AVAI Mobile Solutions » New Mobile Releases

Flurry: “It’s an App World. The Web Just Lives in It.”

Josh — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 18:45:06 +0000

Flurry Five-Year Report: It’s an App World. The Web Just Lives in It

Yesterday, Flurry published a five year report on mobile devices and apps. “The past five years at Flurry have been wildly exciting. We joined an industry just as gas was forming to ignite a Big Bang, and we’re still orienting ourselves within its rapidly expanding universe. Since early 2008, we’ve worked with tens of thousands of developers to integrate our analytics and ad platforms into their apps,” said Flurry “…we took some time to reflect on the industry and share some insights. First, we studied the time U.S. consumers spend between mobile apps and mobile browsers, as well as within mobile app categories.”

As of today, the average U.S. user spends 2 hours and 38 minutes per day on their mobile devices. A significant 80% of that time (over 2 hours) is spent inside apps! The chart above illustrates the breakdown of this time. Aside from Games and Facebook, it’s still clear that consumers use apps for a variety of purposes.

The chart above shows the number of apps consumers use each day. As of late in 2012, users open nearly 8 unique apps each day, up from about 7 two years ago. Flurry recognizes that “this is not a material change… the steady growth rate indicates that the app economy is not yet experiencing saturation, as consumers steadily use more apps over time. And while there are more apps in the store, large numbers of them have short lifespans, such as books, shows and games.” Flurry went on to say that “while one could observe that consumers use only 8 apps per day among the million+ available between the AppStore and Google Play, one also needs to remember that the 8 apps each consumer uses varies widely. This creates a marketplace that can support diversified apps.”

In a sample of more than 2.2 million devices active for more than 2 years, it was discovered that 63% of the apps used in Q4 of 2012 were newly adopted, with a likely possibility that most apps were not even developed in 2011. “We believe that with consumers continuing to try so many new apps, the app market is still in early stages and there remains room for innovation as well as breakthrough new applications.”

See Full Article Here

9 Reasons Mobile Apps Get Rejected From the App Store

Josh — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 22:17:59 +0000

VentureBeat recently released an article about “9 surprising reasons mobile apps get rejected from the Apple app store.” Before you submit your app, take a quick look!

1. Indication the App is Unfinished

While the Play store might allows it, the Apple app store is very stringent about allowing an unfinished app into the app ecosystem. Avoid phrases like “Beta,” “Preview,” and even “Version x.x”.

2. Load Time

iOS, like other mobile platforms, administer rules around maximum load times. The iOS limit is around 15 seconds, at which point Apple will kill the app.

3. External Payment Links

If your app requires in-app purchasing, Apple requires ALL content be sold through their iTunes-based, in-app purchasing software. This applies to linked webpages as well.

4. Reference to Rival Platforms

Apple, and every other platform, does not allow reference to a competing platform.

5. Localization Bugs

Some apps are designed around a specific localized geography. However, even if this is the case, app store users are everywhere, and can use the app as they wish. Accordingly, the app store notices if your language and metrics are not compatible with a particular area.

6. Misuse of Storage and File-systems

“Any data that can be re-generated because it is static, shipped with the application or is easily re-downloaded from a remote server, should not be able to be backed up.”

7. Crashes from User Permissions

In newer versions of iOS, users must give the app permission to access their content or information. If a user denies your app permission, Apple requires your app to still function without error.

8. Use of Icons and Buttons

Apple also monitors the UI appearance. Make sure your icons and buttons are standardized and uniform.

9. Trademarks and Logos

Apple also has trademark rules and restrictions. Make sure you don’t use any Apple-branded materials or images.

Source

Samsung reveals Galaxy S4

Josh — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 16:14:48 +0000

It’s here. The Galaxy S4.

Yesterday, at the Radio City Music Hall in New York, Samsung officially announced the new Galaxy S4 smartphone. JK Shin, head of Mobile Communications at Samsung, said the new design is “inspired by the people of the world,” and that he is “very confident about how its innovations” will improve user lifestyles.

Smartphone after smartphone, the disparity between the Galaxy S and the iPhone has become narrower. Finally, it appears the S4 is ready to compete with Apple’s iPhone 5, and any new generations Apple may introduce. Said Roger Entner, founder of Recon Analytics, “the Samsung Galaxy S4 is the next iteration in the most successful series of smartphones next to the iPhone.” It’s very possible that until Apple releases a newer iPhone, Apple will be forced to take the defensive as the Galaxy now boasts the most advanced smartphone on the market.

At the event, Samsung focused heavily of the 13 megapixel rear, 2 megapixel front cameras. The Galaxy S4 will offer dual-camera functionality, allowing users to shoot a rear fullscreen video in conjunction with the front camera, for head-shots.

Another feature that the Galaxy S4 will boast is the S Voice, a voice recognition software similar to Siri, promising to be a holistic personal assistant.

The Galaxy S4 also offers the S-Translator. Presently, this supports 9 languages, and offers speech-to-text and text-to-speech functionality.

Features include:

Full HD, Super AMOLED 5 inch display with 441 pixels per inch

136.5mm Length by 70.6mm Height

Weight 130 grams

3G and 4G LTE

Supports downloads up to 100Mbps and uploads of 50Mbps

2GB of LPDDR RAM

Storage options: 16, 32 and 64GB of internal storage possible

Supports up to 64GB of external storage via microSD card

2,600mAh removable battery

Two cameras: 13 megapixel back and 2 megapixel front-facing camera

Can take shoot more than 100 shots in four seconds

S-Translator supports 9 languages with 3,000 useful phrases ready

Will be available with 327 carriers across 55 countries

Source

NEWS: “Rodeo Austin boosts technology tools for fans”

Josh — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 19:54:17 +0000

AVAI Mobile’s Rodeo Austin app is making headlines!

Austin-based AVAI Mobile Solutions recently developed a significant enhancement to its AMP™ mobile application content management platform in hopes of spurring even greater fan interaction at the 2013 Rodeo Austin, which starts March 8 and runs through March 23.

Rodeo Austin currently offers a free smartphone app, available now in the Apple iTunes and Android markets. The new app includes a function called “SCORE IT!,” which is a new crowd-sourced feature that has been designed to drive interactivity during the event.

According to Rand Arnold, CEO of AVAI Mobile Solutions, ‘SCORE IT!’ will greatly enhance a rodeo visitor’s experience at Rodeo Austin. “We designed the SCORE IT! technology to maximize the interaction visitors have while watching competitions,” said Mr. Arnold. “At its most basic level, SCORE IT represents a significant feature enhancement to our existing AMP™ mobile content management platform. But it also represents a huge leap forward for the rodeo industry and will give fans at Rodeo Austin an exciting new way to interact in real-time during actual competitions.”

“SCORE IT! is an example of how Rodeo Austin is evolving to increase the fan’s complete rodeo experience,” said Bucky Lamb, CEO of Rodeo Austin. “The goal of SCORE IT! is to encourage fans to try their hand at scoring Professional Rodeo events in real-time. The more accurate the scoring, the higher chance the fan(s) will be rewarded with a prize.”

With ‘SCORE IT!’, fans are no longer passive recipients of general event information. They will have a dynamic interface that allows them to provide real-time feedback. Some of the new features include

Scoring rough-stock rides in a 15 second scoring window after each competitor’s ride

Predicting competitor times in timed events

Aggregated fan scoring display

Access to professional rodeo athletes’ biographies

Detailed explanation of event competitions

“Rodeo Austin will be at the cutting edge of organizations interested in responding to customer needs,” notes Rand.

To download an iPhone or Android version of the 2013 Rodeo Austin app visit here.

Obama / Romney Launch Poll-Monitoring Apps

Josh — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 18:06:13 +0000

Presidential election day is here. And for the first time in the history of this election, both candidates have launched personal mobile apps to monitor the polls.

About a week ago plans first surfaced about Governor Romney providing about 20,000 campaign volunteers with a mobile app to monitor voter turnout on Election Day. The app was constructed so that Republican voters could check-in as they cast their vote. Data could then be provided about voter turnout in a given area, and a list of those who have not yet voted would be placed on a contact list. This app will also assist in helping volunteers monitor for voter fraud, intimidation, and other prohibited activities.

Just days after Romney’s app was made known, President Obama announced his very own poll-monitoring app, called Mobile Pollwatcher. This app possesses much of the same functionality, with the same objective in mind. One difference in this app, however, is the use of NGP/VAN, a privately owned company specializing in the use of technology to meet the goals of a diverse range of electoral campaigns. With this integration, this app will be useful across ballots ranging from presidential to local levels. This is in contrast with Romney’s app, that uses private files and systems.

But if you’re looking for these apps in the app store, you’ll have trouble finding them. What is interesting is that neither of these apps are available to the public for download. Access to these mobile tools is limited to volunteers, who are using the apps the gather and analyze data to encourage the Election Day, get-out-and-vote ballot push.

Windows 8 Released: Tiled for Mobile

Josh — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 16:21:16 +0000

Microsoft formally launched Windows 8 last week, and you might not recognize the operating system. That’s because this new OS looks completely different than its ancestors. Windows 8 was designed with touch in mind, useful across desktops, laptops, and tablets. Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer, said “Windows 8 brings together the best of the PC and the tablet.”

The most apparent change is the removal of the “Start” button. Designers modeled Windows 8 to mirror the look and feel of the smartphone Windows OS, displaying tiles within a home screen. This new tile design is an attempt at facilitating the “Windows user interface.”

If you pick up a new device running Windows, expect to see two different versions; Windows 8 and Windows RT. Windows 8 will run most desktops and laptops, while Windows RT will operate tablets.

If you upgrade from Windows 7, expect Windows 8 to improve computer battery performance, reduce memory usage, and increase boot speed. Windows 8 will run apps from the Windows app store as usual.

Windows RT is built exclusively for running apps, downloadable from the Windows app store. Think of RT as a tablet-optimized version, designed around the computer chips tablets are run from. The “RT” translates to “Run Time,” and comes installed with Microsoft Office. It is worth noting that while tablets will come with Windows RT installed, some tablets will be compatible with Windows 8.

This latest version of the Windows 8 is yet another example of technology trending to facilitate mobile. As Windows continues to design around mobile, expect to see the Windows OS begin to capture market share from industry leaders, Apple and Android.

Zuckerberg Admits that HTML5 for Facebook’s App Was a “Big Mistake”

Josh — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 17:45:00 +0000

Facebook’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, recently made an announcement that is a glowing endorsement of native mobile applications. In an interview at TechCrunch Disrupt Zuckerberg admitted that “the biggest mistake we made as a company was betting too much on HTML5 as opposed to native.”

Facebook was an early adopter of HTML5, nearly two years ago. At the time, HTML5 misguidedly promised to be a holistic solution for developing the Facebook app, compatible across various platforms and devices. The user experience pledged to equal that of native apps, while overall speed and functionality was understood to remain consistent. Looking back on HTML5, Zuckerberg confessed “it just wasn’t ready.”

So, what drove Facebook to HTML5 in the first place? Zuckerberg was pursuing the idea of cross-platform development. Update the app code once, and all devices and platforms are simultaneously updated. While this sort of solution is the obvious future of mobile development, HTML5 still fails to deliver on this design; in this case due to a lack of stability and speed.

Even with all of the resources and manpower of Facebook, after investing millions of dollars and years into HTML5, some of the world’s best developers could only build a “good” HTML5 mobile app. And according to Zuckerberg, “it turns out, ‘good enough’ wasn’t good enough.” Facebook will now be introducing an iOS and Android native experience to its users.

For all the accolades Zuckerberg has received for his vision in redefining the future, it’s nice to hear that it took the guy two years to realize what we at AVAI Mobile Solutions have been saying since the release of the iPhone. A cross-platform solution is the answer, but giving up speed, stability and functionality to get a cross-platform solution isn’t a rule!

It’s NOT an either-or proposition!

At AVAI Mobile Solutions, we have built our business model around developing a native app platform solution that enables dynamic content delivery across all device types. Our solution was created in part because we understand how important speed and stability is to an app’s user experience, but we also see the value in operating out of a single platform to universally update app content.

The AVAI Mobile Platform, AMP™, consists of a modular software framework, boasting both a cloud-based server and device specific mobile software components. While AMP™ is highly customizable, our solution comes pre-built with an expanding standard feature-set. We continue to develop new features on a native-code-level, then interweave this functionality into a single-source content management system, so that when multiple platforms are needed or a change is made, it is applied holistically to all native apps.

For more information on our innovative platform, please
contact us or speak with one of our knowledgeable sales representatives at (512) 301-9445.

Apple Announces iPhone 5 Event

Gena — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 19:22:44 +0000

Enough with the rumors, Apple has finally spoken. Since this time last year the global media has been in a whirl, awaiting the announcement of the next iPhone. Memorably, a year ago, Apple built anticipation around the next iPhone, only to anticlimactically reveal the iPhone 4S. So with even more pressure mounting, and continued speculation of the next iPhone, notoriously tight-lipped Apple released the following:

You don’t have to cross your eyes and stare at this picture for 15 minutes to see the large shadow of a “5” lurking under the September 12th event invitation.

So get ready, after more gossip than a daytime television drama series, we’re finally ready to see it; the iPhone 5. Expect to see a:

Larger, more slender screen
Slightly thinner design
Minimized dock connector
High-speed LTE connection
iOS 6 Software

If you’re one for the gossip, don’t worry; Apple still leaves plenty for the imagination. While the iPhone will be the headliner, there is speculation if at this event Apple will also reveal a new line of iPods, or possibly an iPad Mini design. The latter, while unlikely to be unveiled at this event, has generated its own fair-share of buzz. Steve Jobs notably criticized the idea of a 7 inch tablet, saying that it would be “dead on arrival.” However the market has spoken and supposition is through the roof.

No matter to the extent ALL our questions are answered, the September 12th Apple event promises to deliver on the hype… finally.

Apple vs Samsung Lawsuit Reveals Secrets About Apple

Gena — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 19:30:45 +0000

Apple has kept their secrets close, divulging very little about how their products are planned and developed. Anyone savvy to business understands why this must occur for Apple to maintain a sustainable comparative advantage. But in the heat of the Apple vs. Samsung patent lawsuit, some new information has come to light about the internal operations of this super-genius. Follows are a few new insights that the trial has revealed thus far:

1. Marketing

iPhone, iPad marketing spending exceeded $1 Billion

Apple constantly surveys its customers on ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’

Apple actively does forecasting, showing they are sensitive to competitors

2. Design Process

There are 16 Industrial Designers that meet to formulate a design

Every designer is responsible for, and works on all active projects

Jony Ive, Apple’s SVP of Industrial Design, assigned a designer to develop a model of what an iPhone would look like if Sony created one

Early iPads had a kickstand

Early iPhone design mirrored today’s iPhone 5

3. Engineering

The iPhone software team borrowed developers from other projects, rather than acquire external help

iPhone development was called “Project Purple,” developed in secure location called “Purple Dorm”

Steve Jobs was open to a 7” iPad back in January of 2011

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/48572231/#48572231

Tablet Talk

brie — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 18:51:49 +0000

“It is estimated that there will be 54.8 million tablet users in the US by the end of 2012, with that number climbing sharply to 89.5 million by 2014.” eMarketer, May 2012

If you’ve been following the latest announcements from leading mobile companies, you know that 2012 is shaping up to be quite an exciting year for the industry. Steadily rising over the past couple of years, a wave of tablets will be storming the market in the second half of 2012. The Microsoft Surface Tablet will be making its debut toward the end of the summer.

Read about the Microsoft Surface Tablet

Just before Microsoft’s announcement, the International Data Corporation gave a forecast on tablet shipments worldwide through 2016. The predicted rise is staggering, from 19.4 million in 2010 to a predicted 222.1 million by 2016. This forecast doesn’t take into account the surface tablet by Microsoft, and the IDC adds that “based upon early pricing expectations for these products, [the] Windows-based tablets will be largely additive to our existing media tablet market forecast. We don’t expect Windows-based tablets to necessarily take share from Apple and Android, but will grow the overall tablet market.”