by Aaron Kirchner-Loeser
Aurnhammer Marketing Coordinator

In a day and age where almost everyone in public is seen talking or texting on their cell phone, it is safe to say that mobility is the way of the future. From social networking to online shopping, almost everyone is doing it.

A study in 2013 showed that 65% of companies in United States and United Kingdom had planned to deploy five or more apps while 21% organizations look forward to deploy 20 or more apps. Given this trend, more and more businesses are looking to take advantage of the mobile market with “enterprise mobility”.

A prime example of enterprise mobility is Hewlett Packard’s ePrint enterprise. Connecting to HP’s network of 300,000+ public print locations such as FedEx, UPS, and more, this app allows users to print from essentially anywhere. In addition, HP’s ePrint enterprise supports corporate printing by using a private-cloud based solution for corporate network printers.

According to a survey conducted across the United States and United Kingdom, in 2013 44% of organizations had already implemented an enterprise mobility project. Also, in 2013 the mobile worker population was projected to reach 1.2 billion. This would account for nearly 35% of the global work force, according to a report from IDC. Given the rising numbers in enterprise mobility, it seems this tactic should be taken into consideration by more companies. In order to assess the success of enterprise mobility, often times the Return on Investment (ROI) is analyzed.

The ROI can be calculated by dividing a company’s productivity gains by its costs. Given that ROI is the foundational metric in measuring a company’s success with enterprise mobility, there are several key considerations. Sometimes, qualitative and/or quantitative benefits can’t be calculated at all, but in a recent study done by Harvard Business School that is depicted below, enterprise mobility is quantified.

A second aspect of enterprise mobility that needs to be considered when weighing the pros and cons of deploying an enterprise app is the fact that as time goes on, the cost per user goes down as well. This may make creating a mobile app for enterprises more enticing, as even though there are serious investments upfront, over time the cost per user starts to decline.

Lastly, outsourcing is something that needs to be taken into consideration regarding the ROI. As costs are key in calculating the ROI of an enterprise, in some cases it may be beneficial to outsource the development of the app. By doing this, costs will be kept down as the costs of in-house development, investments in technology and equipment, and hiring a team of developers are usually more expensive domestically. According to Visage Mobile, outsourcing can reduce costs of enterprise mobility by $160 billion, which is a 35% net savings. To contextualize these large numbers, that is $254 saved on each employee every year!

In effect, enterprise mobility is well worth the investment in the long run. Although creating mobile applications can be time consuming and expensive, the analytics show that more often than not there is a significantly positive ROI that goes hand in hand with enterprise mobility.

To find out more, download the Mobile Enterprise Whitepaper.

Rumor or Fallacy? Let’s Check the Scoreboard After WWDC

by Aaron Kirchner-Loeser
Aurnhammer Marketing Coordinator

With the 2014 Worldwide Developers Conference now wrapped up, several things need to be addressed and some people need to be fact-checked regarding the rumor mill leading up to the five-day long event. Given some pretty inevitably significant announcements, there were also several anticipated announcements that simply did not happen as many users, techies, and bloggers expected and proclaimed.

As the WWDC kicked off last week, it was great to see that iOS 8 will be available to the public this year. Most likely in the fall, dubbed “the world’s most advanced operating system” by Apple, iOS 8 will come with a host of new functions and features. One of the neatest new perks that iOS 8 offers is the updated keyboard. Now, the keyboard will be able to distinguish between who you are sending a message to. This means that it will come up with different suggestions and spell checks depending on your desired recipient, whether it is a business colleague or your uncle from San Francisco. Another awesome feature is the updated Spotlight. In an age of globalization, this feature will be able to better contextualize what you are searching for. For instance, Spotlight will now be able to use your location, pull up Wikipedia pages, and more in order to better suit your search.

From these additional rumored products, Apple will indeed be releasing OS X 10.10 in the upcoming months. Moving from large, wild cats like Leopard to towns and parks of California, this operating system will be called OS X Yosemite to connote the system’s shear power and beauty. One of the most astounding features of OS X Yosemite is the new way in which one can send attachments via e-mail. Instead of high-resolution picture and video e-mail attachments being bounced back because the file is too large, users can now send attachments as large as 5 GB to the recipients’ mailbox via the iCloud. The way this will work is that the attachment one sends will first be sent up to the iCloud, compressed, and then back down to the recipients’ mailbox.

OS X

While some significant software updates wowed us at this year’s WWDC, bloggers and writers were off-base in some of their predictions regarding any new Apple hardware being presented. For instance, neither an updated MacBook nor iHome was mentioned. Additionally, Apple TV was completely left out of the discussion as Re/Code correctly predicted.

One of the most circulated rumors leading up to the WWDC that did not come to fruition was the presentation of the iPhone 6. Anticipated to have a screen between 4.7 and 5.5 inches, there was no mention of it at all. Looks like those that predicted the release of a new iPhone got this one wrong!

Given these momentous announcements and…not-announcements, it will be exciting to see how the world of Apple develops over the next few months. With iOS 8 releasing in October, we already have something to eagerly await. But for now, let the rumors begin for WWDC 2015!

Rumor or Fallacy?

by Aaron Kirchner-Loeser
Aurnhammer Marketing Coordinator

Between June 2nd and 6th, developers from around the world will converge on San Francisco to attend Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference. Although rumors leading up to the conference in the past have sometimes been true, such as the unveiling of iOS 7 at WWDC 2013, many rumors did not come to fruition.

With the upcoming conference in just a few days, there have been a slew of enticing rumors about new devices and technologies that Apple may unveil, ranging from introduction of iHome to the presentation of the iPhone 6. Since Apple is remaining close-lipped, everything is speculation and we look forward to seeing which rumors are true and which rumors are not.

IPHONE 6: The iPhone 6 is one device that techies and users think will be introduced at the conference. As the iPhone 5’s screen is significantly larger than the iPhone 4, the iPhone 6’s screen is expected to grow. According to MacRumors, the iPhone 6’s retina display could potentially be anywhere between 4.7 and 5.5 inches, which would level the playing field between the size of the iPhone’s screen and that of Android devices like Samsung’s Galaxy and the Nexus. Also, there are rumors that the iPhone 6’s screen will move from Corning Gorilla Glass to sapphire crystal, which is already used in small parts of the iPhone 5 such as the camera lens. This is what the rumored iPhone 6 may look like:

IOS 8: As iOS7 was speculated to be presented at WWDC 2013 and it was, insiders believe that iOS 8 will be introduced at WWDC14. Although the physical and aesthetic appearance of iOS 7 will not change, several new features are expected to be added, including split-screen apps, which will help users multitask, and an Apple Maps update, which will improve not only navigation by adding public transportation directions and more detailed streets, but also connectivity in an age of globalization.

IHOME: Another rumor that has been circulating leading up to WWDC 2014 is that iHome will be introduced. A smart home platform that will run on BLE and possibly NFC (near field communication), iHome would allow users to control the most basic functions of their home from the palm of their hand. This could be anything from opening the garage door when one pulls in from work to cranking up the heat in the winter to turning up the volume on the speakers at a 4th of July party.

APPLE TV: To the dismay of many hopeful onlookers, it doesn’t seem like Apple TV will be one of the keynote presentations at WWDC 2014. In fact, John Paczkowski of Re/Code claims that there will absolutely be no Apple TV at the conference.

With the conference less than a week away, these rumored technological unveilings will not only spark heated and productive dialogue, but also potentially change our lives for the better. Stay tuned for a follow-up WWDC 2014 blog post next week to see which rumors actually become reality!

Additional Rumored Products

-       iOS 8
-       OS X 10.10
-       iTunes radio and Healtbook
-       Updated MacBook air, updated MacBook Pro, and updated iMac
-       New Mac mini
-       IPad mini 3

The New Year has arrived with all the resolutions we hope to tackle.

To keep you from renewing the same resolutions next year, we’ve pulled together some mobile tips & helps to make sure 2014 the year you succeed with your goals. Your smartphone could be your best mentor!

ADMIT IT, we’re all helplessly addicted to mobile games like Candy Crush, Dots and Temple Run. We struggle to put our phones down and concentrate on work- but that’s no fun.  Just one more try? It won’t take long. We reach out our hands and feel soothed to touch that gadget again. Boom. Another 20 minutes flies away.  People are vulnerable to games by nature. To attract players to join and keep them playing, gamification design usually provides an exciting and adventurous setting, some “goals” and “obstacles” to beat, and a world that connects the player to his or her character.  The players get a sense of accomplishment and tend to feel better about themselves from playing.[1]

Thanks to Steve Jobs, gaming has expanded its arena to our fingertips. Smartphones have rapidly become a powerful gaming platform due to its portability and technological features. The mobile application markets also open up a direct distribution channel for innovative designers to provide beautiful gaming apps in great quality. By 2015, mobile gaming revenue is estimated to reach $7.5 billion worldwide, tripling from $2.7 billion in 2012.[2]   There is no doubt consumers are turning to mobile games. Advertising within mobile games allows brands to develop their own forms of entertainment and drive engagement.

It is a whole new way to encourage consumers to interact with the brand and build a community.

Experienced with game developing in various industries, the Aurnhammer team has observed business success in branded mobile games. We came up with a white paper, “Business of Branded Mobile Games”, to put marketers at ease in regards to planning their gaming strategy.

Another month, another awesome iOS Developer Meetup at Aurnhammer! Many thanks to all of the attendees and the presenters who showed off some really interesting projects.  Here’s a recap for our loyal attendees, and anyone who couldn’t make it.

New Yorkers are known for tackling fast-paced lifestyle without losing their elegance. They can be trapped in the ancient subway system as well as the bizarre fusion cuisines. Thanks to technology, city dwellers now can manage their world on-the-go with mighty smartphones and tablets. As a member of the Aurnhammer marketing team and an avid Android user, I want to share four of my favorite Android mobile apps that help me get on the Big Apple without missing a beat.

I use an Android phone because of its freedom of personalization, and its capability of linking my Google account to the entire device. Like most people, I spend a lot of my time browsing mindlessly on Facebook. But there are many other less frequently mentioned apps that have brought me eye-opening experience.

Mobile and education go hand in hand.

by Cooper Zhu
Aurnhammer Marketing Specialist

With consumer spending finally seeing a comeback post-recession; there seems to be an equal rebound in marketing spending. The global advertising market is expected to grow by 6 % in 2014. However this does not mean that all forms of advertising is expected to grow. In fact it is projected that TV Ad Revenues will drop around 3 percent – in part due to a lack of political elections or the Olympics. Despite being an off year for TV Advertising, for some reason this is still the most prestigious advertising platform.

Even though the advertising landscape is changing and adapting to new technologies, it is definitely lagging behind the times: mobile is just beginning to make a dent in the advertising world. With more and more Millennials coming of age, this will heavily affect the way companies interact with their customers. The trend has already been pushing towards a tailored shopping experience, where customers expect promotions, a social media presence and brand recognition.

As smartphones become more of a necessity rather than an accessory in everyday life, many top brands are beginning to notice mobile in the marketing landscape. Although digital advertising has become an important part of the conversation amongst marketer, mobile is the next frontier. The tech-community has experienced exponential advancements in mobile capabilities within the past year; however, this technology hasn’t caught on with most industries yet.

Digital, i.e. banner and video advertisements may seem like an easy solution to changes in the advertising world, but these forms of advertising lack interactive features and do not add much value to a brand or product. Mobile Apps however do not always fall flat, unlike digital ads.

Apps allow brands to cultivate new technologies and use them to enhance the consumer experience or even to offer new ways of consuming.

In this day and age, consumers are looking for authentic brands, what better way to build a strong and unique brand than through an App. People are more interested in the companies that can relate to us in new ways without trying too hard. It’s a subtle art to master, but mobile is definitely the next platform that has the potential to bridge the gap between corporate America and the consumer – allowing consumers to better communicate with companies and vice versa.

But it seems as though many companies are reluctant to adopt a mobile strategy. Digital is an “up and coming” player in the advertising world, rivaling TV Advertising whereas Mobile is more like the underground/dive bar option for marketers. This is simply because the return on investment (ROI) is not as easy to evaluate for apps. To help businesses calculate ROI of mobile apps, Aurnhammer provides some guidelines for measuring a mobile app’s success in its newly launched whitepaper “Budgeting for Mobile in 2014”, which can be accessed for free online.

Read more about the ROI of apps by checking out our “Budgeting for Mobile in 2014” White Paper.