HOOKED ON MOBILE

The iPhone is a wonderful device. I use it so much throughout the day that sometimes I feel like is an extension of myself. Sadly the batteries don’t last longer than 3 hrs. Apple has a few recommendations on how to make the most out of it (http://www.apple.com/batteries/iphone.html). Not enough if you ask me.

A couple of days ago, a virtual friend (Miss Mobile) was twitting about about going out, but not before recharging her iPhone that she had been using throughout the day. I imagine the battery was almost dead for this heavy user who also happens to be on the road a lot…

The only thing I can do with my iPhone in Prague is call and send SMS for an astronomical price. I mean really… Mobile operators are making a fortune for something that doesn’t really cost as much as they claim. 51 cents a minute is just plain stealing!

Things my iPhone has replaced

Groceries at the supermarket… 40 euros. Pay everything with you mobile phone… Priceless. Well OK not priceless, but certainly convenient.

About a year ago Garmin (GPS Navigation System guys) announced their Nuvifone, the natural evolution of their navigation system, featuring local based services way before any other device at the time. In addition it was possible to play mp3 audio and video files. By far the best of its class. The anticipated iPhone killer… So what happened?

Mobile Sports is the topic for the next event at Mobile Monday Munich chapter. If you are in Munich and want to attend just register at: http://www.mobile-monday.de/events/mobile-sports
should be interesting.

If you have a smartphone, video is certainly nothing new. Most smartphones offer the possibility to play local video or over the internet. The promise of faster connections seems to be around the corner, but we know already than in places like Japan (the mobile test bed of the world) superfast connections have made possible TV Channels on the mobile phones. It is not surprise that advertisers are eager to recycle their Ad spots and get them mobile, but that is not the answer for a medium that is so personal, intimate, contextual and with a high level of expectancy of relevant content. We’ve learned our lessons from the internet and we know that the 30 sec spot will not work.

Click-to-Call or CTC is a model that started first on the internet and then evolved into a more literal use of its name, meaning click to make a call. While browsing the net on your mobile phone you can see how phone numbers are higlighted (like a link), upon clicking the number will be automatically dialed.

In an industry dominated by SMS campaigns, MMS, shrunken banners mimicking the ones on internet, ring tones and some other primitive forms of marketing gave the mobile phone the reputation of been the underachiever of the media world. Undeniably, the introduction of the iPhone changed the way we think about mobile phones, the way we interact with them and what we expect from our devices. We are now living what is been called by some the “Post iPhone era” and every new smartphone that comes out in the market is expected to be better or at least have the same functionalities. While innovative and cool, advertisers are worried that an offer that can’t be streamlined and sold by the pound is unlikely to happen with this current innovative climate. Just like the early days of the internet a lot of experimenting is going on, but defined formats are not well established yet.

Mobile phones were referred to as “The third screen” a couple of years back, placing television as the first screen, computer as the second. Today I can say with confidence that for a big majority the third screen has become the first one.