday a jury found 28 Samsung devices infringed on Apple’s patents and they were reserving a right to seek permanent injunctions on Samsung over the infringements.

However this week Apple produced a smaller list of Samsung products that it said was doing irreparable harm to its brand.

Smartphone’s that Apple listed for sales bans are older phones but available through wireless carriers and online stores. Interestingly Samsung's latest products such as the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note were not included on the list from Apple.

A jury in San Jose, California declared on Friday that Samsung infringed 6 Apple patents for tablet PC’s or Smart phones.

Samsung will contest the verdict, claiming courts in other countries had previously decided it had not infringed on Apple's intellectual property designs.

Samsung is keeping a tight lid on its plans but it is considering modifying or even removing features found to have copied or infringed on Apple's patents to help maintain its products on the market in the US should the sales ban be given.

The term workarounds was a key component of a statement made by a Samsung official, which refers to possible modifications for all devices.

A hearing set for September 20th 2012 will consider enforcement of injunctions against Samsung and its disputed devices.

Samsung also has motions to reduce or dismiss charges and challenge Apple's request for damages, which could see the award tripled.

Part of a legal battle in 9 countries between the two technology giants has been described as a major defeat for Smartphone makers that use Google's Android system.

HTC, Lenovo, ZTE, Huawei and LG use the Android platform which makes up 90 per cent of their operating platforms.

Samsung insist their company could and most likely would develop new products offerings or software to avoid being future targets of litigation.

It should be noted Samsung has been working with Intel to create a free and open mobile platform.

Trending Technology Topics From 2012

Along with the launch of the new blog, we wanted to take a look at just a few of the trending tech topics we have seen so far in 2012.

Let's start with the biggest first:

Facebook goes public

Facebook went public on May 18th 2012 with the largest IPO ever for a tech company at $38 per share however share prices quickly plummeted and it doesn't appear that the free-fall is over yet.  One might argue that we are seeing the start of the next industry bubble bursting if Facebook continues this decline.

Facebook buys Instagram

In a move that only just pre-dated the IPO launch, Facebook flexed its muscle in the tech game by purchasing Instagram for $1 billion in cash and stock.

There are rumours that this was a rogue move by Mark Zuckerberg without consultation with the company's board however it certainly got the Facebook brand in the press and probably contributed to the high IPO price.

Samsung kicks goals, gets kicked and wins anyway

The publicity over the Samsung v Apple patent lawsuits doesn't appear to have stunted Samsung's rapid growth into a legitimate challenger to Apple, nor did comments from Judge Colin Birss when he awarded Samsung victory in the lawsuit by stating that the Samsung Galaxy Tablets "do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design. They are not as cool."

Kickstarter gets a kick-start

Kickstarter has become the goddess of crowd funding lately with a variety of opportunities available for both entrepreneurs looking to turn their dreams into reality and (to use the term loosely), 'investors' who want to be parted with their money.

Most recently, "App.net" attracted $500,000 in funding for its "Twitter without ads" social network project where entrepreneur Dalton Caldwell extracted $50 from people for an annual subscription to the ad-free model and access to early versions etc.

The age of crowdfunding is certainly here and Kickstarter are leading the way.

The decline of RIM

Back in March, RIM announced its Q4 earnings to reveal that revenue for the company was down 11% and that total Blackberry shipments had dropped 21%.  With the competitive mobile handset sales figures showing a continued decline from RIM it is unlikely that we will see a resurgence here any time soon.

The Google Nexus tablet appears

Google use the platform of the company's 2012 I/O conference introduce both its new Android mobile operating system and also its own tablet designed to take full advantage of its features.  While developers like Samsung are doing a great job of incorporating the Android operating system into their devices, Google wants to have a share of that market as well.

The Microsoft Surface appears

Microsoft jumped into the hardware market boots and all on June 18th by launching the Microsoft Surface tablet, effectively becoming a hardware manufacturer in the process.

This isn't an operating system blasted out to OEM's to do with what they will and perhaps in taking a leaf out of Google's book, they want to demonstrate themselves exactly how the software and hardware integrate properly.  While they have always worked closely with their OEM manufacturing partners, Microsoft always had their own way of doing things.

The iPhone 5 is coming

Faster, smarter, thinner, better seems to be the plan for Apple to wow the market with the iPhone5.  While the final configuration hasn't yet been confirmed (other than the switch to the smaller connector!) there are, as always, a flurry of inside stories and leaks that Apple appears to control better than anyone.  We are not going to debate that here but it can certainly be said that the end of the year could belong to Apple.

We certainly haven't covered every event from 2012 so far, that's a pretty exhaustive list however these were just a few that came to mind while writing this.

Leave your comments below and share any that we have missed.

App Consultants Joins Blogger

As advocates of all things digital, I would like to welcome you to the App Consultants Blogger Blog where we will be keeping a close eye on the pulse of the digital industry.

With the rapid evolutions occurring in the digital space, it becomes difficult to stay on top of all the latest news.  We understand because we do it each and every day and that is why we decided to start sharing the best of the daily mobile new with our clients and do all the hard work for them.

Our aim is to filter out the best in mobile news each week and share it with you, along with our commentary whenever it is relevant.

We are nearly three quarters of the way through 2012 already and there have already been a mountain of highlights to speak of from Facebook buying Instagram right before their IPO, Samsung won a lawsuit over Apple while being told their Samsung Galaxy Tablets are "not as cool" and much, much more.

The mobile revolution is certainly upon us and it is about more than just "apps" and we hope you will come along on the journey with us.