Killer Applications or Devices
Zahid Ghadialy

Killer Devices and Killer Apps
A ‘killer device’ is used to
refer to a mobile device (or
any electronic device for that
matter) that revolutionises
the way a technology is used
and boosts the technology it
runs on.
A ‘killer app’ is used to refer
to a mobile application (or
any computer application)
that is so necessary or
desirable that it proves to be
core value of the mobile
device or platform which it
runs on.
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What makes ‘killer devices’?
Nokia 1100: Over 200
million units sold
Nokia 3310: Over 126
million units sold
Motorola RAZR: Over
50 million
Blackberry: Over 50
Million
iPhone: Over 17 Million
(Mar 09)
LG Chocolate: Over 15
million
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What is an iPhone?
Call by simply pointing at a name
or number
Create Favourite list from most
frequency called list
Ability to merge calls and create
conference calls
Visual voicemail
Full QWERTY soft keyboard
Photo Library application
Easily Synced to PC/MAC
Quad Band + WiFi
Advanced Sensors
Phone Multiple Apps, Easy to download
and install
Satnav and LBS with maps
iPod
New Features recently released:
Copy and Paste
Internet Dialup up from Laptop/PC
MMS
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Is iPhone a ‘killer device’?
NO YES
Most of the technologies it It uses the existing
uses has already been technologies in a new, user
available for long time friendly way
People use other phones as Simple to learn and
well for similar things but understand
they don’t get enough Mobile Internet revolution
publicity Mobile Apps revolution
Does not support JAVA – New way to find new apps
The most popular
– 1 Billion Apps downloaded
applications platform
LBS and GPS
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Top 10 reasons for people owning iPhone
Its cool / Everyone else
owns it / Fashion statement
Easy to use/browse internet
Touch-screen Interface
Lots of Apps
Received as gift from
friend/relative/office
Emails
Facebook
Music (compatibility with
iPod)
Nice/Cheap games
GPS/LBS
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What do users want? - 1
What is the one thing you want from your mobile phone that
you don’t have in your phone right now:
Voice command based operation
Bigger screen
Touch screen
Very Long Battery life
Easy to find (voice activated, even when silent)
Helps you find your way when you are lost
Easier to browse internet
Help find friends/people/love
Health monitoring
Retrieve/Erase all information when phone is robbed
Help to answer basic questions
Show weather/traffic information
Easy to share things (photos, music, videos)
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What do users want? - 2
What is the one thing you want to change in your
current phone:
Bigger Screen
Make it Lighter
Increase battery life
Make it simpler to operate
Make it more secure
Automatic backup of the phone data
Easy to share/print
Easy to search pictures/videos/music
Customisable display
ABCD/QWERTY keyboard
Easy to find when in Silent mode
Easier to be able to synchronise multiple phones
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What do users want? - 3
What do you hate in your existing phone:
Small battery life
Too many clicks to start an application
Very slow
Camera not good enough
– Cant use front camera to take photos
Cant see some websites (Flash/Java/etc.)
Phone/App crash
Browsing through multiple websites simultaneously
Keyboard too small
Too big
Cant install Apps easily
Phone gets unlocked automatically
Cant sync with Bluetooth device
Have to input same information in multiple phones
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‘Killer Qualities’ of iPhone
User in control Easy to backup info Easy to browse Proven Brand
Of everything
Fashionable
Sync with PC Easy to Search
Touch Screen Killer Qualities Easy Calling
Custom Display Easy to learn
Big Screen
Easy to download Easy to purchase
Music and Videos apps
Many Apps Easy to use
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iPhone ‘Clones’ and ‘Killers’
Are they succeeding
Samsung Omnia
Overall similar specs and review as compared to
iPhone.
Best selling Windows mobile last 2 quarters
Q1 09 sales of iPhone was about 3.8 million as
compared to all of Samsung phones of 46
million. Omnia sales were 2.5 million units.
Nokia N97
Billed as iPhone killer with 32GB storage
and 5megapixel camera
Reviews of this are far better than iPhone
Just appearing in the markets but its
supposed to exceed the sales of Nokia
5800 XpressMusic which sold 3 million
units in Q1
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Krusell’s List of Top-Sellers
2008 April 2009
1. (-) Apple iPhone 1. Nokia 3109
2. (-) Nokia 3109 2. (1) Samsung SGH-i900/i910
3. (2) Nokia 6300 Omnia
4. (-) Nokia E51 3. (8) Nokia 5800
5. (-) HTC Diamond 4. (5) Nokia E71
6. (-) Nokia N95 8GB 5. (4) HTC Touch HD
7. (-) Sony Ericsson K800i 6. (7) Nokia 3120
8. (-) Sony Ericsson C702 7. (3) Nokia 6300
9. (-) Sony Ericsson K850i 8. (6) Nokia E51
10. (-) Sony Ericsson K53 9. (-) Sony Ericsson C702
10. (-) Sony Ericsson X1 Xperia
( ) = 2007 figures
( ) = Last months (Mar. 09) figures
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Nokia 6300: The real ‘Killer Device’
Launched January 2007
20 Million sold in 2007
40 Million sold by Aug. 2008
Still going strong
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Conclusion
Killer devices and Killer Apps are necessary to boost
sales but by no means enough
It should be easy to search
Devices should be made
and find applications and
simple to use.
read reviews if possible
It should be easier to
It should be possible to see
Download and Install
the app on the screen and
Applications.
start it with a single click
It should be easy to find
There should be some way
applications that are
to report problem with the
installed and also easy to
app.
uninstall them.
New version/updates
Errors should be reported in
should be installed
simplest possible language.
automatically and all
settings should be preserved
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Old but still relevant

Presented by Zahid Ghadialy
© eXplanoTech Ltd.
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