How Small Businesses Use Mobile

Perhaps surprisingly, navigation and GPS are the most-used mobile apps.

Most TV Available Online, Mobile in 2 Years

Executives from Disney, Turner, and Comcast were in unanimous agreement that we are only two years away from 75 percent of TV content being available online and on mobile devices. As with many other applications, services or features, one has to avoid attributing unstated adjectives. "Online" or "mobile" does not mean "free" or "at no incremental cost." That's a mistake often made when terms such as "peering" or "dumb pipe" are discussed. There is no reason to assume that "peering" means "settlement-free," or that "dumb pipe" necessarily is preced by the adjectives "low gross revenue, low margin or commodity."

At the Elevate Video Advertising Summit, Matt Strauss from Comcast Interactive Media, Jeremy Legg from Turner, and David Preshlack of Disney and ESPN predicted that TV "everywhere" was imminent, and that in the same time frame the networks will be almost completely agnostic about where and when their video content is being viewed.

"For us, in the broader context of what we’re doing, we’re beginning to migrate everything to Internet video," said Strauss.

The business issues will be key. Content owners are not going to give away mobile or online access without being compensated. Distributors will try to minimize the additional rights payments. But consumers likely will have to pay, one way or the other. Such payments might happen directly, as in an incremental fee when buying other linear services, or as a new fee for online-only or mobile-only access.

In other cases the additional payments might be made indirectly, as in the case of bigger broadband access buckets of use that accommodate the extra video consumption. The point is that universal access will involve new payments to content providers, which will mean costs passed on to consumers.

The payments might be more of an incremental issue if the new distribution rights require prior, "tied" purchases to cable TV, satellite or telco TV subscriptions. Payments will be larger for "online only" or "mobile only" subscriptions not tied to purchase of other products. But the new attitude on the part of major content owners means something will happen.

Television Executives Predict Bulk of TV Content Will Be Available Online and Via Mobile Within 2 Years

Mobile Payments Conference Call for Speakers

I'm soliciting speakers for the Mobile Payments Conference to be held Sept. 8 and 9, 2011 in New York. 


We anticipate session content including:
* retailer programs
* mobile wallet services and platforms
* mobile payment approaches
* terminal and device choices
* payment ecosystems
* business and revenue models


If you want to speak, or suggest a firm or speaker you'd like to hear, please ping me. 

The second Mobile Payments Conference will grow to feature a fuller look at wallet business models and transaction models, with additional attention to retailer strategies that have become more public, as well as a deeper look at the retail terminal perspective, now that some leaders now will strive to achieve a critical mass of users.

As we did at the last conference, we will use a highly-collaborative setting designed for maximum participant conversation. In part, that means using an approach very akin to a graduate seminar. We keep presentations short, and, since most attendees are subject matter experts in some part of the ecosystem, we structure the physical setting and time allocations to maximize conversations, as would be expected in a seminar setting.

Contact Gary Kim at garykim.denver@gmail.com  to participate or recommend speakers and topics. Contact Marla Ellerman at marla@mmtmagonline.com for information on sponsorships and exhibits. 

Apple Plans New "Spaceship" Campus

Apple wants to build a new headquarters, and "It looks like a spaceship just landed there,' says Steve Jobs, Apple CEO.

It's one giant circular building that would hold 12,000 people.

Apple: The Company's Plan For A Gorgeous New Campus

Apple To Start Releasing New iPhones And iPads Every 6 Months?

Apple is going to accelerate its iPhone and iPad release schedule to two upgrades a year to better compete with the onslaught of competitors, says Adnaan Ahmad of Berenberg Bank.

Ahmad also thinks Apple will soon release a 'cheap' iPhone priced in the $300 range (before subsidies) to fight off cheaper competition. At that rate, a subsidized device could sell for $50 to $100.

Apple's Going To Start Releasing New iPhones And iPads Every 6 Months To Compete With Android

Google Maps Tells You When Your Bus is Late, in Boston, Portland, Ore., San Diego and San Francisco

"Starting now, Google Maps for mobile and desktop can tell you when your ride is actually going to arrive with new live transit updates. We partnered with transit agencies to integrate live transit data in four U.S. cities and two European cities: Boston, Portland, Ore., San Diego, San Francisco, Madrid and Turin.

Know when your bus is late with live transit updates in Google Maps - Official Google Mobile Blog

Mobile Retail Users Skew Young, Rich

Mobile retail users skew younger and wealthier than the general mobile audience, according to Millennial Media and comScore. The highest percentage of mobile retail users, 36%, are between the ages of 25 to 34. That tends to be a common profile for many new applications, services and products, though.

Mobile Retail Users Skew Young, Rich