The two operating systems dominate the market, with figures from Q2 2018 suggesting that Android OS accounts for an 88 per cent share and iOS holds around 11.9 percent. While the likes of Microsoft and RIM once had a place in this world, they have fallen by the wayside as Google and Apple’s unstoppable creations have marched to the top.

A number of differences

While the pair are now truly out on their own in terms of their performance in the market, they are different in a number of ways. For example, as this VPNbase article on the best Android VPN services outlines, Android devices are seen as less exclusive and arguably more flexible than Apple’s iOS-based alternatives. While the site states this is a “wonderful thing”, it does also warn that this can open Android systems up to a range of risks.

On a more technical level, another key difference is how apps for the two systems are created. While iOS apps are stored on a file type known as an IPA, Android apps use the format known as APK. This issue, in particular, has caused a headache for many businesses in recent years, as this has meant it is not necessarily easy for them to quickly adapt apps for one OS to another.

However, could a major new toolkit created by developers at Google be about to change the game in this regard?

Introducing Flutter

At the start of December, Google announced the launch of its first stable release of the UI toolkit known as Flutter. The company describes the system as a way to build ‘beautiful, native experiences’ for both iOS and Android systems using a single codebase.

While this does not replace the traditional way of creating apps for the two operating systems, it is an engine that can be added to an existing app or used in a completely new one. Google said that Flutter’s set of widgets would ensure a “pixel-perfect experience” on both OSs, ensuring designers are able to achieve their vision without having to “water it down” due to any limitations.

The key benefits of Flutter were highlighted in comments from Capital One’s senior director of engineering Michael Jones, who said the service would mean the company can now think about features “not in an ‘iOS or Android-first’ fashion, but rather in a true mobile-first model”.

Exciting new development

The release of Flutter is an exciting development which could change the game for everyone involved in mobile marketing, with hopes being high that it will make it easier for developers to create apps for both iOS and Android.

While the two biggest mobile operating systems in the world have fundamental differences, Google’s new toolkit has arguably brought them closer than they have ever been before.

The post How Flutter Looks Set to Transform Android and iOS App Development appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

As for the juiciest details of the report, the key findings of the global mobile analytics market, according to Technavio media and entertainment researchers, include:

• In 2016, the iOS segment dominated the market by occupying almost 63% share
• The Americas dominated the global mobile analytics market with 54% share in 2016
• Adobe Systems, Amazon Web Services, Google, IBM, and Microsoft are the leading players in the market

The growing adoption of data analytics is a major market driver, the report summary notes.

To maximize their profits, increase revenue, and reduce costs, organizations use data analytics. It helps in eliminating the major work involved in understanding customers and data tracking processes. Data analytics also helps in attracting new customers and analyze the historical data patterns to provide insights into retaining the existing customers.

Data analytics, the Technavio team adds, also helps in understanding the consumer and providing them with customized services. Through data and customer analytics, insights can be gained about buying patterns of new customers. These insights can be used to strategize and plan ways and means to boost sales and revenue.

Want to know more about the report? The whole shebang is available for purchase here.

The post Technavio: iOS to Dominate the Global Mobile Analytics Market appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

With iOS 11.2 adoption now past 42%, this bug is wreaking havoc on text messaging, particularly for brands seeking to prompt direct responses from consumers.

Unfortunately, due to the bug that continues to multiply across the iOS userbase, non-clickable links are taking a toll on SMS campaigns, likely resulting in a serious dip in conversions.

Derek Johnson, CEO of Tatango, tipped off the mobile marketing community to this issue earlier this month following the discovery of the bug, which is negatively hindering the mobile marketing efforts of prominent brands like Subway and Baskin-Robbins, to name a few.

“As you can imagine, this is causing major issues for brands using text message marketing, as many of their messages are promotional in nature, like ‘Save $5 when you spend $20.’ The timing is not good either, as many brands are sending more text messages than normal, due to the holidays,” Johnson recently told Mobile Marketer.

While there’s no timeline confirmed for a fix, Tatango is urging mobile marketers to stay clear of including dollar signs in their text messages until further notice.

The post Dollar Sign Signals Headaches for Mobile Marketers with Unresolved iOS 11.2 Bug appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

The firm, by its own admission, “is all too familiar with iOS releases and the hoards of questions and issues that surround a major release” by Apple.

For over two years now, DeviceBits has been providing millions of users and call center agents early insight into the latest iOS releases through its Academy & CareAssist products. Wireless Carriers continue to work the balancing act to deliver support on products and services for brands outside their own, knowing that it provides a bit more control in the overall customer experience which is key.

We’re told that CareAssist will make iOS 11 available to the 20,000-plus call center agents using the DeviceBits platform for training, education, and support purposes.

These agents get an interactive experience learning about new iOS 11 features, device functions, and best practices on customer resolution. It helps bridge the education gap, especially for those agents who don’t personally use Apple devices. On average, CareAssist agents are seeing a 25% decrease in call times compared to agents solving same issues and not using the system.

“It’s always great to witness a call center agent during that ‘ah-ha’ moment when they discover the answer to a customer’s problem. It is even more rewarding when we’ve presented the solution before they (or the customer) even knew it was a problem,” said DeviceBits CEO, JC Ramey, as he recalls a recent client visit to watch the CareAssist product in action.

To learn more about DeviceBits, click here.

The post DeviceBits Customer Support Tech to Help in iOS 11 Downloads appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

This is despite the Apple iPhone 7 launch in September 2016, eight months ago.

“According to the Q1 2017 MOVR,” the report summary reads, “the Apple iPhone 6S became the most used in February 2017 and is now at almost 8% of all global smartphone browsing. In comparison, the iPhone 6 peaked in popularity a year earlier, February 2016, at 14.6%, 488 days after launch. Today, the iPhone 6S usage continues to grow despite the iPhone 7 launch. The iPhone 7 user-base is still on an upward trajectory, ending March at 3.6%, earning third place among iPhones. Given the size of the iPhone 6 user-base, the upgrade potential for the iPhone 7 and 8 is significant if Apple can retain customers.”

The report announcement notes that this launch trend history is helpful to e-commerce and advertising websites, who rely on mobile optimization to display their products and services accurately and within seconds to customers across all devices. ScientiaMobile offers its WURFL device detection for mobile optimization, image optimization, and device analytics solutions for 99% accurate device detection for companies like Facebook and Google.

To check out the full report, click here.

The post Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Which is the Top Smartphone of Them All? appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

The latest smartphone OS sales data from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech shows Android sales declined in the US, GB, and France, as iOS continued to make gains across most regions in the three months ending November 2016.

“For Android, this marks the sixth consecutive period of decline in the US, at 55.3% of all smartphone sales, down from 60.4% in the same period a year earlier,” the Kantar crew says. “In Urban China, iOS was down year-on-year at 19.9%, but continued strong period-on-period growth with sales from iPhone 7.”

iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, and iPhone 6s were the three most popular smartphones in the US at the beginning of the holiday period, for a combined 31.3% share. The Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge were the fourth and fifth best-selling phones in the US, with Samsung capturing 28.9% of smartphone sales.

“Verizon booked nearly a quarter of all US smartphone sales during the Black Friday period, playing a vital role for all brands, including Apple and Samsung,” reported Lauren Guenveur, Consumer Insight Director for Kantar Worldpanel ComTech. “Buyers were motivated by Verizon’s promotions on both Apple and Samsung’s top phones, including offers of free iPhone 7, 7 Plus and Galaxy S7 phones after trade-in and purchase requirements were met.”

The post Kantar Shows Renewed Mobile Momentum for iOS appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

With iOS10 set to launch sometime in September, let’s deep dive into some of the updates most important for mobile marketers around iOS 10 push notifications and how it can contribute to your marketing success.

These platform changes provide a big opportunity for mobile marketers to create richer conversations and interactions with their app users through push notifications. Marketers and developers that get creative with these capabilities could stand out from the noise and provide helpful, fun, and engaging push notification campaigns.

Here are four of the biggest advancements coming to push notifications in iOS 10.

Replace Outdated Push Notifications

In iOS 10, you’ll be able to see pending notifications and replace them with new ones that have updated information. This is a useful tool for mobile marketers who provide breaking news or up-to-the-minute information via notifications. When updated, the new notification ID will replace the old one and push it to the top of the stack.

Not only will this help mobile teams provide the most up-to-date information for their users, but it will also push their notifications to the top of the list. So for example, if you are following your favorite baseball team, the most recent game scores will rise to the top so you won’t need to scroll through several messages to find the latest updates.

Interaction Intelligence

Mobile teams will also be able to get more information on how customers are interacting with the notifications. You will now be able to see whether users dismiss a push notification via a new signal built into the notifications framework in iOS 10. This will allow marketers to better gauge how users react to the alerts they are sending. Instead of repeatedly sending notifications with which users don’t interact, mobile pros can use this data to A/B test which alerts lead to action and engagement, and which don’t.

Rich Content

Users will be able to download photos, audio, video, and GIFs directly from a push notification, and this content will be displayed alongside the notification. In other words, images and videos will be immediately viewable, without having to actually open the app.

For example, when you receive a push notification that someone sent you a photo or tagged you in an image, you’ll be able to see that image and take action (reply, like, untag, etc.) directly from the notification.

Custom Layouts

Context and engaging design is critical now. Notifications are getting “rich”, meaning pictures and imagery are more important than ever. With iOS10, push notification authors can now manage title, subtitle, and customizable media fields. This allows mobile marketers and developers to provide more information and interaction to their users. Some apps already support quick actions like a reply, like, etc., but in iOS 10, you’ll be able to add rich media as well.

For example, a push notification for an event invite could include an event photo, a customized text field including a personalized message to the recipient, as well as an accept or decline reply option.

These layout updates will drive greater creativity from mobile marketers and empower teams  to execute more powerful and impactful push notifications.

What’s Next?

Marketers and developers may be anxious to get started with these new features, but iOS 10 won’t be released until mid September. Until then, the public beta is available now for developers, and mobile professionals can start dreaming up creative ways to take advantage of these new features and capabilities to engage and interact with their app users.

About Momchil Kyurkchiev

Momchil Kyurkchiev is the CEO and co-founder of Leanplum, the only fully integrated optimization solution for mobile apps. The San Francisco company enables developers, product managers and marketers to unleash the value of customer data by easily optimizing mobile content and messaging via flexible A/B testing, marketing automation and powerful analytics. Prior to Leanplum, Momchil was a tech lead at Google where he optimized video ads. Follow the company on Twitter @leanplum.

The post OPINION: Why iOS 10 Will Skyrocket Push Notifications Success appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

What makes this compact new iPhone so cool? It’s every bit as powerful as its big brothers, says Apple.

iPhone SE offers “exceptional performance” with the same 64-bit A9 chip offered in iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus for fast speeds, longer battery life, faster wireless, a 12-megapixel iSight camera featuring Live Photos and 4K video, and Touch ID with Apple Pay.

In short, Apple wants users to know that good things come in small packages at Apple.

“iPhone SE is an exciting new idea — we started with a beloved, iconic design and reinvented it from the inside out. The result is the most beautiful and powerful phone with a four-inch display in the world,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPhone SE is packed with a stunning four-inch Retina display, advanced 64-bit A9 chip with M9 motion co-processor, longer battery life, 12-megapixel iSight camera with True Tone flash, Live Photos, 4K video, faster LTE and Wi-Fi, and Touch ID with Apple Pay. Everyone who wants a smaller phone is going to love iPhone SE.”

Want to know more? Check out iPhone SE here.

The post Bigger isn’t Always Better and Apple Says New iPhone SE Proves it appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

“We always recommend developers use the free, secure tools we provide them — including Xcode — to ensure they’re creating the most secure apps for App Store customers,” Apple explains. “Some developers downloaded counterfeit versions of Xcode that have been infected with malware and created apps that were just as infected. Apple incorporates technologies like Gatekeeper expressly to prevent non-App Store and/or unsigned versions of programs, including Xcode, from being installed. Those protections had to have been deliberately disabled by the developer for something like XcodeGhost to successfully install.”

Why only 25? Yes, more than those were impacted. But Apple noted that “after the top 25 impacted apps, the number of impacted users drops significantly,” adding that it is working directly with developers to get affected apps back up for download.

Here are the top 25 apps that were affected by XcodeGhost:

1. WeChat
2. DiDi Taxi
3. 58 Classified – Job, Used Cars, Rent
4. Gaode Map – Driving and Public Transportation
5. Railroad 12306
6. Flush
7. China Unicom Customer Service (Official Version)
8. CarrotFantasy 2: Daily Battle
9. Miraculous Warmth
10. Call Me MT 2 – Multi-server version
11. Angry Bird 2 – Yifeng Li’s Favorite
12. Baidu Music – A Music Player that has Downloads, Ringtones, Music Videos, Radio, and Karaoke
13. DuoDuo Ringtone
14. NetEase Music – An Essential for Radio and Song Download
15. Foreign Harbor – The Hottest Platform for Oversea Shopping
16. Battle of Freedom (The MOBA mobile game)
17. One Piece – Embark (Officially Authorized)
18. Let’s Cook – Receipes [sic]
19. Heroes of Order & Chaos – Multiplayer Online Game
20. Dark Dawn – Under the Icing City (the first mobile game sponsored by Fan BingBing)
21. I Like Being With You
22. Himalaya FM (Audio Book Community)
23. CarrotFantasy
24. Flush HD
25. Encounter – Local Chatting Tool

The post Apple Names the Worms: Company Reveals List of Top 25 XcodeGhost Infected iOS Apps appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

In sum, users will be able to avoid advertising in the Safari mobile browser because iOS 9 allows the installation of third-party ad-blocking tools.

“In anticipation of the operating system update, developers across the world are readying ad-blocking applications in hopes they can cash in on the thirst for ad-free mobile browsing,” notes a WSJ report. “Millions of users already block ads on their desktop browsers and interest in the tools is growing, according to some reports. Mobile developers want a piece of the action.”

The WSJ story cites the U.K.’s Dean Murphy, a developer who just wrapped up work on his ad-blocking app, called Crystal. Murphy has reportedly also translated it into seven different languages to increase worldwide appeal.

“Murphy said he plans to submit his blocking software to the App Store as soon as Apple opens up submissions for iOS 9 apps, which he expects will happen in the next few days,” according to WSJ. “He’s hopeful Crystal will be approved by Apple and available for download by Wednesday, for a one-off purchase price between $3 and $5.”

And Murphy isn’t the only developer with his eyes on the ad blocking prize.

“Eyeo, the Germany-based company behind the popular desktop tool AdBlock Plus, has prepared its own, free ad-blocking extension for iOS,” reports WSJ. “The company also plans to submit that application to Apple this week.”

We’ll stay on top of this story and report impacts in the news.

One thing we know already: online publishers and advertising sellers are nervous. Monetizing mobile audiences is not an easy task to begin with — and ad blockers could lead to major revenue fallout.

The post Apple’s Mobile Ad Blocking Raises More Questions Than Answers appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.