Thanks to Steve Jobs, mobile is no longer an afterthought in most marketing budgets, but a well-deserved line item. Indeed, the more controversy that the Apple CEO stirs, the higher the ratings for mobile content, marketing and commerce.
Apple’s growing dominance of mobile, and its attempts to turn its niche market into mass, will shape the debate over on-the-go devices and marketing this year and beyond. Read first how Apple is setting the agenda this year and then keep an eye on other market-shaping trends.
Apple dominates the mobile discussion as online giants jostle for market share Steve Jobs is single-handedly doing for mobile what years of work by more experienced mobile marketers failed to do: win serious attention for mobile.
Be it through the skyrocketing number of iPhone subscriptions or mindboggling downloads of applications – more than four billion in less than two years – Apple has redefined the mobile debate.
Now, with the iPad – one million sold in one month and 12 million applications downloaded since the tablet’s launch – Apple is redefining the computing experience and blurring the lines between mobile devices and computers.
Apple has advertisers, publishers and retailers worshipping at its altar, although its tight noose around hardware, software, content and commerce in-house standards may attract the attention of regulatory agencies.
Expect Apple to change the face of mobile ad campaigns once its first $10 million inaugural campaign for its iPad application breaks. Mobile budgets will move from six and seven digits to eight.
Google, Microsoft and Yahoo – the other four online giants with mobile skin in the game – will have to figure out their mobile strategy.
Google’s Android is on its way to becoming the PC of mobile, while Apple’s iPhone and iPad operating system will take over the closed role that the Mac OS plays in computers. The Google Nexus One has not taken off as expected, however.
Microsoft is pursuing an operating system, mobile advertising and handset strategy, while Yahoo is focused on mobile content.
What these competitors to Apple lack is the charisma of a forceful personality behind the product and a design element that completely bowls over consumers and advertisers for its user-friendliness.
Mickey Alam Khan is editor in chief of Mobile Commerce Daily and Mobile Marketer.
Subscribe