Mobile Marketing Magazine

AdMob Updates AdWhirl

AdMob has announced an update to the AdWhirl mediation solution for application developers that it acquired last year. The update enables developers to use an unlimited number of ad networks in their apps. Previously, developers could add one ad network of their choice, in addition to AdWhirl’s explicit support for AdMob, JumpTap, MDotM, Millennial Media, and Quattro Wireless for iPhone apps and AdMob and Quattro Wireless for Android apps.
AdMob has also built upon AdWhirl’s existing support for Quattro Wireless to fully support iAd, Apple’s upcoming ad network, when it becomes available. Developers who plan on using iAd when it launches can be confident that AdWhirl will support their needs, the company says.
AdMob has also updated the AdWhirl House Ads functionality to give developers the ability to centrally manage their House Ads across their iPhone and Android apps. Developers can use House Ads to cross-promote their apps and to serve ad campaigns that they sell directly to advertisers. AdMob says it has also made AdWhirl’s user interface more intuitive and powerful, so that developers can easily manage their inventory across multiple applications.
Prior to this announcement, AdMob had previously made AdWhirl open source to give developers complete control and full transparency over how they utilize their ad inventory, and also recently added support for Android apps.  
In a blog post, AdMob VP Engineering, Kvin Scott, says:
“We believe that open source mediation plays an important role in the mobile ecosystem by giving developers the control they need to manage their business. The improvements we’ve made to AdWhirl have all been based on input from the developers who are using it and contributions from AdWhirl’s growing open source community. There are now more than 1,700 apps actively using AdWhirl, including more than 175 Android apps – up from 1,300 apps just 4 months ago. Daily ad requests have also jumped significantly from 40 million when we open sourced AdWhirl to more than 100 million today.
“We plan to continue to invest in AdWhirl and launch additional functionality that will help developers manage their increasingly sophisticated inventory management needs.”

Fitness App Takes Voda's UK App Star Prize

18 year-old Computer Science student Mark Salvin from Leamington Spa has been revealed as the winner of the UK leg of the Vodafone App Star competition, winning a total prize fund of €25,000 (£21,700).
His ‘JoggerTracker’ app uses GPS to calculate information such as the amount of calories burned and distance travelled during a run, and displays as well this information on a graph along with information from previous runs. Judges praised the app’s user experience. Richard Wilson took second place, and a prize of  €15,000 for his ‘Pokerzzle’ app, while third place and €10,000 went to Nick Sheard for his ‘TrailTrak’ app.
Salvin will now go head-to-head against the seven other country winners in a public vote to decide the overall winner of the competition and a total prize of €100,000. He says: “I am delighted to win the UK round of the Vodafone AppStar competition. Central to my strategy was creating the best user experience possible, allowing users to quickly and easily monitor their performance during a run, as well as keeping track of their progress over time. Developing for Vodafone 360 has been a seamless experience, and it’s great to see an operator provide the level of support that Vodafone has throughout the whole development process. I look forward to publishing a lot more apps in the future.”
The other regional winners were as follows:

• Germany – Lootogo. The world’s first toilet search engine where you can evaluate toilets and find the best toilets wherever you are.
• Greece – Social Whale. An extended social media client with support for Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Identica and Google reader.
• Ireland – Dublin Bus Info. Uses your mobile GPS to find bus stops near you in Dublin whilst providing bus stop and timetable information.
• Italy – Cool Traveling. Allows you to plan a trip around Italy in a simple and cost effective way with all services (train, plane, weather forecast and accommodation) directly available from your mobile.
• Netherlands – Happy Birthday. A new, improved version of the best birthday reminder there is. Don’t ever forget the birthdays you most care about again.
• Portugal – FlickrShow. Accesses Flickr in an unprecedented way, offering stunning slide slows and the ability to search photos by keyword, username, colour and even by location using the phone’s GPS.
• Spain – Yata! A location-based app enabling users to share information and vote for the best things in any given area of Spain. It offers user generated geo-located info created by other users in the area, so users can easily see their recommendations and tags on a map.

Between now and 21 May mobile enthusiasts can view the entire shortlist and vote for their favourite here. Voters will automatically be entered into a prize draw to win one of 10 Samsung H1 devices. The results of the public vote, and the overall winner of the Vodafone AppStar competition, will be announced on 24 May.
“We are delighted to see such high quality apps come through the competition and we’re proud to recognise the innovation and effort of developers everywhere with big monetary rewards,” says Lee Epting, Director of Content Services at Vodafone Group. “The public vote now has the tough job of deciding who will be crowned the overall winner. With the quality we’ve seen across the board, we’re expecting it to be a close contest. Given customer demand for our mobile apps is incredibly high, we felt it was important for the public to have the final say in this competition.”
The Vodafone AppStar competition is part of Vodafone’s ongoing engagement with developers. Vodafone recently announced a new publishing process for developers via the Joint Innovation Lab (JIL) portal, enabling developers to use open web technologies to create, monetise and distribute apps to customers with JIL-enabled handsets. Apps submitted through JIL.org are supported by 50 different handset models across multiple European markets, and according to Vodafone, offer an attractive revenue model for developers. In addition, developers benefit from a quick and transparent review process, which sees all apps assessed in 10 business days.
There’s more information about developing for Vodafone here.

Blackberry Launches Developer Challenge

BlackBerry Partners Fund has launched the third annual BlackBerry Partners Fund Developer Challenge.
This year’s Challenge focuses on ‘Super Apps’, and invites developers to showcase applications that take advantage of the BlackBerry Application Platform’s unique capabilities. For the first time, the Challenge will recognise BlackBerry Smartphone applications on a regional basis across four regions – N. America, Latin America, Europe/Middle East/Africa and Asia Pacific.
Applications can be submitted to the Challenge now today and entries will be accepted until 6 September, 2010. Applications will be judged on quality, user experience and how effectively they have incorporated Super App characteristics. Last year’s winners included 7Digital and FierceTowers.
Judges will evaluate applications submitted in seven categories: Productivity; Fun & Games; Knowledge, Sharing; Navigate & Explore; Multi-media; and In the Know. Regional selections will be notified week commencing 27 September, 2010.  Regional Semi-Finalists in each category will be named by 1 November, 2010.  Regional Winners and Regional Finalists will be announced on 18 November, 2010.
Developers of applications selected at each Finalist level will receive prizes to support their development on the BlackBerry Platform. Up to four Regional Winners will each receive a prize pack valued at $85,000 (£56,000), including application promotion services, BlackBerry Smartphones, BlackBerry App World marketing support, and an Elite membership in the BlackBerry Alliance Program.
Up to 28 Regional Semi-Finalists will each receive prize packages worth over $16,000 and up to 12 Regional Finalists will each receive prize packages valued at almost $35,000. Up to 400 Regional Selections will receive a free BlackBerry Smartphone for submitting their application into the Challenge.
“The BlackBerry Partners Fund Developer Challenge has grown and evolved over the last three years and this year we will be rewarding the BlackBerry developer community at many levels to benefit more developers than ever before,” says Kevin Talbot, Co-managing Partner at BlackBerry Partners Fund. “BlackBerry Partners Fund is celebrating innovation that can only be achieved on the BlackBerry Application Platform, by creating apps that people cannot live without.”
You can apply to compete in the Challenge here. The Challenge is open to both newly-developed and existing applications.

GetJar in Indian Apps Alliance

Independent app store GetJar has announced a strategic alliance with Indian telco Reliance Communications. The alliance will see GetJar offering Reliance’s 100 million+ subscribers its extensive catalogue of over 65,000 free mobile applications through Reliance’s VAS (Value Added Services) platform, R-World.
Reliance Communications will offer the GetJar Apps Store across GSM and CDMA networks. Customers will have access to applications including games, social networking, sports, entertainment and productivity applications. Popular apps such as Facebook Mobile, Yahoo!, Opera Mini, and Nimbuzz can be downloaded to more that 2,300 handsets across all major platforms. RCOM will offer the service at 50 paise per MB of usage, with the app download and offline usage free. GetJar currently averages over 1 million downloads per day globally. India is currently adding more mobile phone subscribes each month than any other.
Reliance’s application store strategy is directly linked to a move to increase data traffic, increase data plan adoption, and the sale of other services through the use of free applications. Reliance believes the strategy of giving away free apps will help achieve mass mobile data plan adoption and mobile Internet use.
“We wanted to partner with the largest, most experienced, “open” application catalog provider to address virtually any device being used by our customers,” says Anil Pande, Head – VAS at Reliance Communications, “Our partnership with GetJar means that all Reliance Communications customers will instantly have access to thousands of applications, ranging from games, shopping and lifestyle, to sports, entertainment and productivity applications.”

MIG App Shows Real Talent

Mobile Interactive Group (MIG) says the free iPhone App it created for ITV1’s ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ show has been an immediate success, jumping to the top of the iTunes app charts in a matter of days. Britain’s Got Talent is one of the UK’s most popular TV shows. The app produced by talkbackThames digital in collaboration with MIG, launched on Thursday 15 April. It was created by MIG company Kilrush Application Studios (KAS), designed for iPhone and iPod touch users who are avid fans of the show and is available for free via the App store. In the four days after its launch, the app was downloaded 200,000 times.
The Britain’s Got Talent app enables viewers to watch the latest videos and access exclusive back stage footage; keep up to date with breaking news, gossip and hot stories; browse photo galleries of the acts and judges, and rate and share them with friends and family; and participate directly with ITV2’s ‘Britain’s Got More Talent’ show during live episodes. Additionally, the app has been integrated with social networking sites Facebook and Twitter to allow fans to explore and share content on the move and is accessible 24/7.
The App has been monetised through integrated sponsorship packages, with Domino’s Pizza taking lead sponsorship, enabling viewers to order pizza and have it delivered directly to their door via the app. All mobile advertising is powered via 4th Screen Advertising’s ad serving platform, Mpression.

Google Maps on Android Gets Satnav

Google has launched Google Maps With Navigation (Beta) for phones running Android 1.6 and above.
Google Maps With Navigation (Beta) is an Internet-connected GPS navigation (satnav) system that provides turn-by-turn voice guidance as a free feature of Google Maps for phones running Android 1.6 and above. The application uses the phone's Internet connection to deliver the latest maps and business data.  Users don’t need to buy map upgrades or manually update their device because they are always served the most recent data from Google Maps.
Key features include Search by voice to find your destination; the most recent maps, businesses and live traffic from Google Maps; and street-level and satellite views. The traffic view has an onscreen indicator that glows green, yellow, or red based on the current traffic conditions along the route. A single touch on the indicator toggles a traffic view that shows the traffic ahead.
Google Maps with Navigation (Beta) is available now on Android Market.

GetJar Measures Conversion of App Dowloads to Users

Independent app store GetJar says it is the first app store to enable developers to measure the conversion rate of mobile downloads to users across all open platforms, including Android, BlackBerry, Flash, Java, Symbian and Windows Mobile.
GetJar notes that developers want users, not downloads, but says that until now it was very time consuming to set up tracking codes and analytics to measure the conversion of app store downloads to users. GetJar has now automated this process, enabling developers to analyze the performance of their application by phone, country, and network. In addition, the Conversion API, used in conjunction with GetJar’s Pay per Download (PPD) promotion system, can help developers manage their cost per active user and optimize their marketing efficiency.
Traditionally, says GetJar, there was no inexpensive way for developers to test their app on every phone. There are over 2,500 different mobile phone models that can browse the web and download apps and each of these has different variations for operators over time. GetJar tracks 25,000 different variations in total. Even developers with the best intentions couldn’t possibly discover and test every carrier and firmware variation, the company says. Thus, users became defacto testers and were subjected to many apps that simply didn’t work on their phones.
“With GetJar conversion tracking, developers will know where their apps run, and where they don’t,” say GetJar VP of Product, Chris Dury. “This conversion data will allow developers to improve their apps, increase conversion, and gain an advantage over the competition, by increasing users, not just downloads.”
Developers can also host their apps on their own sites using GetJar App Download Page (ADP) and can track conversions for app downloads. ADP is a free, white-label hosting solution for mobile app developers to deliver app downloads from their own websites and convert their existing traffic to mobile app users. Consumers simply click a download button and ADP automatically detects the phone and downloads the appropriate app version.
To get started, developers simply add a conversion code into their apps published on GetJar. When the app is opened for the first time, it will notify GetJar. Developers can then see the results in the analytics on the GetJar developer site. For more information and complete documentation, you can create a developer account here.

Heathrow Offers Premium App for Free

Heathrow Airport is offering passengers a free version of its newly launched mobile application for the next four weeks to provide passengers with the latest information and updates on the status of flights operating in and out of the airport.
Heathrow’s first ‘Airport Guide’ app is designed for anyone travelling to, from or through Heathrow, and will enable passengers to plan their airport visit from the palm of their hand. There are two versions of the app: a free edition and a paid for premium pro version, which normally costs £1.79 per year but will be available to download at no cost until the end of May.  
The free version helps passengers locate and book the most convenient method of transport to the airport, and provides information on check-in procedures, airport news and terminal details. Once at the airport, the app provides detailed terminal maps, shop locations and retail offers.
The pro version also offers the ability to access flight information updates and to track flight progress. It contains six months of scheduled flight timetables for every airline at Heathrow, as well as five-day weather forecasts for over 220 global locations. 
The Heathrow Airport Guide app is available now for the iPhone and iPod touch, Vodafone 360 and Android, and is coming soon to Blackberry and Java-based Smartphones. There’s more information here.

Ocado Launches Android App

Online supermarket Ocado has launched an Android app incorporating voice search technology. Using the ‘Ocado On The Go’  app, shopppers can access Ocado’s fully-stocked virtual aisles by speaking their selections. As they do so, the the app pulls up a comprehensive list of individual products in that range.
Ocado’s range of over 21,000 products is stored locally on the handset, so users can keep shopping even when offline. Orders are automatically, and swiftly updated whenever the phone goes online. The app also integrates with Ocado’s website.
“Our continual motivation is to make food shopping as quick and painless as possible for customers; we’re thrilled to now be doing this via an innovative Android app,” says Ocado Co-founder, Jason Gissing. “Last summer we were the first UK supermarket on the iPhone, and going live on Android is the next step of a revolutionary journey to be available across several digital platforms.”
Ocado’s On The Go iPhone app launched last July. In February 2010, 4.4% of all Ocado orders were being placed or updated on it, equating to sales of over £15 million per annum.

Android Suffers in Smaato Ad Metrics Report

Mobile ad optimization firm Smaato has released revealed its latest metrics, looking at the global, mobile advertising market in terms of clickthrough rates and ad network fill rates.
The figures reveal that Android has been enjoying huge success in terms of clickthrough rates in South-east Asia, but on the global front, it has dropped by around 50%, and now stands in fifth place in Smaato’s  CTR (Clickthrough Rate) Index, with Symbian retaining top spot and feature phone handsets claiming second space. The metrics are based upon 36 mobile ad networks and over 4 billion ad requests served in the Smaato network of more than 3,300 registered mobile publishers in March 2010.
The performance of different operating systems in March shows Symbian’s lead decrease slightly, as feature phone handsets and Windows Phone make significant increases. The CTR Index ranges from 35 (Blackberry) to 156 (Symbian), compared to February where the spread was from 51 (Blackberry) to 147 (Symbian). The Index consists of the average CTR of all devices and this number is set to 100.
Android has suffered the most in the latest metrics, with a drop of almost 50% as its global CTR Index fell from 110 in February, to 58 in March. This is the second consecutive month that Android has dropped. Feature phone handsets have been building momentum since the first Smaato Metrics Report in December. Each month, they have made consistent gains on the competition in the CTR Index, from 84 in December, to 91 in January, to 107 in February and now at 123 in March. Symbian’s lead has shortened in the CTR Index table, but it remains the OS to beat with regards to CTR performance in mobile advertising. Apple remains consistent across February and March (89).
Smaato’s metrics highlight the performance of mobile ad networks globally, and also measure the fill rate, which is defined as the percentage of ads delivered per ad request, and varies by different factors, such as country, device and content type.
 The fill rates of the global top 10 ad networks, increased from February to March. The best performing mobile ad network in the Smaato worldwide Index had a fill rate of 93% in March 2010, an increase of percentage points compared to February. Despite the increases across the board, the average for worldwide ad network fill rate performance remains steady at 28% (from 29% in the previous month), with six of the top 10 ad networks performing above this average. Smato says that this data helps to prove that an ad network aggregation system can help partners achieve the best possible return and the highest possible fill rate, across the globe. 
The average fill rate of mobile ad networks in the USA rose to 41% in March, improving from February’s average of 35%. Five of the top eight ad networks performed above the average, and the US average fill rate remains significantly higher than the global fill rate of 28%. In line with the global fill rates, the top US ad networks experienced significant increases from February, with the strongest network’s fill rate rising from 78% to 94%.

paythru Launches In-app Payment Solution

Mobile payment firm paythru has launched an independent in-app payment service, in response to requests from companies at the World Congress in Barcelona (February 2010). The service enables consumers to pay for goods, services or upgrades without having to leave a mobile app. So, for example, if a customer wants to top up a game fee, or upgrade from a free app to a paid service, or access paywalled content from a news service via an app, they can do so without having to go through a separate payment site and risk degrading the app experience. The app developer keeps control of the payment process and the customer relationship. This can be done, for example, distributing a free app direct to customers, with an option to upgrade or pay for further use.
The ‘in-app’ payment service uses paythru’s secure mobile payments platform, which allows customers to spend what they want, when they want, where they want, through any Internet-enabled mobile phone and using any bank or credit card. Paythru points out that it is the only mobile payment platform that is Level 1 PCI DSS compliant, delivering the same standard of security as retail bank and card issuers, protecting both merchants and customers.
“The biggest discussions at Mobile World Congress were around how to monetise apps effectively,” says 
Paythru Managing Director, Keith Brown. “Applications have the potential to be great marketing or sales tools, but they’re no good if you can’t make revenue from them – either because you have no option to upgrade a free app to a paid service, or because you’re giving away a large percentage of  your download revenues to an app store. We were asked to help solve that problem, and so we developed the in-app payment system.”
Dataquest estimates that more than 4.5 billion mobile applications will be downloaded worldwide in 2010, bringing in some $6.8 billion to app stores worldwide. More than eight in 10 applications downloaded this year, however, will be free.
paythru’s service works internationally and provides a multi-currency option, enabling app developers to accept international and local cards and integrate with more than 40 banks worldwide.

Opera Mini Downloaded 1m Times on App Store Debut

Opera’s Mini mobile browser has got off to a flying start in the Apple App Store, with iPhone users downloading the app more than 1 million times on the first day of its availability in each market. Opera Mini is currently the number one iPhone app in the 22 featured Apple App Stores, as of 8am CET today. According to Apple’s download count, Opera Mini has been added to 1,023,380 Apple devices.
“Today, iPhone users have a choice, and, as the numbers show, they are eager to explore new and faster ways to surf the web on the iPhone, especially during heavy web traffic,” says Opera Software CEO, Lars Boilesen. “With any widely available and frequently downloaded Opera product, we are appreciative of all the feedback we are getting, as it helps us to continually improve our product and better meet the needs of our users.”
 

Goal.com on Your Mobile

In preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, football website Goal.com and Handmark have announced the launch of the Goal.com mobile application for iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile and Nokia (S60 5th edition). The app supports content in four languages and comes in eight different editions:  International; English – UK; English – US; Spanish  Spain; Spanish – US; Spanish – Latin America; French; and Italian.
The app delivers instant real-time access to all the latest breaking football news, including the 2010 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League and transfer activity. Handmark and Goal.com plan to release another update to the application in the coming weeks as well that will include additional features and functionality to support a premier mobile experience for tracking games during the World Cup.
The app updates automatically, even when not in use, to ensure that the user can access up-to-date information, which is available for offline reading. A ‘My Feeds’ facility allows football fans to customize the content to keep track of their favourite leagues and clubs.
The app is free and is available for download from the Handmark website or at http://m.goal.com/app on your mobile browser.

LUXE City Guides Go Mobile

LUXE City Guides has announced the release of its Mobile edition, which is available for the iPhone and Blackberry, plus handsets from Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung and HTC. The apps cost £5.99 and come with a year of free updates sent directly to the phone, plus the second year’s subscription for half price.
LUXE City Guides, written by resident city editors, deliver opinionated, informed information, with no ads, and the company says it is bringing the same no-nonsense approach to mobile. The mobile apps initially cover 10 popular destinations - New York, Hong Kong, Paris, London, Shanghai, Singapore, Rome, Bali, Sydney, and Bangkok - with 20 more international destinations coming soon.
You can download the Guides here.

Opera Passes 100m Users, Launches on iPhone

Opera Software has revealed that Opera browsers are now used by more than 100 million people worldwide, with 50 million users on Windows, Mac and Linux computers, and another 50 million using Opera Mini on mobile phones, plus a smaller number using Opera browsers on game consoles, TVs and set-top boxes.
“Opera’s record growth shows that we are on the right track, and that as user needs grow, we are growing right along with them,” says Opera CEO, Lars Boilesen. “Opera for Desktop delivers the fastest browsing experience on the planet, with a visionary approach to features and a user-friendly design.”
Separately, Opera has announced that Opera Mini has been approved for iPhone and iPod touch on the Apple App Store. Opera says that Opera Mini will be available as a free download within 24 hours, depending on market.
Opera Mini enables fast mobile Web browsing by compressing data by up to 90% before sending content to the device, resulting in significantly improved page loading. The company says that Opera Mini users will notice an uptake in speed, especially on slower networks, and that surfing the web with Opera Mini on iPhone and iPod touch will help users save money because of its data compression capabilities, particularly when used while roaming. 

Apple to Ban Third-party iPhone Analytics?

Application developers are trying to get to the bottom of a change in Apple’s iPhone Developer Program License Agreement that seems to prohibit the use of third-party analytics tools such as Flurry and Distimo that monitor app usage.
The relevant part of Section 3.3.9 of the Developer Agreement reads:
“You may only provide or disclose User Data to third parties as necessary for providing services or functionality for the Application that collected the User Data, and then only if You receive express user consent. For example, if Your Application would like to post a message from a user to a third party social networking site, then You may only share the message if the user has explicitly indicated an intention to share it by clicking or selecting a button or checking a box that clearly explains how the message will be shared.
Notwithstanding anything else in this Agreement, Device Data may not be provided or disclosed to a third party without Apple’s prior written consent. Accordingly, the use of third party software in Your Application to collect and send Device Data to a third party for processing or analysis is expressly prohibited.”

That would seem to be a pretty clear line from Apple ruling out the use of third-party analytic software to monitor and report on app usage. It could also apply to analytics from ad networks such as AdMob.
The move has been covered on a couple of websites, including SiliconAngle and a blogger by the name of Eric Kerr.
We’ve asked a few analytics companies and developers for their reaction to it. We’ll update this story once we get it.
Update:
We’ve had word back from Distimo, who, first up, pointed out that VentureBeat  was the first site to cover the story. The company went on to tell us:
“Distimo is not affected by the recent change in the Apple Developer agreement because Distimo offers analytics to developers without the need to insert any code into their application(s). The Distimo Monitor service does not rely on a third party API as outlined in the new iPhone developer agreement, so Distimo is not impacted by the change.
“We do not expect Apple to ban analytics parties that in fact work with an API however, as long as Apple does not provide in-app analytics themselves. There is a strong market demand among developers for high quality analytics on their application's performance. We believe analytics services help developers improve the quality of their apps ,and are therefore valuable to parties like Apple as well.”

Deutsche Telekom Launches UK Mobile App Store with 15,000 Apps

Softwareload.co.uk, Deutsche Telekom’s software download portal, has launched its UK mobile application store, containing more than 15,000 mobile applications for download. Visitors will be able to shop for apps ranging from business software, games, navigation, communication and organisational tools, and securely install them directly onto their mobile device or via their PC.
The analyst Gartner estimates that by 2013, mobile phones will overtake PCs as the most common Web access device worldwide. Softwareload.co.uk’s UK mobile store will offer apps compatible with BlackBerry, PalmOS, Symbian and Windows Mobile, including free titles. Customers can download and install software onto their mobile phone either via their PC or directly onto their handheld device. Users can also see which titles are compatible with their mobile prior to purchase.
To download software directly onto handheld devices, users should log on to http://m.softwareload.com, select their software and download directly. Payment methods include Visa, Mastercard and American Express.
To install via a PC, users should visit http://mobile.softwareload.co.uk, make their purchase and transfer the downloaded software straight to the mobile device via USB cable. Customers shopping on their PC can purchase via PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, American Express or pre-payment
Customers can also take the option of Softwareload.co.uk’s 12-month download guarantee, which enables them to store their purchase securely online should they need to install it on a new mobile device during that period.
In Germany, where Softwareload.co.uk’s sister site Softwareload.de accounts for more than 1.5 million registered users, the most popular mobile applications include communication tools, travel and holiday apps. Current best sellers include mobile email service ProfiMail and Simworks Anti-Virus.
“Consumers and business people alike are using mobile devices far more often for work or entertainment on the move. As a result they’re demanding wider access to exciting new apps to make the most of their mobiles,” says Dirk Lebzien, Head of Softwareload. “With the launch of our UK mobile store on Softwareload.co.uk, shoppers can choose from more than 15,000 software titles that they can quickly and securely install onto their mobile device.”
There’s more information via your PC here, http://mobile.softwareload.co.uk  or via your mobile at: http://m.softwareload.com 

Twitter App Launches on BlackBerry

BlackBerry maker RIM has announced the launch of the Twitter for BlackBerry application in BlackBerry App World. The free app enables users to access direct messages as soon as they arrive, using BlackBerry push); reply to tweets, re-tweet and send direct messages; post a link from their BlackBerry browser; take pictures and upload them to Twitter direct from the camera application; and find and follow friends, or search for popular topics. 
The app launched in a closed beta in February, and RIM says it has taken onboard user feedback to enhance the functionality of the app, ahead of the launch. Additional features that have been developed during beta testing include support for lists; profile editing; enlarged profile avatar viewing; and notifications of new tweets and @replies/mentions.

Distimo/MEF Report Looks at Apps in Emerging Markets

Distimo, the mobile app store analytics company, and the Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF), have announced a strategic partnership that includes the publication of a new report on the emerging markets in the Apple App Store. The emerging markets covered in the report are Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with data from the US included for comparison purposes.
The major findings of the report are:

• The most popular applications are priced higher in the Emerging Markets than in the United States. Average prices have decreased in both regions however, since December 1, 2009.
• Applications in the Navigation and Medical categories are most expensive in the emerging markets, as in the US. The average price of the most popular applications in the Finance, Medical, Navigation and Reference categories is higher however, in the emerging markets than in the US due to a multitude of expensive applications that are only popular in the emerging markets.
• Games are more popular in the US than in the emerging markets. 56% of the most popular applications in the US are games, compared to only 29% in the emerging markets. The difference is even larger when it comes to revenue generation: 54% of the highest grossing applications in the US are games, compared to only 17% in the emerging markets.
• Instant messaging (IM) applications are among the most popular applications in the emerging markets of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Examples include WhatsApp Messenger, Live Messenger and Easy IM Free.

“We’re delighted to welcome Distimo as a member and strategic partner,” says MEF Executive Director, Rimma Perelmuter. “The partnership represents a ‘win-win’ for both parties since it gives Distimo a great platform to share their unique analytics with MEF’s member companies, while enhancing membership value through exclusive market insight. Distimo’s first MEF report offers our members a fascinating snapshot of App Stores across the Middle East, comparing and contrasting the results with data from the United States.”
The full report is available exclusively to Mobile Entertainment Forum members.

Voda Opens Up 360 Shop Access Via JIL

Vodafone is enabling developers to publish applications to the Vodafone 360 Shop through the JIL.org website. The announcement marks the next milestone in the progression of the Joint Innovation Lab (JIL) partnership, enabling developers to use open web technologies to create, monetise and distribute apps to customers with JIL-enabled handsets.
Developers can choose to select from one, some or all of the selected markets for each app they publish. Developers can select from 20 price points ranging from €0.49 to €9.99 (£0.49 to £9.99 in the UK) and set separate prices for each Vodafone market. A standard 70/30 revenue share is offered, with developers paid monthly, approximately 60 days after the end of the month in which revenue was earned. Vodafone can pay developers in Euros, British pounds or US dollars.
Developers’ apps will be reviewed within 10 business days. Accepted apps become available in the Vodafone 360 Shop for the local markets the developer has selected immediately. Reports available on JIL.org enable developers to see how many downloads or sales each app has had at each price point in each market. Both daily and monthly reports are available. For paid apps, there are additional monthly reports, showing the revenue share split and any applicable tax calculations, as well as invoices and remittance reports, detailing and confirming payment.
Apps published to the Vodafone 360 shop are supported by 50 different handsets, including the Vodafone 360 H1 and M1 phones from Samsung, and many Symbian/ S60 phones from Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Samsung.  Developers can choose to select from one, some or all device classes for each app they publish. Because apps published through JIL.org are based on HTML, CSS and JavaScript, developers will be able to design apps that scale across a range of phone models. 
Vodafone has also launched http://developer.vodafone.com - a dedicated site providing developers with information on the Vodafone 360 platform, including technical guidelines to consider when building a mobile app.
“Through the JIL.org site, we are providing developers with simple upload methods, a transparent review process and greater insight, thanks to enabled country-specific market and pricing information,” says Lee Epting, Director of Content Services at Vodafone Group. “Combined with our new dedicated developer.vodafone.com site, we can help developers quickly tailor their apps to local markets, making them more relevant and generating more downloads.”

Smaato Unveils iPad SDK

Mobile ad optimization firm Smaato has released a new version of its iSOMA SDK (Software Development Kit) for iPad applications and mobile websites.
The iSOMA for iPad SDK will support multiple new ad formats, including the Internet Advertising Bureau’s Universal Ad Package (UAP). The SDK also supports the Mobile Marketing Association’s mobile ad formats, including new, rich media banner formats that are emerging from Smaato’s 36 ad network partners.
“There is a lot of excitement in the mobile publishing market about the iPad and new features in the upcoming iPhone OS 4.0 release,” says Smaato CEO & Co-Founder. Ragnar Kruse. “We are happy to continue our support for the iPhone platform and the iPad as the new addition to mobile device choices.”
Apple’s iPad is a hybrid mobile device that is expected to be heavily used to surf the web, access media application, and play with mobile entertainment offerings. First applications and media offerings from publishers of TIME, Wall Street Journal and the New York Times are using a blend of new innovative advertising formats that add multimedia functions, like video and sound.
Smaato Advanced Mobile Analytics will be included in the iPad SDK 1.0. This provides a comprehensive set of tools that enable mobile publishers to optimize their inventory for the iPad to maximize user experience and insights. Smaato will make the new iSOMA for iPad version available for free download with registration on the sign-up portal.
Smaato notes that better options for iSOMA mobile advertising functions are now available with the multitasking and background functions in the new “tentpoles” of the iPhone 4.0 OS. This will make easier interaction available for cross-platform, mobile-branded landing pages, because the user flow while in an app is not disconnected – the app can stay open in the background. This will allow similar mobile advertising features to those offered by Apple’s iAd mobile advertising platform unveiled yesterday.

AdMob Campaign Boosts Game's App Store Ranking

Zattikka’s ‘Finger Frenzy’ game has raced up the UK App Store ranking with the help of an ad campaign on mobile ad network AdMob. The iPhone-focused advertising campaign pushed Finger Frenzy’s position from within the 100’s to number 24 in just a few days.
Following the successful launch of the game with an Apple ‘What’s Hot’ co-promotion at Christmas, the number of downloads and popularity level declined sharply. With 140,000 apps currently available in the App Store, Zattikka found it difficult to get its paid-for app noticed. To achieve its objective of breaking into the UK’s top 25 paid games, Zattikka turned to AdMob to help propel Finger Frenzy back into the App Store rankings and increase public interest.
Zattikka used AdMob’s cost-per-click text and tile ads, which send users directly from the ad to the app’s download page. With just one click, consumers were able to buy the game, which challenges them to type the alphabet as quickly as possible.
The campaign concentrated on the 3G and 3Gs iPhone and iPod touch handsets, reaching consumers in the UK across more than 3,000 iPhone apps in AdMob’s network. To provide transparency to the consumer and ensure qualified clicks, the £0.59 game price was highlighted.
 “We turned to AdMob to re-ignite download activity, and our campaign resulted in an immediate increase in downloads, and an even higher ranking impact than the ‘What’s Hot’ placement we previously held in the UK App Store” says Matt Spall, Head of Product Development at Zattikka.
Thomas Schulz, Managing Director at AdMob, EMEA, notes that with nearly 38,000 apps added to Apple’s App Store so far in 2010, and millions downloaded every week, it is becoming increasingly difficult for developers to grasp the attention of consumers.
"The Finger Frenzy campaign is a fantastic example of how developers can employ mobile advertising to improve sales of their applications,” he says. “Mobile advertising benefits both consumers and developers, as the ads help consumers find new apps, and developers can devote more time to creating and updating their apps." 

SIMagine Contestants Aim for Finals

SIMagine, the worldwide developers contest for SIM-based mobile applications, has entered into its final phase, at the end of which the finalists will be awarded €150,000 (£132,000) worth of prizes. The organizer SIMalliance, partners Team Côte d'Azur, Samsung and Oracle/Sun and the sponsors Orange, Telefonica and Telecom Italia, will announce the winners at the SIMposium event in Rome on 20 April.
Out of the 10 Nominees announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and currently in competition, six teams will be awarded prizes worth €150,000 in two categories: ‘Mobile Telecom Applications’, for applications developed to run on the (U)SIM card and ‘Start-up Projects’ for a business project or established start-up company leveraging the potential of the SIM cad.
The prizes include 24 months in the Eurécom ParisTech international incubator, which specializes in the mobile industry, plus coaching services provided by a team of experts from SKEMA Business School, VENTECH and the law firm Kahn & Associates
The 10 nominees are (Mobile Telecom Applications): Islamic SIMCard by SES Ltd (Greece); mKratos by Telkom Centre of Excellence (S. Africa); PARKEUR by Polytech'Marseille (France); PARME by Polytech'Nice-Sophia (France); PhoobyBook by PhoobyBook (Italy); and SpaceAds by Micro Circle (M) Sdn Bhd (Malaysia). And in the Start-up Projects category: Bipper by Bipper Communication AS (Norway); eVOTZ by eVOTZ (US); Linkedia by Linkedia (China); and Radio touch by Alberto Gasparini (Italy).

75% of Mobile Apps Have Avoidable Bugs, says Mobile Distillery

75% of mobile applications launch with bugs that could be avoided. So says Mobile Distillery, which says the statistic is based on five years of running a centre for mobile web and mobile app testing.
The company notes that as mobile phones are increasingly in touch with the real world through technologies like Bluetooth, GPS, accelerometers and NFC, emulators and remote testing devices are less efficient in covering all real use cases. Many developers do not realise how far emulators can be from the real phone performance, it says, pointing out that emulators do not emulate bugs.
“Based on our experience with many companies and developers creating and offering mobile apps across a wide range of handsets, unfortunately all too often these apps aren’t tested in advance,” says Mobile Distillery CEO, Jean-Philippe Bechade. “At best, end users report bugs they have experienced; at worst,  they just live with the bad brand experience. This can not only damage the company’s revenues, but also ruin the customer relationship.”
The company set up a test centre five years ago to help spot bugs and errors in mobile apps and the mobile web to avoid wasting money and time on correcting them.  Mobile Distillery’s testing service offers access to more than 1,300 handsets, and experienced testers to design a test plan. Future handsets are added the moment they hit the market.
To celebrate the test centre’s 5th anniversary, Mobile Distillery is offering a free test of an app on five phones, subject to a minimum order of 15 phones. There’s more information on the offer here.

Smaato and Alcatel-Lucent Partner to Cut App Development Costs

Mobile ad optimizer and advertising company Smaato is teaming up with Alcatel-Lucent to deliver what it says is the industry's first packaged API (Application Programming Interfaces) bundles, to simplify and reduce the cost of application development.
Providing an advertising API within Alcatel-Lucent’s larger bundled set of APIs for app developers,  Smaato is participating in a new industry revenue-sharing model that it says radically transforms application innovation, by eliminating upfront costs for developers, extending application reach, and opening new revenue opportunities for developers and service providers alike.
"We welcome the pioneering social API initiative of Alcatel-Lucent to provide more upside for developers to reach better monetization through mobile advertising and added targeting value, such as location," says Smaato CEO, Ragnar Kruse. “We are proud our SOMA mobile advertising platform supporting Android and iPhone is already implemented to help mobile publishers maximize their impact on mobile audiences through value added services.”
Smaato is joining other enterprises participating in Alcatel-Lucent’s delivery of API bundles that collectively includes SMS, advertising, location, virtual goods, credit card and billing. The bundling targets the 14 million-plus developers worldwide, and the two fastest growing and increasingly profitable application markets today: mobile advertising and virtual goods. Recent industry research suggests mobile advertising will exceed $3 billion by 2013 and that today's virtual goods market is worth between $4-6 billion globally.
The bundled API offering is part of a larger push by Alcatel-Lucent to give developers the ability to use the service provider network as a development platform in the same way they currently build applications for mobile devices and the web.
“The bundles provide developers with immediate, pre-integrated access to broad application capabilities, without having to understand the underlying application or network APIs, says Redg Snodgrass, Senior Director, Strategic Developer Alliances at Alcatel-Lucent. “In addition, developers are able to make API calls without upfront cost, and instead share revenue on the back-end when applications using the APIs actually make money. Service providers and third party API providers also get a cut of revenue when their APIs are accessed.”
Developers can access the bundles through Alcatel-Lucent’s developer community.

SPB Unveils SPB TV for iPhone

SPB Software has released released SPB TV for iPhone, a freeware mobile IPTV viewer with TV-like usability, created for tuning in to publicly-available digital TV channels from all over the world, via the iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. SPB TV for iPhone is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices with firmware version 3.0 and above.
SPB TV for iPhone presents exclusive and patent-pending usability innovations and gives the mobile subscribers easy access to over 120 TV channels in more than 20 languages. It includes a TV browser with quick channel previews, an instantly-accessible TV guide for all offered channels, and quick channel switching.
With the arrival of SPB TV for iPhone, SPB Software has expanded the list of supported platforms - which already includes Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Symbian - while at the same time launching a new line of TV 2.0 apps, which are free-of-charge, no-subscription programmes, supported by advertising revenues. The company says that ads in SPB TV 2.0 are unobtrusive, lasting only the amount of time necessary to buffer the stream when starting a channel.

Publishers Flock to the iPad

To no-one’s great surprise, publisher brands are rushing to get a piece of the iPad action with the release of iPad applications.
The Guardian has unveiled its Guardian Eyewitness photography app for iPad. The app, produced in association with camera maker Canon, showcases the Guardian’s Eyewitness news images, which are printed in full colour in the centre spread of the Guardian newspaper each day.
The app showcases the 100 most recent Eyewitness images. Users can save their favourites, and share images with their contacts via email or Facebook. Each image is also accompanied by a ‘pro tip’, to give professional insights into the composition or technical specification of a particular image.
“To be able to offer an app for the launch of iPad is a fantastic achievement for the Guardian, and demonstrates how we continue to embrace new technologies and explore new ways to showcase and offer our wide range of content to both new and existing audiences,” says Emily Bell, Director of Digital Content, Guardian News & Media (GNM). “Our Eyewitness images in the Guardian work so well because the photography is given such prominence in the centre spread of the newspaper, and now the iPad will enable users to see these striking images full-screen in a new electronic format, which – up until now – has never been fully possible on any electronic devices. We hope users enjoy the app and, as ever, we’re looking forward to hearing the feedback.”
There’s more information about the app here.
Meanwhile, travel content provider Lonely Planet has launched its ‘1000 Ultimate Experiences’ app for the iPad. The app will allow iPad users to experience Lonely Planet’s top 1,000 recommended experiences through beautiful images, captivating video and insights from its leading travel authors.
Inspired by the Lonely Planet book of the same name, the app re-imagines the book reading experience as a deck of 1,000 cards which users can swipe, flick and thumb their way through. Lonely Planet is also developing its ‘Discover’ guides for iPad in iBook format. Titles will include Great Britain, Italy, Spain, France and Ireland.
"The iPad is a groundbreaking device that gives us the flexibility to publish content in extraordinary ways we would never have thought possible a year ago,” says Lonely Planet CEO, Matt Goldberg. “We are delighted to offer an exciting new product for the launch of iPad and are experimenting restlessly with new technologies and platforms ,as we build on our strategy to become the world’s leading travel media and services provider."
The 1000 Ultimate Experiences App for iPad is available for $19.99 (£13) from the Apple App Store.
Finally, ebook community Wattpad has launched its iPad app. Wattpad for iPad is specifically optimized to make full use of the iPad’s larger screen and enhanced interface. “iPad is one of the most anticipated products since the iPhone,” says Wattpad CEO, Allen Lau. “Today we are unveiling our latest creation simultaneously with iPad’s general availability.”

Motally Enables On-the-fly App Updates

Mobile analytics firm Motally has launched a 2-Way Communication solution that makes it easier for app developers to optimize apps on the fly, without having to re-submit their app. Motally says the solution will enable developers to make changes and updates to iPhone, Android, and Blackberry apps without the need to redeploy them in their respective app stores. In effect, Motally says it has created a dialogue between app stores and developers, thereby reducing the time to market of improved applications based on consumer usage data.
Due to the unpredictable nature of approval systems in app stores, developers struggle to schedule and coordinate even the slightest change to their apps for fear of the lengthy response time from app-saturated app stores approvals staff. Motally addresses that concern by enabling developers to send data to back to apps already live in app stores. With Motally 2-Way Communication, developers can make changes remotely to data values in previously defined fields, all from within the web interface of their Motally account.
“The app submission and resubmission process definitely can hold developers back from bringing updates to market as fast as they would like,” says Peter Sankauskas, a Game Developer and Software Engineer at Motally. “With Motally’s 2-Way Communication feature, we are excited about providing on-the-fly adjustments to apps and believe the uninterrupted consumer experience will lead to higher engagement and usage.”
Using Motally’s 2-Way Communication, developers can instantly update or modify existing tracking parameters and the conditions under which data is sent. For example a developer can turn on debug tracking remotely to resolve bugs on the fly, without having to go through app stores’ often meticulous and lengthy approval process.
Developers can also change the values for custom fields that have been previously defined. For example, a developer can include a discount code field into an application and change the value for that code, based on a particular marketing campaign. In an effort to facilitate app localization, the new feature even allows developers to change the greeting on a text to go from ‘Hello’ to ‘Hola’, depending on the country from which an app is being accessed.
Founded in 2008, Motally supports analytics for applications on the iPhone, iPad, Android, and BlackBerry platforms, as well as the mobile web, via a single interface. Motally also offers white-label solutions to enterprise customers.
There's a video demo of Motally's 2-Way Communication solution here.

DVLA Vetoes Auto Trader App's Image Recognition Trick

Motoring website Auto Trader has run into a spot of bother with the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) over its recently-launched iPhone application. The app used image recognition technology to read car number plates. A user who saw a car they liked the look of could launch the app and take a photo of the number plate. From the number recognition technology, the app would then return information about the car, including miles per gallon, typical price, and which dealers in the user’s area are selling similar cars, as well as user reviews from AutoTrader.co.uk to help people make more informed decisions.
The DVLA has requested that Auto Trader remove the image recognition element, however as it conflicts with their code of ethics. Auto Trader has agreed to comply with the request and has now removed the feature.
According to an Auto Trader spokesperson:
“The DVLA has requested that Auto Trader remove the image recognition element of the iPhone application. Although the app in no way infringes data privacy regulations, the ‘snap’ function conflicts with the DVLA’s code of ethics, as it allows consumers to capture images of vehicle license plates.
The application draws only on publically-available information and does not release owner details or information on where a vehicle is registered. However, we take consumer security extremely seriously and so have happily agreed to comply with the DVLA’s request. As a result, from 30 March, the ‘snap’ function has been removed from the app. Consumers trying to access this function will receive an error message, but will still be able to access the core search function, something users appear to value above the image recognition functionality based on early usage of the app.
 “Since the app launched two weeks ago it has received a hugely positive response from consumers, and we will be working to support this success with an updated version as soon as possible, in which we aim to include remedies to key issues that users have been providing feedback on. We are committed to finding new and engaging ways for consumers to find the cars they’re looking for and mobile access is a key part of this evolution over the coming months. We will inform users as soon as a release date for the new version of the application has been confirmed.”

Brunel Business School Leads Mobile Policy-making Initiative

Brunel Business School is leading an international consortium of academics which has won a multi-million pound grant to develop mobile phone technologies to involve citizens in policy-making.
The project will develop user-friendly technologies and platforms which can be installed on mobile phones to allow the public to input directly into policy-making, by giving feedback on issues affecting their daily lives. The project is designed to prove the ability and need for the creation of applications that are public sector-focused.
The three-year UbiPOL (Ubiquitous Participation for Policy Making) Project has received a total grant of €2.7 million (£2.4 million) from the European Union, with £400,000 awarded to Brunel Business School, whose Dean, Professor Zahir Irani is co-ordinating the consortium.
The other members involved in the project are Barnsley Metropolitan Council (UK); telecommunications company Turksat, web map provider Basarsoft, and Sabanci University (all from Turkey); innovation, communications and technology companies PDM&FC (Portugal), IPA SA (Romania), and Fraunhofer FOKUS (Germany); and the Corvinus University of Budapest (Hungary).
"This project will develop a mechanism by which the public can access local government at their fingertips and, more importantly, give feedback and suggestions which can then be considered by policy-makers. It will be a public sector version of the private sector revolution we are witnessing following the launch of the applications we now see on mobile devices, the difference being (that) UbiPol will promote apps that lead to social cohesion through Government ," says Professor Zahir Iran, Dean of Brunel Business School. "All too often, members of the public feel disengaged from local policy,  but this new system of e-government will give them instant access to services and information, and put the power in their hands - literally."
Dr Habin Lee, from Brunel Business School, notes that technological advances in mobile communication have led to the development of mParticipation (mobile participation) systems, allowing the public to be involved in policy making processes even on the move. But he adds that these systems are only successful if users are committed to the process and feel motivated to contribute, and he says a key issue the UbiPOL project will address, is lack of participation.
"Research has shown that one of the reasons that citizens are de-motivated is an ignorance about relevant policies and the policy making processes in governments,” says Dr. Lee. “However, the more they find connections between their usual life activities and relevant policies, the more they become proactive or motivated to be involved in the policy-making process."
UbiPOL aims to provide relevant information to users who will be alerted to policies and processes while on the move, targeting relevant information to users based on their location. The technology will also enable users to send information to their local council via their mobile phone, on issues including transport, parking, planning, environmental issues and health and safety. Problem roads could, for example, be given a 'yellow card' by users and this feedback could help create 'red zones' on a geographical map, identifying an area which needs consideration by policy-makers. Once developed, the technology will be tested in the UK and Turkey for policy making processes in four areas: environment, urban planning, household management, and health & safety.
"We will be developing an effective technology which will be scalable for a large population. It will be a pull-push system with users pulling in the information they need, wherever they are, and pushing out feedback to policymakers," says Professor Irani.

Lost on a Mountain? There's an App for That

Motor insurer swiftcover.com has helped reunite two friends who became separated whilst hiking in snow-bound mountains in Sweden. The pair used Swiftcover’s iPhone app, ‘Stuck’, to locate each other and navigate their way to a meeting point.
Stuck uses geo-location technology to allow people to post a Twitter-style message, known as a 'Stuck' about the locations or situations in which they are stuck. This is then uploaded to a map of the world with a timestamp. Other iPhone users can then click on the Stuck and, using Google maps, zoom in to locate the person who posted the Stuck.
Nico Vittorio and Paul Alonso were hiking in the Sarek National Park region of Sweden when they became separated. Although they were in contact and knew they were close-by, because of the heavy snow there were no landmarks, making it impossible to identify a meeting point. The pair used Stuck’s ‘Near-Me’ function, which flags up other users nearby, to locate each other, tracking their progress until their paths met.
The app can also be used for less adventurous situations, allowing people to upload a Stuck if they are trapped in a traffic jam, caught in the rain, stuck in a meeting, or even have a song stuck in their head. The app has a range of pre-set emotions that are quick to choose and upload. Users can even communicate their Stucks to friends and followers by sending them by e-mail or posting them on Twitter directly from the iPhone.
The app was developed by swiftcover.com’s innovation lab and has already been downloaded by 10,000 iphone users in 50 countries since it was launched in January. Swiftcover’s Head of Innovation, Ambarish Mitra, says: “swiftcover.com is an innovator – we threw out the rule book and started from scratch when we created the UK’s first fully online insurer – so we wanted our first mobile phone app to embrace that same spirit of innovation and be something that would be of use to everyone, not just swiftcover.com insurance customers.
“Stuck is quirky and fun and takes social networking to another level with a truly global dimension – for the first time you can locate anyone around the world just from the comments they make. But it also has a serious application, as Nico and Paul’s experience shows.”
Future developments for the app include one-to-one communication, linking individual Stucks to events, so people posting would be alerted to activities such as concerts or sales taking place nearby, as well as providing users with information on local amenities, like hotels or garages.
swiftcover.com does have something of a reputation for firsts in the online world. In addition to online insurance, it also developed the UK’s first insurance .mobi site, designed for mobile phone users; the first mobile phone insurance quote system; as well as the ‘My Swift Space’ feature which gives policy-holders complete control over their insurance, enabling them to update or change their policy using the Internet, via a PC or mobile phone.

LinkedIn Launches Blackberry App

LinkedIn has launched the LinkedIn application for BlackBerry. The app is available to download via the LinkedIn website, and on BlackBerry App World. It complements LinkedIn’s existing mobile offerings for the iPhone and Palm Pre.
“With the addition of the application for BlackBerry to our broader suite of mobile applications, LinkedIn is available to more business people than any other professional network in the world,” says LinkedIn Vice President of Search and Platform Products, Adam Nash. “This is an important step in our strategy to deliver business productivity tools to our members wherever their work takes them.”
The app features native integration with the BlackBerry, which enables users to use it within their BlackBerry’s existing email, calendar and contacts applications. Users can prepare for any meeting by quickly accessing LinkedIn profiles; manage their LinkedIn inboxes on the go; access network updates: Stay connected to the professional conversation; send invites to new connections to build professional networks; and receive recommendations of who they may want to add to their professional networks.
The app is available for free download to BlackBerry Tour, Curve and BlackBerry Bold handsets, in English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, and Chinese. It operates on devices running BlackBerry OS 4.3 or later. Full integration of the LinkedIn application with native BlackBerry applications requires BlackBerry OS 4.6 or later. 

InfoMedia Unveils Alps Apps

Mobile content and services firm InfoMedia has launched 13 official iPhone applications for ski resorts across the Alps. The apps have been developed in partnership with online Alps information portal Skinets.com and digital agency Powder Blue. The apps provide information on the latest weather, snowfall depths, piste and resort maps and useful locations and information. Each app costs £2.39.
"iPhone applications are the perfect vehicle for presenting live information, video content and images in a really usable and useful way, right at the point of need,” says InfoMedia, Managing Director, Michael Tomlins. "The partnership with Skinets.com enables us to strengthen our position in the app space and adds to our growing portfolio of clients in this sector."
You can see a demo of the apps here.

liligo Unveils iPhone App

Travel search engine liligo.com has launched an iPhone application. The free app compares offers from 250 travel sites in real-time, including all low cost companies and charter airlines. Results are presented in price order, with the lowest prices shown first. Users can also apply filters such as airport, airline and trip duration, and the results can be shared with friends via email. The company its USP is the number of low-cost airlines it indexes, which means that users of the app can be sure of picking up the best deals on flights from their iPhone.

Rogers Customers Get GetJar Apps

Independent app store GetJar is to make its library of more than 60,000 free mobile applications available to Rogers customers in Canada at no charge. The network’s customer can access GetJar’s applications library via a GetJar link on the Rogers Application page on its mobile Internet portal. wireless device.
The apps include games, social networking, sports, entertainment and productivity applications. Popular apps such as Facebook Mobile, Weather Channel Mobile, Fandango, and Snap2Twitter can be easily downloaded to a wide variety of wireless devices.
Rogers joins other companies already using GetJar’s open app store approach, including Sprint, Sony Ericsson, 3UK, The Carphone Warehouse and Virgin Mobile France. GetJar offers branded solutions, such as is the case with Rogers, as well as white-label solutions, using its app catalog express (ACE) service. GetJar supports over 2,000 handsets across all major platforms, including Smartphones and feature phones.
“We are very excited that Rogers is working and cooperating with GetJar to meet the demands of its customers,” says GetJar CEO, Ilja Laurs. “This agreement, much like our recent announcement with Sprint Nextel, allows Rogers to immediately connect all its customers with over 60,000 free applications with very little effort.”
To access GetJar’s catalog, Rogers customers text APPS to 555 to be sent a link to the Rogers Application page, then click the link and select the ‘Free Apps from GetJar’ link under Spotlight. Data plans are required to download the applications and data charges may apply with regards to application usage.

Zlango Goes Direct

Zlango, the icon-enhanced mobile text messaging service, has announced its availability directly to the public via the Zlango website and several independent online application stores. Zlango is a free, natively integrated, icon-based mobile messaging application. To celebrate the launch, Zlango has introduced two new icon themes – Urban and Gorgeous - in addition to the Classic theme. Each theme includes an extensive icon library within the mobile application.
Users worldwide can exchange icon-based messages with friends on any mobile network. The user experience is just like plain text messaging. The user simply selects ‘Icon Message’ rather than ‘Text Message’ and starts writing messages. Icon suggestions automatically appear to replace words throughout the message. Zlango is free to download and use, but standard operator SMS charges apply.
Zlango has previously been available to several million users via selected mobile operators worldwide. The app works on more than 500 Smartphones and mid-range devices.

FeedHenry Launches Cross-platform Business App Solution

FeedHenry, the cloud-based solution for building and deploying cross-platform applications, has launched what it claims is the first end-to-end, cloud-based solution for extending business and telecoms applications across the iPhone, Android, web and social media sites. The company says its solution solves an acute market problem where enterprises are looking for ways to reach out to customers and businesses with compelling mobile applications. A carrier-grade development environment enables enterprises to build applications and services, complete with access to an ecosystem of developers and readily available apps, without having to invest in new hardware or software.
FeedHenry’s technology enables one-click creation of native mobile and social media apps, and also provides full app life-cycle management and analytics. Complex applications including Location-based Services, payment, billing and presence, can be built and deployed quickly, and used for customer outreach across a variety of locations and devices.
 “If you are an enterprise looking to use applications to support and extend your business, FeedHenry’s platform gives you a ready-made solution,” says President and Founder, Barry Downes. “With our technology, enterprises now have a way to capture the power of mobile and social media applications, extend their business and also tap into a developer ecosystem with a supply of applications and developers to help them do it.”
FeedHenry’s technology platform is based on open standards, and, the company says, is reliable, scalable and secure. Applications are built using Javascript, which runs both on the client and in the cloud, making application development open to a wide community of developers. FeedHenry’s cloud environment provides a high performance execution environment, custom data storage, caching support and integration with third-party web services.
Enterprises can deliver the same application interface to both Smartphones and social media sites, providing sophisticated analytics that offer real insights into the use and effectiveness of applications. 

Bango Launches in-app Billing

Mobile payment and analytics firm Bango has launched an in-app billing solution that works across all mobile platforms, offering a simple, unified way to monetize all mobile applications internationally. Developers can collect one-time payments or start ongoing subscriptions within their app, using operator billing, credit cards or PayPal. The solution offers consumers a simple and consistent application payment experience on operator networks and wi-fi. Bango’s open solution gives the app developer full control over when and how to charge the consumer, along with pricing and currency. Moreover, the company notes, developers can sell content, virtual goods and add-ons from within their app, opening up a wide range of commercial opportunities.
In addition, says Bango, the new solution makes it easy for developers to distribute trial versions of apps and later charge for an upgrade to the full version. Developers can use the solution to sell directly to their customers, without having to rely completely on app stores as their channel to market – A recent Bango study found that 45% of developers plan to monetize their apps directly, in other words outside the app store.
A number of popular mobile applications are already being monetized using Bango Payment, including Shazam mobile music discovery, Touchnote mobile postcards and the licensing of fonts using the FlipFont app from Monotype Imaging.
“By using the Bango Payment technology, we provide our customers with a slick and consistent payment experience that delivers higher conversion rates ”, says Touchnote CEO, Raam Thakrar. “A quick and simple integration has allowed us to give our Touchnote customers the speed and convenience of familiar operator billing.”
Bango CEO Ray Anderson says that converting browsers into buyers is the fundamental challenge for vendors trying to capture customers within app stores. “Bango’s new in-app billing solution overcomes these issues by giving developers full control over the pricing and promotion of their applications,” says Anderson.
The popularity of mobile applications is driving more developers and content providers to commit more resources to developing mobile applications, as another channel to engage with consumers and generate revenue. According to recent stats from Juniper Research, mobile application revenues will be worth £25 billion in 2014.

Vodafone Showcases App Star Competition Entries

With less than two weeks remaining to enter, Vodafone has revealed details of  some of the entries for its €1 million (£900,000) Vodafone App Star competition. A cosmopolitan mix from across Europe sees some innovaive new mobile apps pushing location-based services to find and share anything from new friends and upcoming music gigs to the nearest chemist and even your own car.
The Vodafone App Star competition is open until 31 March, to any developer across the world. Recent entries have seen well-known developers such as Golden Gekko and Aperto Move going head-to-head with independent rising mobile app stars like Gino Micacchi, creator of ‘Mobnotes’. Developers can choose to submit their app into one of eight markets, including the UK, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal or Spain. 
Transportation has been a popular theme for recent entrants, with ‘easycar’ enabling users to search and book a hire car quickly and simply; and Tussam Mobile providing up-to-the-minute information about local buses and trams in Seville, Spain. Dutch developer Peter Manuel has developed ‘CarFinder’, an app for users who occasionally forget where they hve parked their car.  German Vodafone 360 users in need of a taxi will benefit from Aperto Move’s ‘TAXI deutschlandweit’ app. This is the first widely-available taxi ordering system for more than 3,000 taxis across Germany. The German developer has also recently submitted its ‘APOTHEKEN’ app, which helps users find local chemists that are on an emergency service and stay open all night. 
In the lifestyle and entertainment arena, and well timed for the summer festival season, Dutch developer, Tribe of Noise, has submitted ‘The GigMap’, a free service for musicians and music venues to keep their fans up-to-date about the latest concerts.  Golden Gekko’s ‘BioRhythm app’ also features in the entertainment category, providing users with a daily chart based on their date of birth, which calculates their physical, emotional and intellectual levels.
“We’ve been really impressed by the quality of apps that have been submitted to our competition. We’re still seeing some great entrants as developers across Europe continue to share their apps with us right up to the deadline,” says Lee Epting, Director of Content Services at Vodafone Group. “It’s been particularly great to see so many local apps being created for specific markets. Clearly, there is a lot of talent out there among the international developer community – we want to showcase these great ideas and properly reward the very best players for their innovation and vision.”
The best entry from each country will receive €25,000. The second and third best entries will receive €15,000 and €10,000 respctively. The winning entries from each market will then progress to a second round of the competition, where the top eight apps will be put to the public vote. The app with the highest number of public votes will win an additional €75,000, with the second place app receiving €25,000.
You can enter the Vodafone App Star competition here.

Smartphones Technologies Unveils Basketball iPhone App

Mobile application publisher Smartphones Technologies has released ‘College Basketball Bracket Challenge’ for the iPhone
College Basketball Bracket Challenge allows fans to create their own tournament bracket, compete against their friends, and see if their picks land them on the Leaderboard. Scores are automatically updated after each game is complete so fans can see if their picks move on to the next round. By using the slider on the top of the page, fans can easily switch from the List view to the Bracket view. List view allows you to view each round by region, while Bracket view lets you see your entire bracket, with correct picks in green and incorrect picks in red. Whether at home or on the go, fans can follow their favorite teams all the way to the championship.
Customers who buy a ‘College SuperFans’ app get the College Basketball Bracket Challenge inside College SuperFans apps at no extra charge. "By integrating the Bracket Challenge app functionality into the existing College SuperFans apps, we're giving fans features they expect in college sports apps," says
Smartphones Technologies CEO, Mike Merrill.

MyAssist Launches on Blackberry

MyAssist has announced the launch of the MyAssist mobile application for BlackBerry, powered by Handmark. MyAssist delivers around-the-clock access to a live team of experts specialising in travel and reservations services, online research, emergency services and medical assistance. So it’s invaluable if you’ve been involved in an accident, or need to find out the GDP of Switzerland in a hurry.
BlackBerry users can download MyAssist here, and sign up for unlimited requests for $9.99 (£6.55) a month. Users can call or email their personal assistance requests to MyAssist representatives anytime, from anywhere around the world. All inquiries are serviced by the MyAssist concierge, emergency travel and medical assistance team. Live assistants deliver a broad range of personalized services, from planning the perfect vacation to securing front-row tickets to a show. 
“Quality personal assistance should be affordable and available wherever you go,” says MyAssist CEO, John Noel. “As people’s lives have become more hectic and complicated, we’ve seen an overwhelming demand for assistance in navigating day-to-day issues, improving travel experiences and making the most of special occasions. The days of the ‘help button’ being limited to the automobile are over. Now BlackBerry users can have our team of expert personal assistants at their fingertips, wherever they go.”

iPhone App is Child's Play

Independent production company Kindle Entertainment has launched an iPhone app version of the CBeebies pre-school show ‘Big and Small will be available form the Apple App Store from 1 April. The exclusive application will be available to purchase from the iTunes App Store from 1 April 2010. 
The app was developed by Ace Games, in partnership with Kindle, and will feature video clips and songs from the series, as well as sound effects from the two main characters, Big and Small. Kindle says it has targeted the iPhone as a key emerging platform for Big and Small as parents who own the device often share them with their younger children for games and applications.
Featuring the voices of Lenny Henry and Imelda Staunton, Big and Small aims to open young children’s minds to a variety of outlooks on the world and encourage them to appreciate that people have many different ideas and opinions. Each story revolves around the comedy of Big and Small’s contrasting approaches to life. 
The show has already secured a strong online presence through the 3D Big and Small website, which invites children to enter the house and engage with animated versions of the characters. Developed using Papervision3D technology, the microsite recently won the Children’s BAFTA 2009 award for Best Interactive Website.

Xobni Launches on BlackBerry

Xobni, best know for its Microsoft Outlook add-in, has launched Xobni Mobile, initially for the BlackBerry. The company says that the app “reinvents the address book”, automatically creating rich profiles for every contact you've ever communicated with, regardless of whether they've been manually added to the native address book.  Xobni Mobile for BlackBerry is available for download via the Xobni website and soon on BlackBerry App World. 
As part of the launch, Xobni is also announcing Xobni One, a service that links information between Microsoft Outlook and mobile versions of Xobni for a more comprehensive and up-to-date address book.
"Xobni Mobile automatically builds and maintains the fastest, most complete and smartest address book you've ever used," says Xobni CEO Jeff Bonforte. "The launch of Xobni Mobile on the BlackBerry platform is an important milestone for the company, and we have made this even more compelling by powering it with Xobni One. This new service is the foundation for all our future products, and is the result of a significant investment from our product and engineering teams."
Xobni automatically creates rich profiles for anyone you've communicated with, and makes these contacts available to you on the BlackBerry by opening the Xobni Mobile app, or by ‘flicking up’ on the trackball or trackpad while in the compose window of the native BlackBerry Email application.
The app can be bought as an on-device product, and can also link with Microsoft Outlook via the Xobni One service. Xobni Mobile with Xobni One enables users to connect Xobni for Outlook with Xobni Mobile on their BlackBerry, making contact information for every person a user has ever communicated with in Outlook immediately available on the BlackBerry. Other contact management functionality includes:
The app also offers email addresses for everyone with whom you communicate; access to contacts within the email compose screen or in standalone mode; saving of Xobni profiles in the event of hard drive crash or lost phone; and prioritisation of  contacts by how often you communicate with them. It also offers one-click access to Facebook and LinkedIn profiles, including photos, as well as rapid access to recent texts, phone calls and emails exchanged, and the ability to send your calendar availability to all your contacts.
Non-Outlook users receiving other email on their BlackBerry can use Xobni by downloading the app without Xobni One. These users will not get the benefit of the historic contacts locked up in Outlook, but Xobni will index email on their BlackBerry at time of download and moving forward.   
Xobni Mobile is currently compatible with the BlackBerry Tour, Curve 8900, Bold  and Storm handsets. The standalone app costs $9.99 (£6.54). Xobni Mobile with Xobni One costs $6.99 plus $3.99 per month, or $39.90 per year.
In November of last year, the company released Xobni Enterprise, a solution designed to help businesses of all sizes to easily customise and deploy Xobni throughout the organisation. Xobni says it expects the mobile product to be fully integrated with the Enterprise offering later this year. 

GetJar Predicts Fourfold Increase in Apps Revenues by 2012

Independent app store GetJar has released a report that predict that the global mobile applications market will be worth $17.5 billion (£11.5 billion) by 2012, a fourfold increase from its value of $4.1 billion in 2009. The report, commissioned by GetJar, was prepared by Chetan Sharma Consulting, and also predicts the total number of mobile app downloads to increase from over 7 billion in 2009 to almost 50 billion in 2012 – a year-on-year growth rate of 92%. GetJar notes that according to figures from the world music trade body, the IFPI, this would mean that the value of apps sold would be greater than the value of CDs sold in 2012. Given that most people under the age of about 30 barely know what a CD is, however, that’s a statistic that my not surprise many.
The report says that by 2012, off-deck paid-for apps will be the biggest revenue generator, accounting for almost 50% of all apps revenue. According to the report, in 2009, on-deck apps available from mobile operators accounted for over 60% of all apps revenue, but this will fall significantly to just under 23% by 2012. Dspite Apple’s dominance – the firm accounted for 45% of all app downloads by volume in 2009, GetJar points out that operators tend to offer must more paid app content, hence their strong showing in revenue terms.
The study outlines opportunities for both high end smart phones (such as BlackBerry and Android powered handsets) and feature phones  (such as the Samsung Instinct/Jet and Nokia X6). In 2009, 90% of handsets in use worldwide were so-called feature phones, while smart phones and data cards
The report notes that apps economies are evolving differently worldwide, suggesting a need for greater focus on developing different apps business models – as opposed to a one size fits all approach. For instance, the average selling price (ASP) for an app in N. America was $1.09, significantly higher than ASPs in developing markets such as S. America ($0.20) and Asia ($0.10). At the same time, post-2012, app downloads in developing regions such as Asia may eventually exceed those in Western regions, although monetisation of these downloads will require different business models, such as advertising and virtual currency, than those seen in developed markets.
The report says that revenue opportunities in Europe are set to soar from $1.5 billion in 2009 to $8.5 billion in 2012, while in N. America, the figure will rise from around $2.1 billion to around $6.7 billion in 2012. Currently, apps are most popular in Asia, with the region accounting for 37% of global downloads in 2009. However, while Asia had the highest number of downloads, users in North America spent the most money on apps, accounting for over 50% of revenue.
Other findings from the research include:
Advertising-based revenue models have become increasingly popular. In 2009, advertising contributed almost 12% of the overall apps revenue. However, this share is expected to more than double to over 28% by 2012 – given the high proportion of prepay users in developing markets.
The battle of the app stores is well underway - in 2009 the number of app stores leapt from eight to 38. The number of app stores is expected to further increase during 2010.
The price of mobile applications can vary from $0.99 to $999, however the average selling price in 2009 was approximately $1.90. This is predicted to decrease by 29% over the next three years, although advertising revenue derived from apps is likely to stay relatively flat.
“With the consumer appetite for mobile apps rocketing, the opportunities for developers are huge,” says GetJar CEO and Founder, Ilja Laurs. “This report signifies a battle for survival of the fittest among app stores worldwide, with app revenue and growth opportunities growing significantly. There is no way that this many app stores will survive in the long term, and while the value of the global app economy is set to be astoundingly high by 2012, we think only a few app stores will share this revenue.”

Marvellous Launches Birthdays App - and it's Not for the iPhone

Interactive agency Marvellous has created an application for Nokia phones to alert users of upcoming friends’ birthdays.
The app, called ‘Friends Birthdays For Facebook’, connects the user’s mobile with their Facebook account and saves friends’ birthday dates that are stored on Facebook. When a friend’s birthday is coming up, the user is alerted via their mobile and given the choice to quickly create and send them a mobile birthday card.
As a simple, functional mash up, the app does exactly what it says on the tin and for privacy reasons uses only birthday information that friends make publicly available. The app is available on Nokia handsets and can be downloaded for free from the Nokia Ovi Store here.

Shortcut to the Future

I’m at an event hosted by independent app store GetJar, at which the company’s founder Ilja Laurs is presenting the findings of research into the apps market carried out by Chetan Sharma Consulting. The full findings will be released tomorrow, but highlights include a forecast four-fold rise in app download revenues over the next three years, from $4.1 billion in 2009 to $17.5 billion in 2012.
One of the points under discussion is the ongoing debate about whether the future of mobile content and services lies with apps or with the browser, and here, Laurs’ views are interesting. In addition to hosting real apps for download, GetJar also offers things that look like an app, but which are in fact nothing more than an icon which sits on the user’s phone and acts as a shortcut to the brand’s mobile site. Facebook is a good example. If you download the Facebook app to your phone from GetJar, then if your phone is an iPhone, you’ll get the app. If it’s a Sony Ericsson, you’ll get the URL shortcut icon.
I asked Laurs if brands were prepared to pay as much to have these shortcut icons listed on the GetJar site as they do to have an actual app listed. He told me that they are, because GetJar has figures to show that a mobile user with a URL shortcut icon on their phone will access that site eight times more frequently than someone who has simply been given the URL to type in manually.
When asked if the whole app thing could be a passing fad, Llars said that as long as services continued to exist and apps were deemed to be a good “service container” for them, then apps would continue to exist. Which brings us back to this question of whether the browser could usurp the apps market. Llars’ response to this is that he doesn’t particularly care
“I would not care whether it was an app on the phone or just an icon (acting) as a shortcut,” he said.
Llars’ point is that from a user experience perspective, it doesn’t make any difference whether the icon you click takes you to an app or to a mobile site. And clearly, if he is making as much money promoting shortcuts as he is romoting actual apps, then his answer makes sense. All the same, it’s not the one I expected to hear when I asked the question.

David Murphy
Editor

International Rescue Hits the iPhone

Trafficmaster has unveiled the first ever international mobile phone travel emergency and concierge service, for the iPhone. The ‘International Rescue’ application is part of the ‘Trafficmaster Companion’ suite of travel services. It offers users 24/7 access to a team of travel experts located in more than 40 countries, who are on hand to help in any emergency.
At the press of a button, travellers are connected to Trafficmaster personal assistants (PAs) in the UK. The PAs have exclusive access to in-country local teams and can provide a liaison between the user, British embassies, the police, border controls and emergency services. They also provide concierge services to help find a restaurant, hotel or cash machine. Calls to the travel experts from a mobile are charged at a normal UK landline rate.
“Following on from launching International Rescue on Blackberry, Symbian and Windows-based mobile phones, we are delighted to now be able to offer this on the iPhone,” says Trafficmaster Chief Executive, Tony Eales. “It is a fantastic service that offers peace of mind, security and local knowledge to all travellers, whether you are a business man, a family on holiday or a student on a gap year.”
If you want to use the app, you have to be prepared to provide personal information such as next of kin, passport number, blood group, allergies, current medication and insurance details. This information is only used when an emergency arises, Trafficmaster says. 
The app costs £20 a month or £65 for an annual subscription. You can download it from the Apple App Store, or from the Trafficmaster website.

Pay Per Download System Delivers Results, says Mobango

Mobango, the “social mobile application store”, says it has proof that the combination of its app-promotion service and the Mobango community of 5 million members, helps developers to be dramatically more effective in driving downloads of their apps, compared to traditional promotion methods.
The company says it has found that its Pay per Promoted Downloads (PPD) Platform is five to 20 times more effective than traditional promotion methods for applications. The PPD Platform is a bidding system that enables content owners to bid for premium visibility on Mobango, but only pay for the downloads they receive. Since developers only pay when they get downloads, they are able to generate new users at a fraction of the cost of traditional Cost Per Click (CPC) or Cost Per Impression (CPM) campaigns.
Mobango CEO Fabio Pezzotti believes the viral nature of the Mobango community adds to the effectiveness. "For a developer, if you promote on Mobango, it’s not just random users downloading your app, but a member of our community,” he says. “The various social features in Mobango mean that developers can create strong, long-term relationships with their customers."
The PPD Platform enables developers and content owners to geo-target their campaign by region and by handset, and to allocate a daily budget (e.g. $100 per day) to promote a particular app or mobile site. As developers set their maximum bids for a time period and download (eg $0.30 per download) and Mobango provides analytics to help them understand their users, developers are in full control of their success and can see the installed base of their application grow. Mobango offers PPD both on a self-service basis, and also on an ‘assisted PPD’ basis for brands and agencies.
The Mobango community has more than 5 million young early adopters, and over 1.1 million pieces of content, fully optimised for over 2,000 phones. Mobango saw a 500% increase in mobile applications downloads during 2009.

Auto Trader App Makes Car Buying Easier

Motoring website Auto Trader has released an iPhone application that uses image recognition technology to read car number plates. The new app enables users to quickly search for vital vehicle information, making car-buying decisions easier. A user who sees a car they like the look of can fire up the app and take a photo of the number plate. From the number recognition technology, the app will return information about the car, including miles per gallon, typical price, and which dealers in the user’s area are selling similar cars. It also brings up user’s reviews from AutoTrader.co.uk to help people make more informed decisions, and uses GPS and maps to help users to find their way to the nearest showroom.
“We believe users will find the link between ‘real world’ and ‘digital world’ very compelling, providing a clear differentiator for mobile compared to other media,” says Nick Gee, Director of Mobile at Auto Trader. “Using the iPhone, users can now search for real-time digital information relating to a car sitting in front of them, a step which, combined with the depth of cars listed on Auto Trader, takes the car-buying process to a whole new level.”
Research conducted by Auto Trader in January 2010 revealed that 45% of visitors to Auto Trader’s mobile site have used their phone to access further information about a car on a dealer forecourt. This figure increased from 40% last July, and is an emerging behaviour that has been a key influencer in the development of the App. Additionally, half of visitors to Auto Trader’s mobile site access it via an iPhone, providing a ready audience for the new app.
The Auto Trader App is available for free from the Apple App Store.

Trafficmaster Launches Pay As You Go Satnav

Trafficmaster has launched Smartnav, the first Pay As You Go (PAYG) navigation application for the iPhone, allowing users to pay for satnav directions and traffic information as and when they need it.
Trafficmaster says Smartnav is ideal for people who only need navigation once in a while, but still want to have access to superior routing and navigation, which uses up-to-the minute traffic information. To use Smartnav, drivers download an initial five routes for £1.79. Thereafter, they can buy 10, 20 or 30 top-up routes.
Smartnav PAYG is part of the Trafficmaster Companion suite of travel services available on the iPhone. It uses Smartnav satellite navigation, which includes automatic map updates, and efficient route calculations based on live traffic information and time of day data. It also provides ongoing route monitoring, which alerts the driver to new traffic problems en-route and the provision of alternative, faster routes. Smartnav provides clear visual and verbal instructions throughout the journey, without distracting the driver with complex maps.
The service is supported by Trafficmaster’s team of Personal Assistants (PAs) who operate round the clock, 365 days of the year. The PAs are on hand to help drivers download routes and can be called upon in emergency situations, such as breakdowns and road accidents.
Routes can be downloaded via postcode entry or by setting up favourite destinations as well as through the PAs. Calls to the PA are an additional cost and are charged at a premium rate. Calls typically last less than 40 seconds, and cost less than £1.20, Trafficmaster says.