This document summarizes opportunities for mobile startups and developers. It notes that over 1.2 billion handsets were sold in 2009, with smartphones led by iPhone, Symbian, and Android platforms. It then discusses strategies for getting traction, including partnering with handset manufacturers, mobile operators, media companies, or leveraging an existing brand. Alternative platforms beyond the iPhone like Symbian, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone are also mentioned. The document concludes with a case study of a successful independent developer who created a popular app that identified alternative phone numbers to expensive 0870 numbers and earned over $680 in its first two weeks on iPhone through advertising.
13. In the UK… 19 million handsets sold last year 85% of adults own a mobile phone Saturated marketplace Vodafone: 18m O2: 22m T-Mobile: 17m Orange: 17m Three: 4.4m (TMOrange: 34m)
37. Developing on Symbian Addressable market of 300 million+ 2009: Forget Symbian… 2010: Watch them closely They’re currently turning the proverbial oil tanker C3, C6, E5 are examples of what’s to come
43. Developing on Symbian Addressable market of 300 million+ 2009: Forget Symbian… 2010: Watch them closely Nokia’s Ovi Store is doing well Respectable 1.6m downloads daily Ovi Store baked into all new handsets Qt development Will completely change developer paradigm Write-once deploy anywhere SDK Qt.nokia.com QT Creator…
53. 0870 by Simon Maddox Finds alternatives to 35p/min 0845 and 0870 numbers Free app Spent 429 days ‘in review’ Whilst Apple & o2 wondered what to do Advertising funded using AdMob Saved users £268,000 in one month Launched with good press from: The Telegraph, The Guardian, TechCrunch Acceptance delay = good, juicy story
54. 0870 Download Stats From end of Sept to end of October, 2009 www.simonmaddox.com
55. 0870 Ad Revenue Stats Day 1: position 79, $25.58 Day 2: position 29, $67.04 Day 3: position 7, $120.08 <- peak in ad revenue Day 4: position 5, $118.76 Day 5: position 4, $62.48 <- peak in iTunes charts Day 6: position 5, $49.41 Day 7: position 5, $33.23 Day 8: position 5, $40.03 Day 9: position 7, $23.96 Day 10: position 8, $15.28 Day 11: position 16, $17.45 Day 12: position 17, $27.37 Day 13: position 25, $36.40 Day 14: position 30, $25.65 Day 15: position 30, $18.01 Total: $680.73 (£457) $9/day = £2,204 a year
60. 0870 by numbers iPhone downloads: 427,484 Best chart position: 4 Approval time: 429 days Android downloads: 14,244 Best chart position: 21 Approval time: 1 second Palm Pre: 1,943 Best chart position: 1 (for 4 hours) Approval time: 5 working days Quick tweet to @palm and @adora sped things up Acquisition requests: 3
61. Q: Did 0870 make you a millionaire? No - not even close I've made $2,590.63 so far $10-20 per day in revenue I put absolutely no time into it whatsoever, so it's nothing to grumble at It's paid for an awesome holiday But I couldn't run a business like this
62. What was easier, iPhone or Android? Much easier on the iPhone My Android 0870 version is pretty cool Because the app runs in the background
63. Which platform first? My clients only ask for iPhone Customers can easily buy/download app And I can make it look absolutely awesome Brands want consumers to have a good user experience
64. Simon’s Top 3 Priority List iPhone Android Blackberry Ignore everything else The other platforms are just too expensive to develop for, and chances are you'll never see a return