Google launched Project Fi, enabling users to connect to the best available network, enhancing its role as a network provider. More than 50% of Google searches now come from smartphones, highlighting the challenge of adapting its desktop model to mobile environments. Additionally, mobile payments are expected to grow significantly, with Apple Pay leading the market while Google and Samsung follow, though battery dependency remains a critical issue.

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THE WEEK IN 3 WORDS

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SEASON #02 – WEEK #43

3. SUPA ROAMING
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Google has released its Project Fi, a way to
connect to the best available network around.
Google partners with carrier operators, hardware makers and other Wi-
Fi providers to be able to provide the end-user with the best available
connection around him, at a given time. Users register to a monthly
plan, as they would if registering to one of the telco operators.
Through this project, Google clearly tries to increase its presence on
the Internet, from a service provider (software) to a network provider
(hardware): the amount of data about users the firm will collect this
way is nothing comparable to what it collects today. This is a big step
for Google in the battle for advertisements.

5. MOBILE SEARCH
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More than half of searches served by Google are coming from
smartphones: this is what Amit Singhal, Senior VP of Google Search, said
during an interview*. This is more than 50 billions searches, as the total
number of searches counted per month is around 100 billions.
With the several late changes to Google Search algorithm, this new figure
shows how critical it is today to have a perfectly clear and working mobile
digital strategy (and the content that comes with it!).
But this inflection point is not such a good news for Google, which is
struggling to adapt its desktop model to the mobile world, where searches
are lead by specialized applications (Facebook, merchant Apps,
marketplaces Apps, events Apps, etc.). The future for Google is quite
challenging, to finally be able to win back its leading desktop position in
mobile.
(*): http://recode.net/2015/10/11/googles-search-boss-talks-surviving-and-thriving-in-an-app-world-full-video/

7. MOBILE PAYMENT
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Mobile payment is not in-App payments or purchases on App Stores, as one may
limit this concept to those features. At least, it’s not only this.
According to a Deloitte research*, payments using NFC technology is expected to
show a 1000% year-on-year growth in 2016! This means users do not carry a wallet
with Credit Cards any more, but rather use their mobile phone as the payment
system in brick and mortar stores.
Apple’s system, Apple Pay, is currently leading the market, especially because it’s
the most secure of the system and the most widely available (banks partnerships).
Google with Android Pay and Samsung Pay are following, but are newer comers to
this market. And the market is more or less US only (with the noticeable exception
of UK) but meant to expand to Europe sooner or later.
Whereas very promising, this payment system is facing one major and probably
blocking (for a while) issue: if your phone battery is dead, you cannot pay anymore...
(*): http://www.nfcworld.com/2015/01/14/333500/deloitte-mobile-payment-volumes-increase-1000-2015/