NetworkIP Blog

I was reviewing my notes from last week’s Mobilize conference & I found myself asking where was Apple? This 1-day conference featured eight panel discussions with talent from the major mobile network providers, the mobile device manufactures, the mobile operating systems, & a variety of companies that specialized in mobile application development & marketing. The panel discussions consisted of topics ranging from the development of mobile applications with Location Based Services (LBS), to the hurdles associated with mobile carriers, to investment strategies in the mobile market space. Regardless of panel topic, I noted a recurring theme throughout. Not one panel discussion could avoid bringing up Apple & what they had done with the iPhone. It felt at times like the entire conference consisted of people asking how do we keep up with Apple, or is Apple’s approach the right approach to take, or what will Apple do next?

I scanned the list of conference attendees that was handed out at the beginning of the conference & there wasn’t a single person in attendance from Apple; nor was anyone from Apple participating in any of the panel discussions or keynote presentations given that day.

So here I sat in a room full of very talented people from some very reputable & large companies who could not help but analyze Apple & what Apple has done to the mobile market.

I find myself asking why Apple would have been there. Apple has set the standard. They’ve raised the bar with mobile devices & mobile application development & distribution. As a result, we find ourselves trying to catch up to Apple. While we sit here discussing how Apple approached the mobile market, they continue to innovate. I’m sure from time to time that they find themselves at conferences looking for answers to questions & to get a feel for a market. Of course they appear to do their own research in many other ways. Apple doesn’t wait for an industry to shift, they shift an industry.

Can other mobile device manufactures & mobile operating systems surpass Apple? Is today’s release of Google’s Android operating system on HTC’s G1 an example of this or will Apple continue to shape the mobile industry?

Brian Kirk
VP Business Development
NetworkIP & Jaduka

A wonderful article by Christopher Breen of Macworld.com pointed to how the 3G iPhone is sure to change the way in which retailers market & we consumers choose where we eat & shop. As stated previously, I was quite disappointed that the 3G iPhone will not include support for Near Field Communications (NFC). However, with the combination of 3G & GPS you’ve still got something pretty special.

The idea of walking down the street past a store & a coupon for example appearing on your phone from the very store you are walking past is so much more a reality than it ever has been. If there isn’t a name for this type of marketing might I suggest Location Based Advertising (LBA).

Take this example a step further & imagine the coupon that was just zapped to your phone is of interest to you. You choose to redeem the coupon from your phone which leads you to a purchasing page. You select & pay for you item all through your phone. You now walk into the store to pick up the item you just purchased.

For some, this example may scare you & for others I’m sure you’d like nothing more than to be able to purchase everything from your phone. Imagine the time this approach will save you & the convenience factor. And for retailers the potential to market to consumers who can take immediate action is priceless.