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.

Shared with MMW on Tuesday, the report summary indicates that more than 1,300 apps in the Google Play store contain code that activates Android phones in “sleep mode” for the purpose of engaging with mobile advertisements unbeknownst to their owners.

After detecting click attempts made from a variety of Google Play Store apps, the Anura team isolated two — Lovely Rose and Oriental Beauty — and installed them on Android-powered mobile devices to monitor for suspicious behavior for 24 hours. During this time frame, the devices’ click logs showed 3,061 ad requests made by these apps to ad networks that work with household brands such as SnapChat and Wendy’s.

From a brand perspective, these apps could potentially “cost brands anywhere between $2,000,000 and $10,000,000 a day, equating to millions lost per month on bots, versus actual human traffic,” the report authors explain.

“Anura’s findings are critical in understanding how fraudulent activity affects consumers and advertisers,” said Rich Kahn, CEO of eZanga. “Fraud is like the flu. Every year, it evolves, forming new strains for which we have to create vaccines. Similarly, fraudsters constantly create ways to manipulate systems, and it’s imperative that all parties involved are aware of what is happening and how to prevent it.”

To review the app fraud findings and full whitepaper, click here.

The post Zombie ‘APP’ocalypse: Fraudulent Traffic Detector Finds Zombie Apps in Google Play Store appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

The partnership with Google, one of the world’s largest technology companies, is meant to help Volvo develop the next generation of its in-car infotainment and connectivity solution based on Android, which offers access to a wide array of apps and services.

We’re told it will launch on new Volvo models within two years.

The partnership promises to revolutionize how Volvo customers engage and interact with their cars. The large catalogue of popular Android apps – developed by Google, Volvo, or third party app developers – will offer connected and predictive services in and around the car.

“We are making an important strategic step with the Google partnership. Google’s platform and services will enhance the user experience by enabling more personalization possibilities, while Android will offer increased flexibility from a development perspective,” said Henrik Green, Senior Vice President Research & Development at Volvo Car Group.

The post Going Mobile: Google Inks Deal with Volvo appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

And it’s a big Android success story.

The Android operating system captured a record 88 percent global marketshare, squeezing Apple iOS and others, the report summary notes.

Linda Sui, Director at Strategy Analytics, says global smartphone shipments grew 6 percent annually from 354.2 million units in Q3 2015 to 375.4 million in Q3 2016.

“This was the smartphone industry’s fastest growth rate for a year,” Sui writes. “Modest smartphone regrowth is being supported by emerging markets with relatively low smartphone penetration across Asia and Africa Middle East, particularly countries such as India and South Africa.”

“Android’s domination of global smartphone shipments remained strong in Q3 2016, with a record 88 percent of all smartphones now running Google’s OS,” adds Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics. “Android’s gain came at the expense of every major rival platform. Apple iOS lost ground to Android and dipped to 12 percent share worldwide in Q3 2016, due to a lackluster performance in China and Africa. BlackBerry and Microsoft Windows Phone have all but disappeared due to strategic shifts, while Tizen and other emerging platforms softened as a result of limited product portfolios and modest developer support.”

The post Strategy Analytics Sees Global Android Smartphone Shipment Surge appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

Amid widespread fire and explosion concerns that, despite being blown out of proportion by some media outlets, have warranted legitimate investigations and a need for action to ensure the safety of consumers.

Samsung wants sales and exchanges halted for “further investigation.”

The electronics giant told consumers with either an original Galaxy Note 7 or a replacement Galaxy Note 7 device that they should power down and stop using the device immediately.

The news comes against a backdrop of troubling reports indicating that even replacing devices may be overheating.

“I appreciate the safety leadership role the wireless carriers and retailers are playing by temporarily stopping the sale of the Note 7 and not providing the Note 7 model as a replacement device,” Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Elliot Kaye said in a statement quoted by CNBC. “No one should have to be concerned their phone will endanger them, their family or their property.”

The post Samsung Sounds the Alarm: Sales, Exchanges of Galaxy Note 7 Halted appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

This ability, we’re told, furthers the convenience of earning and redeeming points and expanding the company’s portfolio of unified mobile payments solutions.

Monday’s formal announcement explains that this latest integration gives the more than 85 million active Balance Rewards members, many of whom use Android devices, another way to earn and use loyalty points in-store, and eliminates the need to separately scan or enter their Balance Rewards card.

“We’re continually looking at ways to enhance the customer experience through innovative and forward-thinking technologies,” said Abhi Dhar, Walgreens senior vice president and chief information officer. “We’re proud to have been the first retailer to integrate our loyalty program with the two leading mobile payment providers, and to give our customers another channel for greater access, choice and convenience with our loyalty program.”

The post Android Pay Off to a Healthy Start at Walgreens appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

Additionally, the company is launching the industry’s first commercial integration with Samsung KNOX Cloud SDK to provide device security.

“Mast is also announcing that Samsung Electronics has invested in the company,” a statement emailed to MMW reads. “Mast will continue to work with Samsung to develop and deploy unique solutions that leverage Samsung’s market-leading devices and KNOX platform capabilities.”

Since its official launch in Q4 2015, Mast has been adopted by sales leaders who want to improve productivity by using the first mobile integration with Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics. IT and financial leaders can also benefit from Mast’s technology by eliminating underused desk phones.

“Mast offers an innovative mobile-first business communication platform and a unique implementation of Samsung KNOX Cloud SDK to provide security out of the box,” said Jaideep Mirchandani, Director, KNOX Product Management at Samsung Electronics. “The speed and quality of integration over Samsung devices and KNOX Cloud SDK platform is a testimony of our KNOX developer ecosystem.”

The post Mast Mobile Rolls Out Android Version, First to Launch With Samsung KNOX Cloud SDK appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

Reporting key trends in the U.S. smartphone industry for December 2015, comScore says the dominance of iOS and Android once again told the whole story while Facebook ranked as the top individual smartphone app.

But the really interesting facts of note involve the smartphone OEM Market Share.

197.4 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones (79.3 percent mobile market penetration) during the three months ending in December.

Apple ranked as the top OEM with 42.9 percent of U.S. smartphone subscribers. Samsung ranked second with 28.4 percent market share (up 0.8 percentage points from September), followed by LG with 9.9 percent (up 0.5 percentage points), Motorola with 5.3 percent (up 0.5 percentage points) and HTC with 3.3 percent.

Android ranked as the top smartphone platform in December with 53.3 percent market share (up 1 percentage point from September), followed by Apple with 42.9 percent, Microsoft with 2.9 percent and BlackBerry with 0.9 percent.

To learn more, check out comScore’s announcement here.

The post comScore: U.S. Smartphone Ownership Nears 200 Million appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

The update, we’re told, features a significant improvement of the Android video broadcasting capabilities, allowing users to enjoy improved connection stability as well as certain broadcast features that were previously unavailable for Android – such as the ability to flip between the front-facing and rear-facing camera mid broadcast.

The update also contains several artistic and stylized live broadcast filters – allowing Android users to modify the look of their broadcasts on the fly.

“The Hang w/ app connects users through interactive live-streaming video, allowing anyone with an iPhone, iPad, Android device or desktop computer to broadcast live to a potential audience of millions of viewers around the globe,” a provided statement reads.

So when can you get the app? Right now. The Hang w/ app is free and available for download on the Apple App Store and on Google Play by clicking www.hangwith.me.

The post Hang w/ Touts ‘Powerful Live Streaming Update’ for Android appeared first on Mobile Marketing Watch.

“Android has 1.4 billion monthly active users on its smartphones and tablets thanks to its enormous selection and ability to appeal to numerous segments of the smartphone consumer market,” reports BusinessInsider this week.

The problem? Perhaps an age-old one: with proliferation come vulnerabilities.

“Due to its open-source variants, the Android ecosystem is highly fragmented, which presents numerous issues in terms of security and app development,” according to BusinessInsider. “As key smartphone markets shift from developed regions like the U.S. and China to emerging markets like India and Brazil, Google will try to maintain its control of Android via its Android One project, while third-party vendors will push regionalized versions of Android to better cater to new consumer markets.”

In fact, a new report from BI Intelligence sizes up the current Android platform and examines its greatest opportunities and challenges in key markets.

“We also explore the effects of fragmentation on Android, the limitations it presents to growing segments of the Android ecosystem, such as Android Wear and Android Pay, and discuss how its massive growth is presenting challenges to mobile advertisers and app developers looking to reach Android’s large user base,” notes BusinessInsider.

Some pressing issues?

“Fragmentation is the platform’s greatest challenge. One-third of consumers with Android devices are still using versions of the platform released in 2012 or earlier. The lack of a cohesive platform complicates app and security development.”

The full report is now available. To learn more, click here.

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