The Mobile Ecosystem

The Mobile Ecosystem Ivano Malavolta ivano.malavolta@univaq.it http://www.di.univaq.it/malavolta

Roadmap• Brief History of Mobile• The Mobile Ecosystem• Mobile as the 7th mass media

Brief history of Mobile• Many generation of mobiles• G is often referred to the networking aspect – es. 2G, 3G, 4G We will not not. We will focus on the DEVICE

Brief history of Mobile• Motivation: At some point a device comes and changes everything

The beginning…

The Brick Era* Picture lovely taken from http://www.slideshare.net/fling

The Brick Eracalls• It was Portable!• More expensive than payphones• Enormous battery• Stakeholders: – Stockbrokers, salespeople, …• After a while, more cellular radio towers and… it got (a little bit) smaller

The Candy bar Era* Picture lovely taken from http://www.slideshare.net/fling

The Candy Bar Eracalls SMS• 2G network : GSM, CDMA, TDMA, iDEN• More cellular towers less power needed much smaller• Better voice quality• Added SMS• Everyone wanted to have a mobile phone – economic prosperity in EU, USA, and JP

The Feature Phone Era* Picture lovely taken from http://www.slideshare.net/fling

The Feature Phone Eracalls SMS & MMS music & photos• 2.5G network: GPRS• Camera• MMS• Data-capable devices• Interneton mobile (very poor) – high prices – poor marketing – inconsistent rendering

The Smartphone Era* Picture lovely taken from http://www.slideshare.net/fling

The Smartphone Eracalls SMS & MMS music & photos• 3G, HSDPA, WI-FI• Like a feature phone, but simulating a PC• Its own OS (es. Symbian)• Larger screens, stylus• The Mobile Platform becomes key• (push) email as primary driver

The Touch Era* Picture lovely taken from http://www.slideshare.net/fling

The Touch Eracalls SMS & MMS music & photos APPS• 3G, 4G NOT a phone -• Accelerometers NOT a computer• GPS/Location-based• User-centered design – true impact on his eveyday life• Rich interfaces• A personal media platform• Mobile web - everyday

The Mobile Ecosystem

The Mobile Ecosystem HSPDA 4G GPRS Edge WIFI

The Mobile Ecosystem Services Applications Application frameworks Operating systems Platforms Devices Networks Operators

The Mobile Ecosystem• Operators make the entire mobile ecosystem work• ROLE to create and maintain wireless services over ROLE: a reliable cellular network • Voice They install • Messages cellular towers • Internet access Operators

The Mobile Ecosystem Operatorsdata source: http://bit.ly/Ajzc0o

The Mobile Ecosystem Mobile networks communicate through electromagnetic radio waves with a cell site base station, the antennas of which are usually mounted on a tower, pole or building. Networksimage from: Operatorshttp://en.kioskea.net/contents/telephonie-mobile/gsm.php3

The Mobile Ecosystem Networks Operatorsdata source: http://www.slideshare.net/fling/mobile-20-design-develop-for-the-iphone-and-beyond

The Mobile EcosystemThe PHONE – handsets or terminals in industry• But also other devices such as tablets, ebook readers… Devices Networks Operators

The Mobile Ecosystem Feature Phone VS Smartphone (and touch phones) Devices Networksimage source: http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/28/its-still-a- Operatorsfeature-phone-world-global-smartphone-penetration-at-27/

The Mobile EcosystemPlatforms provide access to the devicesThey provide a core programming language in which ALL the software is writtenThree main categories:• Open Source free to use and modify Source: – Android Platforms• Proprietary by device makers Proprietary: Devices – iPhone, BlackBerry, Palm Networks• Licensed sold to device makers Licensed: Operators – JavaME, BREW, Windows Mobile

The Mobile EcosystemOS have core services or toolkits that enable apps to talk to each other and share data or servicesFor example:OSs are common in Smart Phones, Operating Systemsbut rare in Feature phones. Platforms Devices Networks Operators

The Mobile Ecosystem Smartphones by Operative Systems Operating Systems Platforms Devices Networks Operators

The Mobile EcosystemThey run on top of the OS, sharing core services such as:• Communications• Messaging• Graphics• Location Application Frameworks• Security Operating Systems• Authentication Platforms Devices• … Networks Operators

The Mobile Ecosystem Application Frameworks Operating Systems Platforms Devices Networks Operatorsdata source: http://www.slideshare.net/fling/mobile-20-design-develop-for-the-iphone-and-beyond

The Mobile EcosystemDefinition: In the realm of technology, this usually refers to a computer program that runs on a website (Google Apps), a small computing device (iPad App) or a cell phone (Android App). Applications Application FrameworksExample applications may Operating Systemsinclude Games, Web Browser, PlatformsCamera or Media Player. Devices Networks Operators

The Mobile Ecosystem Apps live between the device and the user APP Applications Application Frameworks Operating SystemsThey must fit with their usage context Platforms DevicesThey must know the specific device Networksattributes and capabilities Operators FRAGMENTATION PROBLEM

The Fragmentation problemIt is the inability to develop an app against a reference operating context (OC) and achieve the intended behavior in all OCs suitable for the application.OC = the external environment influencing its operation Applications Application Frameworks Operating Systems Platforms Devices Networks Operators

The Fragmentation problemfor further info:http://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/~damithch/files/SEKE2008.pdf

The Mobile Ecosystem Services are “everything the user is trying to do”They are often available at different levels:• Application Services• Application Framework Applications• OS Application Frameworks Operating SystemsExample services may include: Platforms• the Internet Devices• sending a text message Networks• being able to get a location Operators

The Mobile EcosystemAll of these layers must be passed through before you get to the content Services Nowadays, the mobile Applications ecosystem is: Application Frameworks Operating Systems complicated, fragmented, Platforms and a political nightmare Devices Networks Operators RUN AWAY!!! however…

Mobile Market Mass Media??? How big is the Mobile Market???data source: http://www.slideshare.net/fling/mobile-20-design-develop-for-the-iphone-and-beyond

Mobile Market in 2009data source: http://www.slideshare.net/fling/mobile-20-design-develop-for-the-iphone-and-beyond

Mobile Market in 2011…

Mobile MarketMobile is the LARGEST, most available mass medium TO MANKIND

Mobile as the 7th mass mediaEach mass media has advantages and disadvantages, each playing a significant role in societyIf we understand how we relate to each mass media we will understand what our customers expect from our mobile apps

Mobile as the 7th mass media 1 Printing PressReduced time to publishEnables information to be easily copied and distributed

Mobile as the 7th mass media 2 Recordings aka recorded soundMusicStarted as information sharing (news)

Mobile as the 7th mass media 3 CinemaVisual ExperienceSimilarly to recordings,it started as information sharing (news)Intense personal experience

Mobile as the 7th mass media 4 Radio= recordings + live broadcastIntense personal experience

Mobile as the 7th mass media 5 Television= radio + videoPrices dropped down a TV for each home more intimate and visceral medium

Mobile as the 7th mass media 6 InternetComputers @home, not @workWeb 2.0 = interact with other usersPurchase, download and stream recordingsListen to radio and TV streams

Mobile as the 7th mass media 7 MobileIt started at the same time as the WebUnique trait: it can do everything all the other media can do trait• Reading (and publishing)• Play recordings• Watch movies• Listen to radio• Watch TV (and streaming)• Surf the Internet

Unique benefits of MobileApart from covering all the other media, mobile has 5 unique benefits: First truly personal mass media We don’t share our phones with our friends Information is always available 24/7, First always-on mass media even when idle 7 out of 10 people sleep with their First always-carried mass media phones within reach Only mass media with a built-in Universal click-to-buy + credit cards payment channel At the point of creative impulse Ability to create or consume content whenever the mood strikes

ContextCONTEXT CONTEXT CONTEXTCONTEXT CONTEXT CONTEXT Mobile apps have the amazing capability to add CONTEXTCONTEXTadding immediate relevance to whatto information, CONTEXT CONTEXT we are doing right here, right nowCONTEXT CONTEXT CONTEXTCONTEXT CONTEXT CONTEXT

References http://bit.ly/xSdIiSChapters 1-2-3

Tips for the projectThere is no “perfect app”, you have to find the sweet spot costs, revenue, development or market share, and configuration, time to market maintainability, and reliability your APP User Goals usability

Tips for the project1. Find a REAL NEED first2. Find your GOAL to fill the need3. Reverse Engineer the goal into a potential app4. Remember the unique benefits of Mobile (slide 53)5. CONTEXT CONTEXT CONTEXT – Location, camera, always-carried, accelerometer – WHO is your typical user???? Define usage scenarios

Tips for the project app:This is my checkbox when I review an app: Does it have a clear goal? Is it filling a real need? Does it consider the context in which I’m using it? Is it integrated with other services? Look at http://www.programmableweb.com and discover a new world out there!! ☺ Is it a pleasure to use it? I look at UI design, interface slickness, ecc.

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