tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11270353998490513582024-03-05T18:35:14.368+00:00DiscombobulatedI would much prefer to be a product manager than a coal miner because of the absence of falling coalJJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09987636167165523413noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127035399849051358.post-28352594176972274632011-10-15T22:07:00.033+01:002011-10-16T17:33:15.500+01:00Guardian iPad: Product challenges<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBDmrl9BlffuURYdg22oFlnh_NMo_qJ3M4qNjxve1FSOxrH5VJ_vrRIBtUR9guRIIEJFIyTfpS_HFAG91Dbw1HO-TT8DGBu6kCg8XznXSsjpgBX1VvXU-1jrIBm3cpc8_7lZmRcB5WRpK/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBDmrl9BlffuURYdg22oFlnh_NMo_qJ3M4qNjxve1FSOxrH5VJ_vrRIBtUR9guRIIEJFIyTfpS_HFAG91Dbw1HO-TT8DGBu6kCg8XznXSsjpgBX1VvXU-1jrIBm3cpc8_7lZmRcB5WRpK/s400/photo.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663838952231751634" /></a><span style="font-style:italic;"><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Disclaimer: After three years leading Mobile Product and Development at GNM, I no longer work for the Guardian, having departed a number of weeks prior to the iPad app launching. I am now Senior Product Manager, iOS, Skype (as of 14.10.11 Skype-Microsoft). </span><br /></span><br />The Guardian iPad app is live and sits at the top of the UK AppStore. I believe it represents the start of a new and exciting journey for GNM and from the start was given the highest priority by our Editor In Chief, Alan Rusbridger. The project perhaps represents the pinnacle of my time at the company (even moreso than listening to Steve Jobs describe our previous 'Eyewitness' app is "very cool" from the stage in San Francisco) and its incarnation and evolution owes much to the Guardian's in built desire to achieve more than others dare to imagine.<br /><br />The app itself represents 14 months of hard work by a small team (<10) of designers and developers. “How many iOS devs did you have?” a fellow Skype employee asked me with interest this week. “One,” I replied. He nearly fell off his chair. Sometimes it’s the quality that counts - Martin Redington take a bow. (And I do hope someone from News International is reading this, given what I know about their investment!)<br /><br />The project started in September 2010 with a three day workshop in which the scope was set. This was to be the world’s most beautiful, elegant, interpretation of the print experience - with a few, added digital twists. It was also to be tied intelligently into our print production systems. That was big task – a task that we underestimated. From get-go.<br /><br />Head of Design for the project, Andy Brockie, has summarised the design evolution wonderfully <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/gallery/2011/oct/13/guardian-ipad-edition-design-evolution">here</a> , so I will, instead, concentrate on the product side and the challenges and problems that confronted us along the way. <br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='500' height='300' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dynmYSNQaEL2GH1ovIv38yGI8uH9heYsS_mIUybQYWzAYtWqGBcfxoL8ZJenSgYnm9DmElPhZ4BnVZpXSuM6A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Design iteration of the Guardian iPad app</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Problem 1: Scope is the wrong scope </span><br />From the start, many senior staff had differing views about what the project should be. Indeed, at the beginning, I imagined an entirely different product. My choice would have been to develop a news app concentrating on the live, digital experience. But Alan never wavered. For him, this was an opportunity to push the ‘sit-back’, ‘long read’ more ‘considered’ news experience. It was to represent a new era for print journalism. A print-oriented product for the digital age. How right he was (and of course how wonderfully this now chimes with the device and the consumer habits that surround it). <br /><br />Given the plight of all media companies, this was also an important opportunity to attempt to monetize our audience with a strong iPad news product. While our iPhone app revenues were certainly interesting (around 100k subscribers in 12 months at £4.99 minus the Apple tax), we felt this offered a new opportunity to deliver digital revenues, but only if we could offer a product that was worthy of the cost (which was set at £9.99/month after the free period ends). <br /><br />To attempt that by re-packaging the Guardian's impressive (but free) website without significant editorial differences would, at best, have been crass. It was also interesting to note that our testing, again discovered a strong correlation between passionate advocates of all things digital and an absolute unwillingness to pay for news content. All too often those demanding the most from news organisations are the exact same users happy to go elsewhere when asked to donate a cup of coffee’s worth of revenue to the business. Such is the state of the media industry. Quite a challenge. Which leads me onto:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Problem 2: Are we mad? We’re cannibalizing our own audience / business</span><br />This was easy once Alan had set the direction. Ahem, Apple anyone? Rather us than someone else, surely? And print is in terminal decline, so the options really are limited. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN7ieG-b6OQd0iq2G_H8hKZZ_WkL1PV7dbWNWElzoVVAbQewqZgOLc3Dt35tgf6nwpOsmrHi35hJhi2RmVc3FLBcQnY35Nc9SRuO9mqfKXkg_SFOwlD6dalgvepZgMyAVMyDA1R5hHowH_/s1600/photo-3.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN7ieG-b6OQd0iq2G_H8hKZZ_WkL1PV7dbWNWElzoVVAbQewqZgOLc3Dt35tgf6nwpOsmrHi35hJhi2RmVc3FLBcQnY35Nc9SRuO9mqfKXkg_SFOwlD6dalgvepZgMyAVMyDA1R5hHowH_/s400/photo-3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663840216035171394" /></a><br /><br />Problem 3: You’re taking WAY too long</span><br />This was unquestionably the most difficult issue throughout the project. It should also be known that this is also perfectly normal. Many senior managers don’t understand the complexity of delivering truly successful technology products (and most don’t need to). Even the team – who do and did – dramatically underestimated the amount of time it would take to integrate the new CMS into our print production systems and tools. From inception to launch the project lasted over 12 months. Given its priority internally, it became almost ‘too big to fail’. Indeed, some individuals backed away, believing it would become GNM’s very own version of Windows Vista (am I even allowed to say that now, I wonder?)<br /><br />Despite the low team headcount, it was certainly regarded as a risk. We had started from the perspective that this would not be a 'me too' launch. The same team had already delivered a number of highly successful products and we felt, in the mobile space, as in so many others, GNM had a significant reputation to uphold. Brilliantly useful products with intuitive UIs are still few and far between. That’s not, in my view, because most product managers, designers and engineers are dismally poor at their jobs. But it <span style="font-style:italic;">could</span> be because it is all too easy to buckle under the pressure of management to "deliver now". When juggling 'quality', 'scope' and 'time' it's always a difficult call - in our case, given the need to deliver an intelligent integration into print, there was only ever one solution - to postpone the launch (and of course, it now seems to have worked in GNMs favour given Apple's 'newsstand' functionality). <br /><br />That decision brought a fractious response from some in the business. But it was the right one. True – GNM is late to the 'iPad news' party, but it's always been my view (given the standard of many apps) that the only thing we missed were the free drinks. The team and I truly believed that the iPad is a device unlike any other, creating as it does, more expectation on behalf of the user than any digital product in history. The need for quality was, and remains more important than ever before.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc88wlqxKgTr-7Kv_Xq1cqEnxlGVm1rWSmjWomheLRlodIY8cLCWAMHtLyV3Qf8AW5pC7zXbNO8lNYzrWMk_3bup7jE1UDKzXP4UujEXZY121ahoXFpxo9gq2g_u68DKaWJTCWbedmfQbO/s1600/photo-1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc88wlqxKgTr-7Kv_Xq1cqEnxlGVm1rWSmjWomheLRlodIY8cLCWAMHtLyV3Qf8AW5pC7zXbNO8lNYzrWMk_3bup7jE1UDKzXP4UujEXZY121ahoXFpxo9gq2g_u68DKaWJTCWbedmfQbO/s400/photo-1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663838400726763266" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Problem 4: Team morale </span><br />On any project lasting for 12 months involving a small team and with significant pressure from above, team morale will always ebb and flow. It’s probably best for the team to conclude how successful I was, but certainly the project taught me - yet again – that promoting a positive working atmosphere is one of - if not the - most critical part of a product leader’s role. Indeed, I believe that alone can have one of the most advantageous effects on the eventual shipped product. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxv7Yxq4jOd0mSbK75pCx7kB-xpRHesygj3d0fNOh58w85eCArkAuFCf6iS1E7grRfc6m3XCKzyt9eqnk6tI2eNsKamAcnZqqz_m8ELnKJBHwzRN3c9cBgYJaAWfiTtpKWg5TxAJwLKvHo/s1600/photo-2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxv7Yxq4jOd0mSbK75pCx7kB-xpRHesygj3d0fNOh58w85eCArkAuFCf6iS1E7grRfc6m3XCKzyt9eqnk6tI2eNsKamAcnZqqz_m8ELnKJBHwzRN3c9cBgYJaAWfiTtpKWg5TxAJwLKvHo/s400/photo-2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663839569933441874" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">PROBLEM 5: Missing (critical) roles</span><br />We had no formal project manager or scrummaster roles and no standalone technical lead. This is by no means new at media organisations. The first two (yes, epic fail) were picked up by myself as product manager, while the tech leadership was widely shared by the team. If I had to revisit this project (any project!) again, I would demand both up front immediately. That’s happening already at GNM where they are implementing a new structure and process that will certainly hold them in good stead as they forge forwards with their digital strategy. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Conclusion: It is of course for the users to decide, but initial reactions do look positive (given the 4.5 star AppStore rating and the #1 spot). How that translates into subscriptions remains to be seen, but I do believe the product is of sufficient quality to help GNM create a valuable new revenue stream. The 'big bang' nature of the launch was a risk. But the AppStore is a different beast to most. 'Suck once' and you really do 'suck forever'. Then again - the real work really does start now.</span>JJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09987636167165523413noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127035399849051358.post-32613759621874457822011-04-25T11:53:00.002+01:002011-05-01T19:44:04.988+01:00The promise of Mobile: Interview with Social Media Interactive<embed src="http://blip.tv/play/AYHulhMC" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="300" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed>JJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09987636167165523413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127035399849051358.post-64145531588697541192010-07-12T17:10:00.004+01:002010-07-12T17:12:58.976+01:00Mobile, Paywalls, iPad: Thoughts on the future of media<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/M1C0gxy6gcc&hl=en_GB&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/M1C0gxy6gcc&hl=en_GB&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="250"></embed></object>JJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09987636167165523413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127035399849051358.post-25343744164144700602010-05-24T23:40:00.003+01:002010-05-24T23:43:25.147+01:00Media 2020: A Perfect Storm<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wpOsShHUFRY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wpOsShHUFRY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="250"></embed></object><br /><br />So I attended a great conference in Dublin recently - video and excerpts from my interview above.JJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09987636167165523413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127035399849051358.post-31432108802581014492010-05-08T13:57:00.008+01:002010-05-25T00:06:44.612+01:00How to get an app into Steve Jobs' hands<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5xyTAsBR3BR4tT6pQmf-B6CpFsqpjhk2GgpER3FIakBLEF-9NA9eQ0Ck1xXVD_xVucxTepYursrfYDdWOg59KV6U0euvwya60_o9wyIPQnT_rlBEeb73PTcwg6VQ7DL1430Bkt3uOITR/s1600/blogpost.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 236px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5xyTAsBR3BR4tT6pQmf-B6CpFsqpjhk2GgpER3FIakBLEF-9NA9eQ0Ck1xXVD_xVucxTepYursrfYDdWOg59KV6U0euvwya60_o9wyIPQnT_rlBEeb73PTcwg6VQ7DL1430Bkt3uOITR/s400/blogpost.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474976317321247298" /></a><br />Last week, Steve Jobs highlighted our Eyewitness app during the OS 4.0 announcement. It's a very, VERY, strange feeling indeed to see something go from whiteboard to the Big Man - in just six small weeks. Pretty damn happy. Blogpost to follow on how we constructed it...<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='400' height='250' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx4H4nF6ijimUtn9oi7TaccukqpdC9b5XQAn-bCU9UZyuYO61U_EBazMtEgSPc3m4APy4LCRVjoVR_akVmSUw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>JJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09987636167165523413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127035399849051358.post-25811848776947561842010-02-10T15:15:00.002+00:002010-02-10T15:19:13.959+00:00Mashup - what's your strategy?<object width="400" height="250"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Aj5hU9ynjFk&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Aj5hU9ynjFk&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="250"></embed></object>JJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09987636167165523413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127035399849051358.post-4758717680787879162009-12-20T13:48:00.002+00:002010-01-13T19:39:17.289+00:00What? Why? How?Thought I'd post a quick link: This clever chap asked for an interview right in the middle of our Guardian iPhone app launch. Cheeky - but it worked - you can read it <a href="http://blog.wildfirepr.co.uk/2009/12/guardian-iphone-app-interview-with-jonathon-moore/">here</a>.JJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09987636167165523413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127035399849051358.post-29903104041693426622009-12-16T13:57:00.028+00:002010-01-03T08:33:17.350+00:00The philosophy behind the Guardian iPhone app<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLbcTW_05W0iUpebIqsrCt_8K4HSLRysiki7P-Pzvhcx0xEhKuq_PKcNSEM8k5zgnM2yZXw_PlTe8QVsgElqLGs4wuBgAgjDCJd7jErgiuvvL9lCUF0keLiPy_2BrjUyBk5gx6jDq6x-p/s1600-h/guardian_app_top_paid.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 317px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLbcTW_05W0iUpebIqsrCt_8K4HSLRysiki7P-Pzvhcx0xEhKuq_PKcNSEM8k5zgnM2yZXw_PlTe8QVsgElqLGs4wuBgAgjDCJd7jErgiuvvL9lCUF0keLiPy_2BrjUyBk5gx6jDq6x-p/s400/guardian_app_top_paid.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415845487698834754" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Well - the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/iphone">Guardian iPhone app</a> is now live and the result of months of hard work is being used by thousands of people around the globe. <br /></span><br />How did we do? At the time of writing we're #1 'top grossing' app, #1 'paid app' & #1 'paid news' app (UK); #2 'paid news' app US (ahead of FOX but behind CNN); #1 'top grossing' app, #1 'paid app' & #1 'paid news' app in Ireland (we only released in those countries - for now). All that in less than 24hrs - which speaks volumes about the professionalism of everyone involved (and I had a brilliant team). <br /><br />For a serious content app to overtake the more 'playful' entertainment apps in the paid chart ('pocket girlfriend' for one) possibly marks an important day for Apple itself. Perhaps the AppStore has finally grown up? Certainly this represents an interesting day for the traditional newspaper and media industries - our rivals are no doubt watching closely.<br /><br />In any case, the response has been overwhelming (see <a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23guardianapp">Twitter</a> for more) but here are a selection that stick in the mind: <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">- mozbloke #guardianapp is marvellously synergetic and a ruddy triumph. Others looking to augment their brand take note.<br />- "The #guardianapp is my app of 2009, after #qype of course! :) I have never been happier". /via @filchambers <br />- jonnynexus Things I love: my wife; my dog; my friends; vegan chocolate fudge cake; and the new Guardian iPhone app.<br />- SteveCoulson The new iPhone app from The Guardian is what the one for CNN and The NY Times should have been.<br />- ngscheurich The Guardian's brilliant iPhone app has officially set the bar for mobile news.<br /></span><br />Responses like the above are why anyone involved in consumer technology gets up in the morning. That said, "the product process does not stop when a product is launched". This is an early lesson taught to burgeoning product managers. It's a simple but critical statement for anyone interested in creating successful, usable, digital products. And one that is often overlooked, or worse - ignored.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1lb5_u06d7zxD7HEhEoMAl8P5fJZyhxWWL_RVgUfRUpVacgUnfx8MVFOY1z8FlB70zb2F4j-QBu5GHryZw8VAqZse8RUlacbKn1eq0RG0V6DajVolPzj0nDSFN7lLnCHpRBMy2d2_Tm9i/s1600-h/guardian_app4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 68px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1lb5_u06d7zxD7HEhEoMAl8P5fJZyhxWWL_RVgUfRUpVacgUnfx8MVFOY1z8FlB70zb2F4j-QBu5GHryZw8VAqZse8RUlacbKn1eq0RG0V6DajVolPzj0nDSFN7lLnCHpRBMy2d2_Tm9i/s400/guardian_app4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415840125401729298" /></a>With that in mind (and if you haven't downloaded our new Guardian iPhone app and would like too - please <a href="http://itunes.com/apps/theguardian">do so</a>), now is a prescient time to re-visit the product process that surrounded the app and to allow you to decide whether we managed to achieve our initial aims and objectives.<br /><br />Every product launch represents an opportunity to refine processes. It also offers the huge benefit of allowing the team to consume real-time metrics and usage stats. But, even before that, it's good procedure to look back and re-visit the initital product principles put in place to help guide your decisions during the development process. An excerpt from one of the first documents I wrote regarding our app reads:<br /><br />"The guardian iPhone application will provide a 'best in class' AppStore experience, offering the full range of guardian.co.uk content, galleries and podcasts. Core requirements include: high degree of personalisation, keyword search, offline reading, full Twitter integration, advanced picture galleries, full ability to share content (Twitter/SMS/Email), podcasts, save for later."<br /><br />Hopefully you agree that we got very close to achieving all those aims. The exception of Twitter was a difficult but pragmatic decision, associated with helping us achieve a timely launch date (though I fully appreciate this is an element of functionality that will be warmly greeted by many when added).<br /><br />Next, our product principles. For anyone who wants to create great, usable, feasible products - these are a great way of reminding yourself what matters - and help to cut through some of the many disussions development teams have around design and functionality alignment.<br /><br />Our principles were logged as follows:<br /><br /> 1. Simple is always best<br /> 2. Offer a full in-app experience<br /> 3. Develop well understood user journeys<br /> 4. Do not reinvent the wheel (maintain well understood iPhone UI)<br /> 5. Innovate to enhance the editorial experience<br /><br />It would be churlish to comment on whether we have achieved the above - so I'll let you decide instead (please do leave your comments at the bottom of this article!).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKR8RuA76oxElAXoeF1n3kf20jYXUvfxpEa6GjvfPxjDMgOhS6edC8eyb2RZnob8MGBuIx3TzfVPh-0R6-jzsA3HrgCp_qodKxZ6xL0OjSVqiykkMv-xime5H5Pbl4F6JWhaAODWgHCeAD/s1600-h/guardian_app1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 318px; height: 72px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKR8RuA76oxElAXoeF1n3kf20jYXUvfxpEa6GjvfPxjDMgOhS6edC8eyb2RZnob8MGBuIx3TzfVPh-0R6-jzsA3HrgCp_qodKxZ6xL0OjSVqiykkMv-xime5H5Pbl4F6JWhaAODWgHCeAD/s400/guardian_app1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415839950411372882" /></a><br />The process we undertook was defined, in large, by the timescales. From opening business case to launch took around five months in total. While the app was developed by a great external dev team at <a href="http://www.2ergo.com/">2ergo</a>, the full feature spec, design and product process was very tightly controlled internally. I'm not a big believer in handing out entire projects for quick delivery to external teams without significant thought or internal development/design. That's no reflection on the team we chose, however. They were absolutely superb throughout.<br /><br />No-one knows your audience and what they need better than you. Don't attempt to short-cut that. It strikes me that many people still don't understand the AppStore. You win or lose based on what your audience think of your product. There's no place to hide, so regardless of your commercial model and whether you choose to release paid for of free - you simply have to deliver on quality.<br /><br />That was one of our key aims - and I think, given the reponses and rating we've achieved (4.5/5 after 200+ responses) we seem to have produced some level of success: <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhslqRjgKGbz0DrZML_PVfIAf1E06z1_M8YqEu7UzWqRzts-dZsyXjYBfj0r6Ms9F9F_gAO28JYD4ncKXjU_yVcAtkenQO2VAi9PbMbiFo0MuvlmEisSIzPSzsCLUZHdyrdJTT2nhvXlMAK/s1600-h/guardianapp6.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhslqRjgKGbz0DrZML_PVfIAf1E06z1_M8YqEu7UzWqRzts-dZsyXjYBfj0r6Ms9F9F_gAO28JYD4ncKXjU_yVcAtkenQO2VAi9PbMbiFo0MuvlmEisSIzPSzsCLUZHdyrdJTT2nhvXlMAK/s400/guardianapp6.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415840959724539090" /></a><br />There's lots more to discuss - particulary around how we constructed the product, how to create a great launch plan, utilising social media in the product process (<a href="http://www.currybet.net/cbet_blog/2009/12/guardian_iphone_app_real_time_feedback.php">Martin Belam </a>has written a great blog which touches on that) and some thoughts on the overall reaction. One of the key product designers John-Henry Barac - has penned his thoughts on <a href="http://bit.ly/5hGFeW">contructing the app</a> already and I enjoyed reading this comment:<br /><br />"To me the content IS the USP: it’s the Guardian, with a huge amount of great content ... [and the app features simply] help you get more without leaving the page you’re on." <br /><br />I'll end with a response from the wonderfully lucid and intelligent <a href="http://blog.jaggeree.com/">Chris Thorpe</a>, who - while he works for the Guardian - had not spent any face-time with the app prior to it appearing on his phone this week:<br /><br />"What fascinated me at the end of the experience was that I’d had print like experiences; luxurious, spending-time-with experiences with what had previously been online content."<br /><br />Shucks!JJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09987636167165523413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127035399849051358.post-83257801948552488292009-12-10T20:58:00.015+00:002009-12-16T21:30:48.031+00:00Selling 'mobile' to the chiefs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTFe2pMmB-EkAjMl_qe4o2YBIGRTVcvnV1rHGL12dwQfgZHfbvo8CUot-ErIykXkF18K9n10WVIVl5FjA8lCgYKvALndbUl-FQ1LHLJhBWi-HGO0gIdVZkWZygdAH3az5bCDcjRQETeYh/s1600-h/mobile.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTFe2pMmB-EkAjMl_qe4o2YBIGRTVcvnV1rHGL12dwQfgZHfbvo8CUot-ErIykXkF18K9n10WVIVl5FjA8lCgYKvALndbUl-FQ1LHLJhBWi-HGO0gIdVZkWZygdAH3az5bCDcjRQETeYh/s400/mobile.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413726982838862626" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">How do you sell mobile after years of overpromise and under-delivery? It's a great question and one that was discussed in depth today with some great mobile folks (if you're interested it was organised by <a href="http://www.itwnetworks.com/">these </a>guys). And it was rather good...</span><br /><br />The forum was under Chattam House rules, so I certainly won't go into too much detail about other attendees. But suffice to say there was a good mix of people representing companies who've been both early and late (with a fair few in the middle) to the medium of 'mobile'.<br /><br />The last phrase in itself undergoes yearly re-definitions, and I don't intend to go into what 'mobile' is here. <br /><br />The purpose of today's meeting was remarkably refreshing: the development of best practice guidelines around how best to pitch any mobile spend to your Board members. What follows are simply my views, and it's worth noting that this is definitely not an attempt to deliver a 'how best to pitch as a start-up to VCs' post. Instead, I'm concentrating solely on medium to large companies.<br /><br />Ok Jon - so - how do you pitch mobile?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">-Start with a realistic but ambitious long-term vision<br /></span>We know mobile has overpromised and underdelivered. But you simply HAVE to start by selling the big story. Be an evangelist - because you're effectively pitching a start-up idea. We all know that the opportunities in mobile are significant over the <span style="font-weight:bold;">long term</span>. That 'longer-term' got significantly compacted when Apple released the iPhone and is closer every day. But it still may not be here yet. If you have to - talk 10 years ahead. Take geniune time to think and consider trends - and make your vision real. At this point they'll think they've heard it all before but what happens next will change their view - entirely. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">-Use evidence-based decision making<br /></span>Use good metrics, from varying suppliers, and give them a pragmatic vision of what the future could be over the long-term. Then tell them you're wrong, because you're absolutely bound to be wrong and the figures you've quoted are most certainly wrong. But explain that you've done you're research and this is the polar opposite of a 'me too' approach (grrrr - don't get me started). This is a vision that takes into account numerous trends and the long-term business objectives. And then tell them you're not asking for the earth - simply to try and test whether you're right or wrong. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />-Don't overpromise</span><br />I've really covered this above. But <span style="font-weight:bold;">DO NOT</span> overpromise. The mobile landscape is littered with the corpses of people and companies who thought spending millions on mobile in 2001 was a great idea, because, you know, ITS THE NEXT BIG THING! Beware - keep expectations under control.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">-Iterate slowly<br /></span>Ask for a small sum of money to test your theory that a new market or revenue stream can be achieved. These days there is simply no excuse for spending hundreds of thousands of pounds or dollars before realising you're wrong. Ensure you explain - up front - that one of the benefits of mobile is the amazing way(s) you can now understand user engagement (or lack of it). Tell them what metrics you're testing and explain what the objectives are. And admit that you don't know if you're going to succeed or fail. But you will give it everything you've got and - good or bad - come back and present the findings. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">-The 'experts' don't have a clue<br /></span>One of the continuing issues I have with the tech industry are the plethora of 'experts' only too willing to sell 'the next big thing'. Ignore them - most are really selling their own consultancies and many will know less than you. Beware of sleek presentation and the 'award-winning, book-writing, evangelistic presenter' selling you a vision. (Does he own another consultancy perchance? Is he selling ads on his blog?). Instead, listen to people who have delivered real value or who have great experience of delivering innovation that's resulted in something (be it success or failure). In tough economic times you HAVE to marry ambition with pragmatism (unless you're a start-up when the 'start-small, think big and move quickly' theory obviously looks smarter than ever).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">-Invest wisely to prove a market exists<br /></span>I've covered this - but I'll say it again anway - DO NOT ask for the earth. Chances are you won't get it anyway. And if you do and don't succeed (and there's every chance you won't) you'll never be able to go hunting for seed money again!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">- Don't get caught in the 'web v's app' debate<br /></span>Do both - you need a strong portfolio. Not all of it will work. But some of it <span style="font-style:italic;">might</span>. If you've followed the 'invest wisely' path then you won't be going back to your board having lost millions of dollars. And you'll be telling them that you haven't a clue whether the browser or 'app' will win - so you're going to invest wisely in both (if that's right for you) and do everything you can through free marketing channels and social media to increase the profile of what you've created.JJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09987636167165523413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127035399849051358.post-83783713417398147202009-02-27T09:56:00.004+00:002009-02-28T12:29:48.036+00:00Some start-up product lessons<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtE2I-qIlCa6qpmnTOpC_JBOwAb4006G4W_HLZaGUlIR5OVGDjqUuffiQitbmNiANpTewSnvEPYuFb47XnIomg0c9dbZwHhHPNnSVIb1F6kdepUiNmrZsQoEe-r5kG0gIuzblbwD147YVG/s1600-h/iPhone-evolution.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtE2I-qIlCa6qpmnTOpC_JBOwAb4006G4W_HLZaGUlIR5OVGDjqUuffiQitbmNiANpTewSnvEPYuFb47XnIomg0c9dbZwHhHPNnSVIb1F6kdepUiNmrZsQoEe-r5kG0gIuzblbwD147YVG/s400/iPhone-evolution.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307414667081750338" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The mantra of start-up product development usually involves two core words: 'rapid' & 'innovation'. Implicit in this is that we consider ourselves better placed than many others to filter out the 'urgent but unimportant' and concentrate instead on issues that add most value for the end user.</span><br /><br />The casual observer might be fooled into thinking this means that product decisions at start-ups are constraint-free. They would be wrong. Just like our counterparts in larger organisations, we're under pressure too, not from complex stakeholder relationships, poorly defined ideas or lengthy development procesess, but more often than not, from significant resource limitations.<br /><br />In an ideal world, there would always be enough people, money and time to complete every great idea that will help to build product momentum and engagement. The reality, however, is that all product decisions are ultimately cost/benefit choices and, in the best companies, there are always more good ideas than people to develop them.<br /><br />At Mippin we've made a number of significant decisions over the past few months. So, in a continued spirit of openness, I thought it timely to take a step back and give you an insight into why we've made some of those decisions and the lessons learned:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Lesson 1: Be inclusive</span><br />Six months ago much of Mippin's functionality was hidden behind registration. The resulting bounce rate was a minor source of frustration, particularly given the huge levels of engagement from those who did sign-up. For us it became clear that if users didn't see the necessity of registration they simply voted with their feet. Instead, we developed some great code that allowed us to recognise (with near-perfect precision) all returning uniques, their devices and settings. Once we'd achieved that, we were able to push back and open all elements of the service to all our users, whether registered returners or first time browsers.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Lesson 2: Don't add cellophane</span><br />Ever bought a newspaper wrapped in cellophane? Annoying isn't it? The digital equivalent of this is offering up content and then forcing your users to interact before reaching it. When it comes to media, access is everything. Surfacing engaging content is the key to providing an experience that will drive repeat usage. Take a look at the image at the top of this article to see how we evolved our homepage with this in mind.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Lesson 3: Search can't fail - EVER</span><br />If search fails once, it fails for good. Google have set the bar for everyone (though arguably not on mobile) here and we've worked hard to improve our search results to maximise relevancy as well as adding new vertical searches - for images, video and wikipedia. We've also decided to offer results for popular sites - whether they take users away from Mippin or not. For us a positive user experience that takes someone away from Mippin is way better than a negative user experience that attempts to get them to stay.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Lesson 4: Be a data geek</span><br />Keeping an eye on the relevant forces at play within your industry sounds obvious, but it's surprising how few companies are able to react to market changes quickly. One of the benefits of being a smaller team is the ability to alter your development effort as required and with minimal fuss. We noticed significant spikes coming from top end devices (particularly Android and iPhone) much earlier than others and launched dedicated versions of Mippin that were able to showcase a richer user experience by leveraging the functionality associated with new touchscreen devices. (Discover how happy we are with ourselves about this here.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Lesson 5: Don't get sidetracked</span><br />Lastly, users want you you to solve a simple problem better than anyone else. At Mippin we're proud of being able to offer some very clever implicit personalisation that surfaces the most engaging content with minimal user effort. The key when devloping a product is never to veer too far away from your core purpose (unless you spot brilliant market potential elsewhere, clearly). When it comes to adding new functionality, ensure it stacks up behind the reason your company exists. Our social strategy is a good example of this (we've blogged lots about that here). Instead of simply allowing users to connect, our aim was to enhance the content discovery experience - that's central to our core product - by allowing users to act as individual editors, collating and sharing the most engaging content they find.<br /><br />In the interests of brevity I'll stop there...for now.JJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09987636167165523413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127035399849051358.post-56097828621643125152009-01-16T11:34:00.012+00:002009-01-16T15:37:11.286+00:00Did Apple kill the mobile industry?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZT9IeQJ9s9N9fM_GJhWsSqjfICqvGuP0L6MAGyShboYBIDGPqE3h3-Q6A7zvlUWOerW43GtWN4XliP0bL1Q6BDq2O7Hx10k9TNx97SpPrYERKWymCo1nFzuvAufrw4Zc_NTO5TzVa5GYU/s1600-h/death.bmp"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZT9IeQJ9s9N9fM_GJhWsSqjfICqvGuP0L6MAGyShboYBIDGPqE3h3-Q6A7zvlUWOerW43GtWN4XliP0bL1Q6BDq2O7Hx10k9TNx97SpPrYERKWymCo1nFzuvAufrw4Zc_NTO5TzVa5GYU/s400/death.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291854625661326242" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">This post has been prompted by a comment made recently by a colleague of mine: "Apple killed the mobile industry". </span><br /><br />I couldn't believe my ears and it developed into a heated discussion about the benefits and impacts of seismic industry shifts. Before continuing, it's worth noting that the person who made the comment both has a long understanding of the mobile industry and is tremendously well respected within it.<br /><br />My instant reaction was to defend a company who have got it right more than most. Early disclaimer: I'm not the complete Mac evangelist (having always owned a PC) but when it comes to the iPhone I'm pretty vocal about where they've got it right. And let's face it, they have got so much right; a genre-busting mobile package containing a wonderful UI wrapped up in a beautiful product design. The iPhone has 'pazzaz', certainly more so than any product released into the mobile arena before.<br /><br />Having spent the best part of six years working on mobile, and being something of a stickler for great UX, it was immensely refreshing to - at last - be able to really move away from the poor experiences of the past (yes they were mostly poor!) and instead begin to offer something approaching a rich mobile experience.<br /><br />The net effect is that Apple have left the mobile industry fumbling around in the dark. Motorola, as we have known it, probably won't exist in two years time. Even the giant - Nokia - is biting its fingernails trying to figure out how they were so easily trumped & how Symbian might combat the threat from another newcomer (Android). And the operators? Every single one is simultaneously attempting to eek the last remaining (considerable) pennies out of ringtones and downloads, while scratching their heads wondering what the new business model is in an 'open portal' world. Chances are there will be some big casualties there too ...<br /><br />It's a messy situation, brought into focus by a company who took a simple problem (poor browsing experience on mobile) and created an excellent solution. So Apple have revolutionised the mobile industry. But they key question for me was: how could someone with decades of mobile experience suggest that the industry got anything other than exactly what it deserved?<br /><br />His answer was pretty concise: they've done what others have done in the mobile industry for years - overpromised. This made me think about the iPhone marketing push. It was pretty clear: The iPhone gives you the entire web in your hands. Well, yes it does. But here we get onto the the key question: is it a good user experience? The simple answer to that question is: no, no, no.<br /><br />It takes about an hour to realise this once you own one. The web isn't made for a small screen - even if that screen is made by Apple. Apple did overpromise and I'm guilty of buying into it too. I was hooked. I saw the ads. "Wow! New York Times full website & the Guardian looking great. And so quick too. They've really done it!".<br /><br />Of course, the truth is very different. The best experience on mobile comes from companies that understand this (it's why I work for a mobile start-up - <a href="http://www.mippin.com">Mippin</a>). To get the best user experience you have to offer a service that's optimised per device - and that means the iPhone too.<br /><br />Disruption is a good thing - kudos to Apple. I still love my iPhone, but it's not perfect. I certainly don't think they 'killed the mobile industry' (I still prefer to use the words 'stimulated' & 'revolutionised') - but they are guilty of peddling an enormous falsehood that the web left untouched 'works' on mobile.JJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09987636167165523413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127035399849051358.post-78488049253089444602009-01-14T22:33:00.001+00:002009-01-14T22:35:02.695+00:00The Android effect<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4OteYR2WwJsmiwhaKSCH22nM0I51pp5DL3YxRIMlSQDL3j87R451cBvfDv0UXbuoZdYDFTHDg9tVDrPi48KveKhuQN3g6OZMCXYhA7M5iVCLoJcpDu9kbDed5kqSqdYUab0hZFKubrs/s1600-h/a3.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4OteYR2WwJsmiwhaKSCH22nM0I51pp5DL3YxRIMlSQDL3j87R451cBvfDv0UXbuoZdYDFTHDg9tVDrPi48KveKhuQN3g6OZMCXYhA7M5iVCLoJcpDu9kbDed5kqSqdYUab0hZFKubrs/s320/a3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288201733125707730" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">In an earlier post I highlighted the <a href="http://blog.mippin.com/2008/12/one-step-back-two-steps-forward.html">success of our Android application</a>.<br /><br />It's a subject worth revisiting as my stats indicate that the HTC Dream is now one of the most popular devices used to access <a href="http://www.mippin.com">Mippin</a>. </span><br /><br />It's a remarkable story, given that Google's first Android phone was launched a snip over <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7630888.stm">three months ago</a>.<br /><br />Since our own app hit the Android store (on December 15th 2008), the number of G1 users accessing Mippin has increased by a mammoth 1500%. And, crucially for any company involved in mobile content services, these users display some favorable characteristics; they are both significantly engaged and impressively loyal.<br /><br />How engaged? To add some context, users of the HTC Dream spend an average of nearly seven minutes (6.52 to be precise) using Mippin. This compares favourably indeed to the iPhone (currently our fifth most popular single device) whose users spend 3.32mins using our product. While both these lie some way behind users of the Nokia N73 - who notch up an average of 10minutes - we're still incredibly happy to report these figures.<br /><br />How loyal? Android users also offer significantly reduced bounce rates. I won't go into too much detail, but suffice to say that for every 100 new users who visit the service using a G1, almost all are still using the service one month later. Here too, Android beats Apple, though both are just behind users of the N95, who remain the most loyal Mippin users of all.<br /><br />It's clearly still way too early to say with confidence that 2009 will be the breakout year for mobile, but these figures do indicate that despite the current economic gloom, there's still room for huge optimism. With more and more <a href="http://news.cnet.com/sony-ericsson-htc-planning-google-android-phones-for-2009/">manufacturers embracing Android</a> and smart phones gaining in market share, we're very definitely at the start of a significant shift in mobile browsing habits.<br /><br />This was succinctly summed up by one of our user testers before Christmas, who told us: "I do find myself going to the same old places on my phone, but I'm really keen to discover more!"<br /><br />Now, clearly, this was music to our ears, as one of key benefits of using Mippin is the ease with which it's possible to explore and discover new content (for the record Mippin now houses over 50,000 sites and nearly 35m stories). But it's also reflective of the 'new' type of user, someone who - backed by a solid payment plan and hi-end device - is unafraid to experiment on mobile.<br /><br />In fact, we've produced a new video just for them (well, actually for the Mobile Monday Peer Awards, ahem). Here it is:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-z4m_IPdzV4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-z4m_IPdzV4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />(For those interested the track is 'Setting Sun' by the Chemical Brothers)<br /><br />Our other videos are here:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jN11kwrGro">Get Social With Mippin</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4WN6cg0qOI">Make your site mobile in 60 seconds</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yufBEnh7ch0">The Mippin iPhone [Pepsi] Challenge</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gtd4LPVVyM">Mippin: The original launch video (Director's Cut)</a>JJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09987636167165523413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127035399849051358.post-17131344192805037382008-12-20T11:22:00.004+00:002008-12-20T11:25:57.081+00:00No jetpacks -- just yet<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzyKEWuSkAbu_cSZw93voZ3VCKbYc4iYgCY9e6bxbm-xksaxMmXFf3ByAxxSSPc60GLKBJdvf6HHPXc7UqQM6VenFp49RV-4PQrmNrh_Oj6hyn68_iMuNwMSwR-1jwofGTPqFrSk3gWX3w/s1600-h/jetpack.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 159px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzyKEWuSkAbu_cSZw93voZ3VCKbYc4iYgCY9e6bxbm-xksaxMmXFf3ByAxxSSPc60GLKBJdvf6HHPXc7UqQM6VenFp49RV-4PQrmNrh_Oj6hyn68_iMuNwMSwR-1jwofGTPqFrSk3gWX3w/s200/jetpack.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281831283554215570" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">As the year draws to a close it's a great time to gaze into the future and take a look at what the next 12 months might bring for the mobile industry.<br /></span><br />Here goes:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nokia purchases Yahoo, replaces Ovi services</span><br />Nokia goes on a massive spending spree as it continues its transition into an internet company, purchasing Yahoo for a snip below $2bn.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Asus and the EeePC become mobile devices</span><br />Netbooks plummet in price prompting a further consumer migration: mobile developers include them on all product roadmaps<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />UK carrier gives up its retail business</span><br />One of the 'Big Five' calls time and opts to focus exclusively on wholesale<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Carrier decks open up</span><br />The growth of 'off deck' usage forces all carriers to transition from a closed, profitable system to a profitable open system<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Mobile market take shape</span><br />Nokia, Vodafone, Google and Apple face off for mobile services dominance. No Microsoft. Apple and Nokia will not win.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Motorola put out of its misery</span><br />Someone purchases the Motorola brand for devices and uses it for their existing white label business<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Twitter finds a way to monetize</span><br />We don't know how, but it enables Evan Williams to hold off a potential Google acquisition<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Zune sells well in the US</span><br />Microsoft's long-predicted Zune phone doubles their mobile revenue, but has no impact on iPhone sales<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />India makes waves</span><br />The next BIG THING on mobile comes from India - takes Europe and US by surprise<br /><br />Thoughts?<br /><br />MERRY CHISTMAS!<br /><br />JJJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09987636167165523413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1127035399849051358.post-76617331495487461192008-12-16T22:12:00.000+00:002008-12-16T22:20:49.272+00:00Android and me<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJq3fQUYuIsMxmwE8Z_fBdLsd-0e5WLqFeeXllAuMSDi7JDEo5X7KUvKPSaDTP6Y-l7jPJN2OSrHYVOBcBCuOaIitmqklYWd8UBrIJ2ENnOQgjO_dQZu2bdLl6XZAHzd1uMy_-ld48ZukV/s1600-h/g1-small.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJq3fQUYuIsMxmwE8Z_fBdLsd-0e5WLqFeeXllAuMSDi7JDEo5X7KUvKPSaDTP6Y-l7jPJN2OSrHYVOBcBCuOaIitmqklYWd8UBrIJ2ENnOQgjO_dQZu2bdLl6XZAHzd1uMy_-ld48ZukV/s400/g1-small.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280515762955894914" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">First post - at long last. I thought I'd reprint my company post for all and sundry. You might like it, then again, you might not - feel free to hit the back button! :)</span><br /><br />As other companies start winding down for Christmas - not so at Mippin HQ. Yesterday marked the launch of our Android application and it's generated a buzz around the office.</span></span><br /><br />The figures have been impressive (we recently passed 3000 downloads in less than 12 hours) and highlight just how important these channels are for everyone involved in the consumer mobile space. (To get the technical details from our Head of Development go <a href="http://geekyouup.blogspot.com/">here</a>).<br /><br />Certainly, there are challenges and I'm sure we're not the only ones to have wrestled with the 'should we/shouldn't we?' question of devoting significant time and resource away from our core browser-based offering. For us it's an interesting debate and particularly pertinent given our past experience in producing "Mobizines", a suite of rich downloadable applications for mobile (more about that if you're interested, <a href="http://blog.mippin.com/search/label/Mobizines">here</a>). But as the app v browser debate rages on, it's vital to remember the single undeniable piece of good news that underpins the conversation: it's now easier than ever to reach an engaged & dynamic mobile audience.<br /><br />For us the answer to the 'should we/shouldn't we?' question turned out to be pretty straightforward; the risks <i>of not</i> being part of the new mobile <span class="misspell" suggestions="exosphere,ionosphere,expire,expiry">ecosphere</span> far outweigh any potential development costs. In fact, the period of consideration gave us an opportunity to sit back and pick through our product <span class="misspell" suggestions="road map,road-map,ramp,romp,remap">roadmap</span>. If you're considering a similar move, take a look at yours now and ask yourself the following: "Will the features we've planned for our next development sprint/scrum achieve similar returns in terms of reach, market share, influence and product marketing?" I'm reasonably certain I can answer that one for you - they won't, or at least, you'll be extremely lucky if they do.<br /><br />Despite the fact that the rumours of 1.5m <span class="misspell" suggestions="Prue,pare,pore,prey,pure">pre</span>-order sales figures for the G1 turned out to be a little <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/16/t-mobiles-g1-presales-arent-even-close-to-1-5m/">shaky</a>, we do know this: that G1 users love mobile. Perhaps even more than iPhone users, they're <span class="misspell" suggestions="influence rs,influence-rs,influences,influence's,influenced">influencers</span> who live, work and play in the mobile space. So can you really afford not to be a part of their world? We know that iPhone users have already downloaded over <a href="http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2008/09/09appstore.html">100m apps via the App Store</a> and the data usage is <a href="http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2321">unprecedented</a>. And while we can only guess what the figures will be for Android going forwards, we can take an educated guess that they'll be remarkably similar, if not better.<br /><br />The app <span class="misspell" suggestions="V's,Va's,Vi's,vs,Vt's">v's</span> browser debate will certainly continue, but in the meantime the reality is this: your product strategy must now take into account the value of both. There are no guarantees and it remains a resourcing headache, but if you're about getting your product into the hands of users as easily as possible then it's a challenge you should relish.JJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09987636167165523413noreply@blogger.com0