June 2014
June 25, 2014
mobileworldlive.com - John Villasenor, Lei Wen, and Jianwen Chen recently co-authored a Forbes blog post called "China's Wireless Industry in Ten Graphs". In it they use the latest data to illustrate the rapid growth of mobile technology in China. The graphs describe a fascinating picture of a country in the midst of a transformative ICT revolution. The rapid improvements to China's mobile infrastructure will have long lasting economic benefits.
Mobile Phones Continue to Replace Fixed-Line Phones
The number of fixed-line phone subscriptions has fallen every year since its peak in 2007. The ICT market in China has undergone tremendous change in the past two decades. From 1993 to 2007 the number of fixed-line mobile subscriptions increased over fifty times. The number of mobile phone subscriptions exceeded fixed-line in 2003 and has grown exponentially. The number of mobile phone subscriptions in 2013 is three times greater than the peak number of fixed-line subscriptions in 2007.
Mobile Internet Traffic Continues to Grow Quickly
Mobile Internet traffic has exploded over the past five years. From 2009 to 2013 it's grown over ten times. This estimate of traffic comes in a bit higher than the estimate from the Cisco Visual Networking Index. Cisco VNI estimated 1,116 thousand terabytes were transferred over Chinese mobile networks in 2013. Both forecasts find that Chinese consumers are using increasing numbers of bytes on their cell phones.
Mobile Data Traffice
Mobile Phones are Big Business in China
Revenues from mobile phone-based wireless data services have far outpaced the growth of subscriptions and traffic. The number of subscribers has nearly doubled and traffic has increased about eleven times from 2009 to 2013. But, annual wireless data services revenue has grown an astounding twenty two times. In 2013 revenues nearly reached $32 billion.
China, Chinese Mobile Technology, Mobile Technology, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 25, 2014
mobileworldlive.com - Telefonica Germany entered into an agreement to provide Drillisch, an MVNO, with deeper access to its network, as it looks to address competition concerns related to its proposed acquisition of E-Plus from KPN.
The deal will see Drillisch acquire 20 per cent of the network capacity that will be under the control of the merged entity. The MVNO already uses the networks of both operators to provide services to its customers.
The network capacity will be reached over a period of five years and Drillisch will have the right to acquire up to 10 per cent of additional capacity. The MVNO will have a greater opportunity to differentiate the services it offers to customers, making use of existing and future developments on the network.
The European Commission's competition body is currently considering the proposed acquisition of E-Plus by Telefonica, which would reduce the number of mobile operators in Germany from four to three. The EC decision is expected next month.
Telefonica is making concessions to allay competition concerns the EC may have, including providing MVNOs with better access to the merged network. As well as Drillisch, Telefonica was believed to be talking to Freenet and United Internet, but Reuters sources now suggest it is no longer seeking deals with them.
A Reuters report last week suggested that the Telefonica/E-Plus deal was close to approval after the Spanish-based operator group had offered the various MVNO concessions.
However, Financial Times subsequently reported that the EC's approval of the deal is running into widespread opposition from national regulators, with just two out of 12 supporting the Commission's remedies in a recent meeting in Brussels.
The opposition from national regulators comes off the back of a report that the EC's proposal is causing concern with the Bundeskartellamt, the country's antitrust authority.
The Telefonica/E-Plus deal is seen as a key benchmark deal to establish the terms under which operators are allowed to consolidate in the European Union.
Telefonica, Drillisch, E-Plus, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 25, 2014
mobileworldlive.com - Transactions on mobile handsets and tablets will exceed those on PCs and laptops this year for the first time, according to a forecast by Juniper Research.
Total transactions across all devices, as well as contactless cards, will reach $4.7 trillion by 2019, a nearly doubling from $2.5 trillion this year.
While there is organic growth in overall transaction levels thanks to use of tablets and mobile handsets, a significant amount of tablet usage involves migration from the desktop.
Behind the growth story is, unsurprisingly, emerging markets such as China. Incredibly, Alibaba accounted for 20 per cent of total global B2C and C2C electronic retail activity in 2013.
Although certain markets such as Australia, Poland and the UK are seeing growth in contactless payments, consumers are mostly using debit and credit cards rather than mobile devices, said the report.
However, the report joins a chorus backing host card emulation (HCE) to boost NFC-based transactions because it enables banks to maintain full control of the customer.
Digital Payments, Mobile Payments, Mobile Commerce, Mobile Transactions, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 25, 2014
businessnewsdaily.com - With the growing use of mobile phones, it's not hard to imagine a day when people will employ them for everything, including all their money tasks and even additional financial activities.
By 2015, the mobile worker population -- people who work using their smartphone devices -- will reach 1.3 billion, IDC has predicted. People probably won't just be working on their phones. They'll also be completing their daily errands (like managing their money) on the go.
Some personal-finance apps on mobile platforms are Level Money, Mint, Simple, Moven, GoBank, Check, BillGuard, Wise.ly, Numbrs (in Germany) and Tink (in Sweden). My own company, Moneytree, offers a product in Japan. At a time when mobile devices are becoming so closely linked to the way individuals engage with the world, eventually people's relationship with money may become intricately tied to their phones.
Mobile use this year is projected to surpass desktop Internet use, so developers are responding to the market with elegant choices. In order to reach Gen Y and early-adopter customers, banks and financial institutions need to be strategically positioned with a mobile-first mentality because that's how these people lead their lives.
The mobile trend is spreading across different demographics and the setting doesn't matter. According to 2013 research by Ofcom in the United Kingdom, researchers found that 81 percent of smartphone users have their devices switched on all the time, even while they sleep. Fifty-one percent of adults used their phones when socializing with others and 23 percent during mealtimes. And 22 percent of adults even admitted to using their phones in the bathroom.
Employing apps for money tasks. The rising use of mobile devices will create a tectonic shift in banking and already some mobile apps like Square and Venmo, are changing the way people deal with money.
For banks and financial institutions scrambling to capture mind and market share, having a mobile-first mentality is critical. Apps can do more than extend existing channels. They can also leverage technologies unique to mobile. This change is so fundamental, that perhaps one day there won't be "mobile banking" anymore. It will just be called "banking."
Sixty-one percent of Americans believe smartphones will eventually replace cards and cash, according to a 2012 Harris Poll of 2,383 adults. As more companies let users make payments by scanning their phones, carrying cash and credit cards will become less necessary for consumers. Starbucks has 5 million mobile transactions weekly on average and reported in January that 30 percent of its total payments came through the Starbucks card or app.
Square and Uber have proved that customers will use smartphone apps in place of physical cards, suggesting a possible future with "transactionless" transactions. And the feeling that a person has upon exiting an Uber car, without handing anything over, is amazing.
Money has always been about transactions, a shift from one person to the another, and companies like Square and Uber have developed technology to match those economics. Players in the personal-finance market, however, are learning that mobile devices can do more than merely serve as transaction tools. In the future designers of personal-finance management apps may even offer users real-time insights and intelligence to improve their lives with information on their financial status and habits.
Some banks, however, have been delinquent in developing compelling mobile apps for customers or do not have mobile-enabled websites.
Designing for mobile devices from the get-go. A minimalist design philosophy has pervaded lifestyle products and media, and now, more than ever, mobile technology. A well-designed mobile app -- including one for personal finance -- does the right thing not everything. Unlike when people access online budgeting software or a website, when users tap a mobile device they don't want to be overwhelmed by data, information and processes. While on their phones, users only want to get what they need.
An app should follow the needs of the user, not the other way around. And what better device is there for learning about a consumer's needs than an object with an always-on interface that follows him or her around?
By starting with a mobile app in creating a product (as my firm and Instagram did), companies can optimize functionality and the user experience to deliver the exact information and functionality that consumers need in the palm of their hands.
A mobile-first mentality means being attuned to "progressive enhancement," a powerful methodology that lets app developers concentrate on building the elements essential for a user. Designers start by loading the absolute bare essentials on smaller platforms. This leads to a snappier experience that avoids unnecessary lags. Then additional resources are loaded strictly on an as-needed basis to platforms that can handle them well.
Streamlining and optimization of data are what defines the beauty of a truly mobile experience. A minimalist approach to data aggregation and display and the aesthetics of the user interaction all can contribute to a consumer experience focused on the essentials that seamlessly integrates with people's lives, not burdening them with protocols and unnecessary processes.
Mobile Devices, Money, Mobile Technology, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 25, 2014
businessnewsdaily.com - There's much more to a mobile workforce than the ability to conduct business on the go; mobile technology is also critical to effectively running and growing small businesses, a new study reveals.
The study, released this week by business and accounting software provider Sage North America, found that mobile technology has been instrumental to business processes. Specifically, 70 percent of the survey respondents said mobile technology has had the most positive impact on customer service, while 68 percent said smartphones had a positive effect on company productivity.
Mobile devices have had the greatest effect on the expansion of business operations, the study found: 32 percent of respondents said mobile devices have helped them conduct business in inclement weather, while 20 percent said mobile devices have helped them conduct meetings remotely. Moreover, 21 percent of survey respondents said mobile devices benefited them by bringing more work for the company. [Best Smartphones for Business: 2014 Edition]
The study also showed how employees depend on mobile technology to perform job functions: 96 percent of survey respondents said they use mobile devices to check their email, 84 percent use it for text messaging, 79 percent use it to manage contacts, 71 percent use mobile tech for their calendar and 65 percent use it for documents. Additionally, about 40 percent of respondents said they use work-related apps to connect to the cloud, the study found.
Overall, the study found that mobile technology makes it easier to conduct business, improves customer service and increases productivity.
"With important business functions like customer contact being conducted primarily on mobile devices, business owners are finding ways to take advantage of technology and are seeing mobility make a true impact on their business," Joe Langner, executive vice president and general manager of midmarket solutions for Sage North America, said in a statement.
Despite the positive impact of mobile technology on businesses' ability to run and grow a business, however, the study found that more than three-quarters of businesses (77 percent) don't plan for, budget or invest in mobile technology. The study also showed that only 5 percent of companies set an annual budget for mobile devices, and that there has been a 14 percent decrease in employers providing mobile devices to employees since 2013.
The Sage Mobile Device Survey was conducted between April 18 and May 4, 2014, and surveyed 1,090 U.S.-based small and midsize businesses.
Small Businesses, SMB, Mobile Technology, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 25, 2014
qrcodepress.com - Mobile commerce technology is beginning to enter the mainstream. This technology had once occupied the fringes of the retail industry and business in general, but is becoming more widely accepted as companies begin to understand how much consumers are relying on mobile technology. Many consumers are using their mobile devices in their daily lives, whether for entertainment or social purposes, and this trend is not likely to dissipate within the foreseeable future. If businesses do not engage mobile consumers, they could well lose their relevance entirely.
NFC technology may no longer be shunned by those interested in mobile commerce
NFC technology already comprises much of the infrastructure supporting mobile payments, but this technology has proven to be quite unattractive to many businesses due to concerns regarding security. The technology itself, however, is not actually prone to exploitation as it simply serves as a data transfer platform. Rather, mobile commerce platforms themselves as inherently flawed because of their lack of security features. As more businesses understand this, NFC technology is beginning to see more support and become more widely accepted as a mobile commerce facilitator. Even companies like Apple, which has decried the use of NFC, have begun supporting the technology.
Isis proves that mobile commerce is gaining ground with consumers and businesses alike
NFC Mobile Payments SystemSupport for mobile wallet applications like Isis is growing as well. According to Isis, more than 20,000 people are using the platform to make a mobile payment on a daily basis. The application is currently available on more than 70 different types of mobile devices and operating systems, making it one of the most widely used mobile wallets on the market currently.
Businesses are helping mobile consumers become comfortable with new commerce
With mobile commerce technology becoming more common in stores and being supported by a growing number of businesses, consumers are likely to become more comfortable with the concept of using their mobile devices to pay for products online. While consumers are playing a major role in influencing companies to embrace new commerce technology, these businesses are also influencing the popularity of new commerce by accommodating the demands of consumers.
Mobile Commerce, Business, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 25, 2014
broadwayworld.com - NSR's Commercial Mobility via Satellite, 10th Edition report, published today, finds the need for device connectivity driving uptake of satellite-based mobility services for consumer and enterprise markets. By 2023, the market for satellite-enabled mobility solutions will be over 3.8 million In-service Units generating over $10.4 Billion in retail revenues.
"Bring Your Own Device is quickly becoming Bring Your Own Connected Device," states NSR Research Director and report author, Claude Rousseau. "Enterprises and consumers are no longer satisfied being disconnected, ever. A flurry of satellite solutions in more form factors than we've ever seen is hitting the market to offer more bandwidth than ever before. These will not only grow the traditional enterprise markets, but also consumers who need always-on connectivity anywhere." Although L-band solutions remain dominant in terms of in-service units, the advent of cheaper capacity for the mobility market from High-Throughput Satellites (HTS) promises to address the insatiable demand for connectivity on aircraft, ships, and land-mobile markets from passengers, crew, and operational requirements.
"Building on the strong desire for crew to remain connected, and fleet owners to improve operational efficiencies, the shipping market is itself an example of the growing importance of enabling mobility over satellite at sea, in the air and on land-mobile," added Brad Grady, NSR Senior Analyst and co-author of the report. "There will be an onslaught of cheaper GEO-HTS and MEO-HTS satellite supply that will offer more coverage and create an impact on traditional high-revenue mobility markets for FSS and MSS operators in the coming decade," he continued.
Connected Devices, Enterprise Satellite Mobility, Mobility, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 25, 2014
fedweek.com - Mobile is an increasing focus of agency information security, and securing data transfer between devices and cloud hosted applications and storage could eliminate agency data from the physical device altogether, according to a recent survey of federal CIOs. TeachAmerica, a technology industry trade group, published "CIO/CISO Insights: Achieving Results and Confronting Obstacles," with Grant Thornton, based on a survey of 59 IT leaders, including CIOs of large federal departments and agencies, as well as staff from OMB and on Capital Hill. (TeachAmerica, which is the public policy branch of the CompTIAtechnology trade group, conducted the interviews.) The National Institutes of Standards and Technology is working on draft guidance for personal identification credentials and that will play into how agencies secure devices and data. According to the report, the marketplace already offers technologies such as a card sled that attaches to mobile devices as well as integrated circuit chips. Agencies also have to grapple with employees conducting official business on their personal devices and the government is trying to figure out how to implement "bring your own device" - BYOD, policies. "CIOs and CISOs can manage agency data, internal applications, and user behavior within their own network, but struggle with the realities of personal usage," according to the report. It notes that advances in mobile device management have enabled data partitions so that personal usage cannot impact agency data and to wall off agencies from personal data on the device - indeed some agencies including the FBI are beginning to adopt these solutions.
CIOs, Cloud, Data, Mobile Devices, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 25, 2014
thedrum.com - This year at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity we saw a fascinating juxtaposition of technology, brand strategy, and storytelling fused together to create the world's best advertising campaigns.
The pervasiveness of real-life tech was personified by one of our favourite sessions of the week, which had nothing to do with advertising or media.
FutureBrand's Global Chairman Christopher Nurko held a presentation called 'How creativity can create a better future' and featured Solar Impulse, a company founded by Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard.
Together they pioneered the world's first ever solar-powered plane and successfully executed a 26-hour flight around the world. What's going on at Cannes isn't just learning how to talk to consumers, it's about driving real, true innovation.
Mobile, New Technology, Cannes, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 25, 2014
whatech.com - The Wireless Network Infrastructure Bible: 2014 - 2020 - Macrocell RAN, Small Cells, RRH, DAS, Cloud RAN, Carrier WiFi, Mobile Core & Backhaul is a new market research report announced by Reportstack
Reportstack has announced SNS Research's latest report on The Wireless Network Infrastructure Bible: 2014 - 2020 - Macrocell RAN, Small Cells, RRH, DAS, Cloud RAN, Carrier WiFi, Mobile Core and Backhaul which indicates that R&D spending on 5G wireless technology is expected to reach $3 Billion annually by 2020. While wireless carriers aggressively invest in LTE upgrades and small cell deployments to serve their growing capacity demands, several initiatives are already underway which aim to set requirements and drive development for 5G technology.
The recent collaboration deal between South Korea and the European Union to jointly define global standards for 5G signifies the importance of global harmonization, which is necessary to ensure the full potential of the technology, is met. While 5G is yet to be fully defined, many believe that 2020 will mark the start of the 5G era with a potential infrastructure revival, as consumer mobile broadband subscriptions peak to over 70% and M2M connections continue to proliferate.
Driven by government led initiatives, academic institutes and the private sector, we expect 5G R&D spending will account for nearly $3 Billion by 2020, up from $500 Million in 2014. The "Wireless Network Infrastructure Bible: 2014 - 2020 - Macrocell RAN, Small Cells, RRH, DAS, Cloud RAN, Carrier WiFi, Mobile Core & Backhaul" report presents an in-depth assessment of 9 individual submarkets of the wireless network infrastructure opportunity. Besides analyzing the key market drivers, challenges, operator revenue potential, regional CapEx commitments, 5G technology prospects, expert interviews and vendor strategies, the report also presents revenue and unit shipment forecasts for the market from 2014 to 2020 at a regional as well as a global scale. Historical figures are also provided for 2010, 2011 and 2013.
The report will be of value to current and future potential investors into the wireless sector, as well as wireless carriers and infrastructure/device vendors who wish to broaden their knowledge of the ecosystem. More details, companies mentioned and table of contents for this report can be found by visiting Wireless Network Infrastructure report
5G, R&D Spending, Wireless Network Infrastructure, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 25, 2014
huffingtonpost.com - At least once a year, customers get confused over what mobile service providers claim to have newer, faster technologies.
While the long-term evolution (LTE) came out in 2011 to be the global mainstream, replacing the third-generation (3G) mobile network, consumers are at a loss about why they need a faster network or, more importantly, what do they get from these new technologies.
Need for speed
As more people own smartphones and tablet computers, they started to use mobile content other than calling and text messaging.
This led to an explosive increase of data consumption, shedding new light upon the need for a faster mobile network technology.
The first LTE network theoretically supported a 75 megabits-per-second (Mbps) data download speed, compared to 14.4 Mbps of the 3G mobile network.
However, the mobile industry again faced heavier data consumption for streaming services as more users opt for visual content with higher definition and audio services with higher fidelity.
"We have seen a 12-fold increase of the average data consumption since the LTE network was first serviced in July 2011. So we thought we need a faster mobile network to meet this," said Lee Jong-bong, an executive of the largest local mobile carrier SK Telecom, Thursday.
Oh Sung-mok, head of network division at KT, the nation's second-largest telecom firm, also said on the same day that "the fierce network speed competition in the local telecom industry, which aimed at providing faster and better network service to customers, contributed to make Korea a powerhouse of Internet technology."
Since then, the mobile industry underwent an even faster technological improvement and has seen two more advancements with the LTE technology during the last three years.
The first one, which doubled the maximum download speed from the original LTE, came in 2013 with what is called the "LTE advanced (LTE-A)," or "broadband LTE."
And then, about a year later than the first upgrade of the LTE network, SK Telecom announced Thursday that it started world's first "broadband LTE-A" service.
The new mobile network service is an upgrade which is three times faster than the original LTE network and some 1.5 times faster than LTE-A, or broadband LTE.
KT and LG Uplus will begin their own broadband LTE-A service throughout the nation starting from July 1.
An official at KT said, "All our preparation is already done for the new service, though the firm is waiting to abide by government rules."
What is better?
When asked what is different about the three local mobile carriers' new LTE service, an industry insider told The Korea Times, "Technically speaking, there isn't much difference between the three at least in terms of speed."
Apart from the "theoretically" maximum speed, broadband LTE-A is expected to provide customers with much less downloading speed due to the limited network capacity of base stations.
"We expect the average download speed in actual daily use circumstances to be some 70 to 80 Mbps," said Lee from SK Telecom, emphasizing that the average speed of the original LTE was 30 to 40 Mbps and that of the LTE-A was 50 to 60 Mbps.
Meanwhile, criticisms are that the new service of all three mobile carriers won't offer faster speed as more customers will join in to crowd the network capacity.
For the broadband LTE-A service, all three use a total of 30-megahertz-bandwidth frequency to theoretically enable up to 225 megabits-per-second (Mbps) downloading.
The original LTE network uses 10-megahertz-bandwidth frequency to produce a maximum of 75 Mbps downloading speed where as the LTE-A and the broadband LTE network use 20-megahertz-bandwidth for 150 Mbps speed in theory.
SK Telecom combined 20-megahertz broadband frequency in the 1.8-gigahertz carrier frequency and 10-megahertz frequencies in the 800-megahertz carrier frequency using a technology called "carrier aggregation (CA)" that links different carrier frequencies.
KT also uses the CA technology to connect 20-megahertz broadband frequency in the 1.8-gigahertz carrier frequency and 10-megahertz frequencies in the 900-megahertz carrier frequency.
LG Uplus interlinks 20-megahertz broadband frequency in the 2.6-gigahertz carrier frequency and 10-megahertz frequencies in the 800-megahertz carrier frequency.
The industry insider also hinted that the difference between the companies will come from their capability of nationwide LTE network coverage.
"Since certain mobile carrier has established its network through separate carrier frequencies, which cannot cover the whole country yet, it is possible that customers cannot use the new LTE service in some regional areas," the source added.
The adoption of advanced mobile network technologies is ultimately beneficial for both businesses and customers, an industry observer said.
"Mobile carriers can expand the revenue with newer technologies by luring subscribers to choose more expensive payment plans and at the same time they can deal with the traffic jams in mobile networks," Kim Jang-won, an analyst at IBK Securities, said Friday.
"But it doesn't necessarily mean that customers are sustaining loss because the quality of services and content has also been actually improved accordingly."
Mobile Network, Speed, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 25, 2014
huffingtonpost.com - As the amount of users accessing the internet through their mobile devices increases, it is becoming more important than ever for businesses to have an online presence that is optimized for mobile. However, for smaller businesses that may not have the budget, it can sometimes be a large investment that is difficult to make. In order to ensure that your business gets the most return on investment possible from a mobile optimized website, you need to understand whether or not users are actually coming to your website from mobile devices.
The first and best way to know what devices users are coming from is to look at your website's analytics. If you are using Google Analytics, a great way to quickly see this is to go to "All Traffic" and change the primary dimension to "Mobile (Including Tablet)."
This will allow you to see just the traffic that is coming to your website from mobile devices. If the number constitutes a large percentage of your overall traffic, it makes sense to give your users the best experience possible and make the investment in a mobile version. Not only will it allow users to have an easier time navigating your business' website, it will also allow them to more easily complete a goal on your website like buying a product or service right on their mobile device. This makes it easier for your audience to convert with your business as it doesn't force them to come back on a desktop.
Another great way to understand if you need a mobile website is to look at your "bounce rate." If you have a lot of traffic coming to your website from mobile devices but they aren't "bouncing," or immediately leaving after looking at one page, chances are they can use your existing website on their mobile device with at least some success. If you notice that the bounce rate is north of 50 or 60 percent, there is a good chance that users find your website too difficult to navigate on their mobile devices, and are leaving immediately. If this is the case, your website is missing out on valuable traffic that could boost your online sales and it would make sense to invest in a better experience for your mobile users so that they can complete goals on your site.
If you are a new online business with limited incoming traffic to your website but have ongoing email marketing efforts, another interesting strategy to consider when investing in a mobile website is to look at what devices your email list is opening your emails on. This strategy isn't as accurate as looking at your website's analytics, but if you use a mail delivery service like Mailchimp you can understand where your target audience is. If you notice that large percentages of your email lists are opening your emails on mobile devices like iPhones or Androids, it would stand to reason that you would want them to have a seamless transition to an optimized mobile website -- particularly if you are asking your email recipients to go directly from an email to your website. This data will help businesses that don't have high enough levels of traffic to fully understand what devices their audience is coming from, but should only be used when hard data is not available.
Understanding whether or not a mobile version will actually help your users is an important thing to consider before investing in it. However, even with few mobile users coming to your website, having a mobile version can still be helpful. Particularly with Google's organic search algorithm giving ranking preference to websites that are optimized for mobile devices over those that don't, there is real value to adding a mobile version to a website. Even if users aren't coming to your website right now from mobile devices, they certainly will be in the next couple of years, with estimates of mobile internet traffic only projected to increase. Adding a mobile optimized responsive website or mobile version of your website is a must for any business to purchase at some point, but understanding what short term value it will have for your customers will help to make sure that the ROI your business gets from adding this functionality is as much as possible.
Mobile Website, Business, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 25, 2014
fcw.com - Mobile devices, the near-ubiquity of wireless networks and cloud-based business applications have cultivated an enterprise mobility trend that is changing the way people work and affecting IT at all organizations, including government agencies.
A desktop computer and a mobile phone do not serve the needs of the always-on workforce of today. The balance of power has shifted from IT toward the end user, who demands mobility, choice and the option to bring his or her own device. That shift has given rise to a wide range of devices -- laptops, tablets and smartphones -- connecting to government networks.
In the eye of the mobility storm, the agency IT department faces a major challenge: to strike a balance between data security and control on one side and end-user flexibility and productivity on the other. Data security is imperative, especially in the government, where devices are more likely to contain highly confidential, regulated or classified data.
Managing Mobility, Mobile Management, IT, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 19, 2014
money.cnn.com - BlackBerry reported a surprise profit in its fiscal first quarter. And investors loved the news.
Shares of the struggling smartphone maker surged more than 10% in premarket trading and are on track to open at their highest level since late March.
The company earned $23 million in the quarter. Excluding certain charges though, BlackBerry (BBRY, Tech30) did post a loss of 11 cents per share. But analysts were expecting results to be much worse. The forecast of analysts polled by Thomson Reuters was for a loss of 26 cents.
Sales for the Waterloo, Ontario-based company fell 1% to $966 million, but that was better than Wall Street's consensus estimate of $963 million.
BlackBerry has been fighting an uphill battle to stay relevant in the world of mobile devices. It has lost market share to Apple (AAPL, Tech30), companies like Samsung that offer gadgets running on Google's (GOOGL, Tech30) Android operating system and Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30).
But John Chen, who took over as CEO in November, has injected new life to the company. He has stressed BlackBerry's software over hardware and has made several product announcements that Wall Street has cheered. Last month, the company launched its Project Ion, an initiative to develop more connected devices ... a trend dubbed the Internet of Things.
On Wednesday, BlackBerry reached a deal with Amazon that will let users of BlackBerry's newest operating system access Android apps in Amazon's (AMZN, Tech30) appstore later this fall.
In a written statement, Chen said that BlackBerry is "firmly on track to achieve important milestones, including our financial objectives and delivering a strong product portfolio." He added that the company is focusing on growth so it can return to profitability for the long haul.
And it looks like Chen will have more breathing room to execute the turnaround plan. The company ended last quarter with $3.1 billion in cash, up from $2.7 billion in the previous quarter. There have been growing concerns about how much cash BlackBerry has been burning. But the company was able to boost its cash position thanks to a tax refund and sale of real estate.
Blackberry, Stock, Surge, Profit, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 17, 2014
bdlive.co.za - THE personal computer (PC) market in the Middle East, Turkey and Africa is tipped to end a dismal run of seven consecutive quarters of year-on-year declines in the second quarter by posting 3.2% growth, according to the latest forecasts from research and advisory services firm International Data Corporation (IDC).
PC sales in the region have been gradually declining as consumers substitute PCs, including laptops, with tablet computers.
The portable PC shipments, or laptops, declined 8.9% year on year in the first quarter of the year to total 3-million units, while desktop shipments declined 7.2% to 1.8-million. The decline led Samsung to cease sales of notebooks, or laptops, in South Africa from April.
"Demand in the regional PC market continues to suffer as end users maintain their shift towards tablets and smartphones," IDC Middle East, Africa, and Turkey research manager for personal computing, systems, and infrastructure solutions Fouad Rafiq Charakla said.
While the IDC expects PC shipments to the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey to grow in the second quarter, beyond this year the regional PC market is expected to "return to a state of consistent marginal decline".
It attributed the second-quarter performance to aggressive pricing strategies and signs of recovery from the political instability that plagued certain parts of the region, which has softened the pace of decline, as well as an increasing focus from PC sellers on innovative new form factors.
According to the IDC, tablets, as well as smartphones to a certain extent, have been the primary reason for the decline or slowdown in growth of PC demand in the consumer segment.
"Tablets are indeed a threat to traditional notebooks and PCs, since most of the primary usage requirements from home users can be fulfilled by tablets as well," said Mr Charakla.
Samsung Electronics South Africa director of mobile communications Craige Fleischer said the change in direction to move to a more mobile solution offering was informed by consumer trends.
"This is not unique to South Africa as we have seen this trend worldwide," Mr Fleischer said.
Locally the consumer landscape is changing and insights from the IDC revealed that the PC category had declined 18.8% in the final quarter of last year, while shipments of tablets increased 107.1% year on year during the same period, he said.
The company's notebooks in stores were still selling well and consumers would still be able to enjoy all the value-added benefits that Samsung offered, Mr Fleischer said.
Mr Charakla said Samsung's decision was to divert focus to devices for which it saw strong growth in the long run.
While the portable PC business has become increasingly competitive and saturated, opportunities for this technology "have definitely not died, neither has its profitability"
Mobile Device, PC Market, Laptops, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 17, 2014
financialexpress.com - Imagine a scenario where your mobile phone has replaced your office laptop/desktop. That would mean no lugging around the heavy laptop bag around as a symbol of your corporate allegiance. This would also mean freedom from IT woes, crashed systems, back breaking bag and most importantly the feeling of being tied up to a desk/cubicle. What this would mean for the enterprises in turn is saved costs in hardware, resources, enhanced productivity and a happy mobile workforce. Might seem like a far-fetched idea today, however, the day is not far when this would be the norm. The power and value of the smartphone in our hands today is highly underrated. Today's average smartphone has more computing power than the first space shuttle ever produced.
As per IDC, the world's mobile worker population will reach 1.3 billion, representing 37.2% of the total workforce by 2015. Asia Pacific region will witness the maximum growth in this period due to its emerging economic scenario. With the consistent rise in mobile workforce, organisations are providing them with tools to do their jobs effectively on the move. In today's competitive business landscape, there is a tremendous emphasis on controlling operational costs and employee business expenses. Therefore, it is imperative for enterprises to embrace productive and effective mobile technologies.
Changing times demand for changing work culture and ethos. With the connected world, our work is no longer limited to the eight hour window. We need to be available and ready for any imminent crisis or work 24/7, on the move, at vacation, during meetings. Mobility is the future of business and with the right technologies; organisations can collaborate effectively with customers and co-workers just as seamlessly as face to face meetings. The 'office' is no longer what it used to be - now the active hub of your business is wherever your workers happen to be.
There are numerous benefits of work from mobile, however a few key ones would be:
Enhanced productivity: Productivity is key to any business or enterprise and a sound enterprise mobile strategy will provide your organisation with immense productivity and hence increased profitability. Utilising enterprise applications, employees can rapidly respond to business needs and stay competitive.
Faster response time and real-time access: Real-time access to critical work-related information provides mobile workers with a competitive edge and enables them to be more responsive. Enterprise applications improve the response time to business demands in a fast moving world.
iPhone, Apple, iPhone 6, iOS 8, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 17, 2014
qrcodepress.com - This data is according to a recent report that has been issued by Juniper Research regarding near field communication transactions.
The new Juniper Research report has suggested that the number of smartphone users that will be making mobile payments through the use of NFC technology, worldwide, will have broken the 300 million mark by the close of 2017.
This will represent considerable growth for the transactions as a whole, as well as for this specific contactless tech.
To put this figure into perspective, last year, it was estimated that there were about 110 million users of NFC technology and other contactless tech based mobile payments. This report showed that there are a number of markets that had already established a foundation for the use of this type of transaction through the accelerated rollout of plastic cards that used similar forms of contactless tech.
The contactless card rollouts meant that POS terminals compatible with NFC mobile payments were already present.
NFC Technology Mobile Payments InfrastructureAs contactless cards rolled out quickly in some areas, the leading vendors of point of sale (POS) terminals, such as VeriFone and Ingenico, had made it standard to ship the majority of their products with NFC technology compatibility. This paved the way for mobile wallets and payments apps to be developed for smartphones that are compatible with that same tech.
The primary struggle is in the area of consumer and retailer awareness. Both of those categories are in need of more education and understanding of the value of contactless transactions and of the level of security that is available through their use.
On the retailer side of thing, says the author of the report, Dr. Windsor Holden, contactless transactions are "largely being sold to retailers on the basis of faster throughput at the POS. The other critical opportunities offered by contactless - such as consumer engagement and product upselling - are much lower on their radar."
Juniper Research also pointed out that when it comes to mobile payments, there has yet to be a proper solid business model to be created that brings NFC technology into play. The reason that this is important is that it currently costs more to deploy a smartphone based transaction than it does to issue a plastic card.
Mobile Payments, NFC, Smartphone, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 17, 2014
allafrica.com - THE envisaged mobile devices boom in Africa is increasing and mobile technology is a catalyst for both business improvement and innovation, a technology expert projected.
Jon Schmidt, global vice president for Mobile Sales and Solutions at SAP, said mobility is changing how the world operates.
He pointed out the predicted growth of mobile devices, from 2,5 billion today to 50 billion by 2020.
Schmidt added that the two main benefits that mobility had shown was an average of 84 percent productivity gains in the workforce and 74 percent gains in revenue.
The key, he explained is to implement mobility in such a way that it is easily adopted.
"Mobility should be seen as a user experience and not an application. In any mobile strategy, the user comes first.
"And, never assume you know how a customer works. When developing a solution for a client always bring them on board to thoroughly understand what is needed and how it can best be represented for ease of use," stressed Schmidt.
He was presenting at the ongoing SAPHILA 2014, the African SAP User Group's (AFSUG) biennial conference, which ends on Wednesday.
The event is held at the Sun City Resort, North West Province in South Africa.
Schmidt's presentation highlighted the following five mobile priorities, deemed by SAP to be essential for customer adoption: business value for mobile investments, delightful user experience, security, flexibility and continuous business transformation.
"The new workforce is one that has grown up with mobile devices. To attract this new talent, a high level of technology must be met," he added.
South Africa, Mobile Devices, Innovation, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 17, 2014
marketwatch.com - Frost & Sullivan finds all roads lead to tablets and smart phones for interoperability and convenience
The mobile and wireless industry is experiencing rapidly-evolving device trends that influence the uptake of smart phones and tablets among CXOs (C-level executives, directors, managers). Of the 3 form factors evaluated (laptops, tablets, and smartphones), the most significant growth was from tablets, which approached 50 percent adoption among CXOs in 2013. In comparison, laptop computer usage has been on a steady decline from its previous peak in 2011.
According to a new analysis from Frost & Sullivan, 2013 CXOs Mobile Devices Report, based on a survey of 555 CXOs globally, the CXO ownership rate of laptops is declining. However, ownership of tablets is gaining pace due to their convenience. In fact, roughly one third of CXO respondents indicated they are looking to replace their laptop with a tablet.
For complimentary access to more information on this research, please visit: http://bit.ly/1oNKhjq [ http://bit.ly/1oNKhjq ]
While convenience and interoperability with other devices are the chief reasons over half of the CXOs gave for favoring a particular mobile operating system, they still demonstrated unique purchase channel preferences depending on the type of mobile device. For instance, CXOs usually acquire laptops through their employer, smartphones through mobile operators, and tablets from manufacturer stores.
"In terms of features, CXOs look for reliability, performance and convenience in laptops for office use," said Frost & Sullivan Mobile & Wireless Research Director Brent Iadarola. "Apple iOS was the most preferred mobile operating system for a future tablet (64%), followed by Android (22%) and Windows (11%)."
Apple is the most-used brand in the smartphones and tablets sector due to the popularity of the easy-to-use Apple iOS operating system. Although ownership of multiple devices is uncommon for less prevalent brands, Apple tablet owners possess an average of 1.5 tablets each.
On the contrary, Apple's year-over-year growth rate is lower than their closest competitors despite being the dominant smartphone brand and the highest rated for satisfaction. In fact, Samsung is expected to experience the quickest growth over the near term.
"Samsung is striving to improve its position in the smartphone and tablets market by providing an operating system that facilitates interoperability," observed Iadarola. "In the tablets segment, Samsung Galaxy and Microsoft Surface are both expected to expand their share substantially, though neither is likely to pose a notable threat to Apple in the short-term."
2013 CXOs Mobile Devices Report is a Customer Research study that is part of the Mobile & Wireless Communications ( http://www.wireless.frost.com [ http://www.frost.com/prod/servlet/svcg.pag/ITMW ]) Growth Partnership Service program. The study measures CXO preferences in mobile communications and computing devices across various industry verticals. Supporting the overall objective, this study also measures the influence that features have in the selection process of mobile devices, satisfaction with brands, future intentions toward owned brands, and channels used to purchase mobile devices.
About Frost & Sullivan
Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants.
Our "Growth Partnership" supports clients by addressing these opportunities and incorporating two key elements driving visionary innovation: The Integrated Value Proposition and The Partnership Infrastructure.
For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies?
CXO, Mobile Device, Purchasing, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 17, 2014
itweb.co.za - Most organisations today have a mixed estate of personally owned and corporate owned devices. Regardless, almost all devices carry both corporate and personal applications and data. Separation of personal from corporate assets is critical, regardless of device ownership. Excitor offers solutions for both BYOD (bring your own device) and COPE (corporate owned, personally enabled) devices.
BYOD and COPE also applies to the desktop and laptop world. Excitor provides secure access to enterprise apps without connecting a user's Windows, Mac or Linux device directly to the network.
"Organisations are faced with a breadth of options to secure data on both mobile devices and mobile Laptops or PC's. Excitor offer an integrated platform that address all these needs without forcing organisation to implement technology that is not best suited for their requirements," says Sean Glansbeek, Managing Director of Seven Days Technologies.
For the second consecutive year, Excitor has been shortlisted for the prestigious Data Leakage (DLP) Award by SCMagazine (Secure Computing Magazine). Being the only Enterprise Mobility Management solution shortlisted also shows that Excitor are the leading solution for companies looking for a user-friendly, yet secure solution to improve employee productivity by granting access to critical corporate information on portable devices.
Mobile Management, Remote Access, BYOD, COPE, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 17, 2014
appstechnews.com - Mobility has come a long way.
In 2000 it was a concept familiar only to a handful of enterprises. Portable terminals were costly and fully bespoke. Data networks were expensive, unreliable and slow. And experienced developers of mobile applications were rare. Early adopters were enterprises with established distributed business models based on mobile workforces, such as parcels and logistics companies, and which also had to have particularly deep pockets.
What a difference a decade makes. Today, enterprise mobility is increasingly democratised; practical, justifiable and affordable even for organisations with as few as 20 mobile workers and with business processes that can respond well to being shifted from paper to bits and bytes.
Small companies are now discovering that enterprise mobility can increase profitability and enable them to deliver enhanced service to customers, and give them a new commercial edge.
A company - we'll call it Xy - provides in-home domestic appliance maintenance services to a number of manufacturers. It has a field force of several thousand mobile technicians. Operating margins are slim. The technicians face a daily burden of paper form-filling and then have to post the material back to headquarters where it is keyed into a back office system. The resulting data presented to management are time-delayed, prone to transcription errors and, crucially, hinder cash-flow since bills cannot be tendered immediately.
The company adopts an enterprise mobility management solution that includes an application development component. Xy might use its own coders, or it might choose to use a third-party firm.
Either way, technicians chosen from among the field staff are consulted during the building of the app to ensure that it lightens their administrative workload as much as possible, and has a high user-acceptability factor. The app is rolled out to the field workers' own smartphones, supported by the partnering elements of the EMM suite.
EMM, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 5, 2014
techradar.com - The new iPhone could be one of the most pivotal devices in the Cupertino brand's history - with the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C simple updates to previous models, there's a lot of pressure heaped on the iPhone 6.
As per usual, the internet is awash with rumor, speculation and downright lies over this next-generation handset, which is why we spend our time trawling through each nugget of info, debating its merits and curating it into this easy-to-read hub for all things iPhone 6.
According to a survey of 4109 US consumers the iPhone 6 is the most anticipated Apple smartphone ever, with interest easily outstripping that of the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5.
We've already been given a small sneak peak at what Apple may have in store for us on the iPhone 6 thanks to the announcement of iOS 8 at WWDC - from a bigger screen and camera to health monitoring and more storage.
But this chart from Kleiner Perkins partner Mary Meeker argues that tablets have already, by one measure, surpassed the sales numbers of both PCs and laptop-style notebook computers. More tablet units are shipped per quarter and sales growth for tablets is sharper than it ever was for PCs or laptops.
That, arguably, makes tablets a much more important device in the way we use computers than the PC was:
iPhone, Apple, iPhone 6, iOS 8, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 5, 2014
searchhealthit.techtarget.com - The mobile technology transformation in healthcare has been broken down by many, myself included. Most discussions center on how mobile technology alters the way physicians use information while performing clinical tasks or how it increases patient engagement by enabling them to better manage their own lifestyle choices. Here, I'll explore the mobile sea change from the perspective of front-line quality and performance enhancement.
Healthcare, Mobile Technology, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 5, 2014
futuregov.asia - Managing a mobile workforce cost-effectively can be difficult. A lack of visibility of employee locations outside the office, printing and distributing job packs, and lost or incomplete paperwork can lead to delays in issuing invoices and reports. Mobile Workforce Management solutions create significant cost reductions for businesses, and increase productivity and cashflow by eliminating paper and increasing visibility and control of business operations. Mobility solutions for workforce management, data capture and service management are becoming important tools for businesses as they strive to be more competitive.
Management, Mobile Management, Employee Location, Visibility, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 5, 2014
businessinsider.com - We all know PCs as those ubiquitous devices that first invaded the workplace and then our homes. They still dominate offices today. Tablets like the best-selling iPad from Apple feel more additive to the computer environment, and they have found a strong niche as a coffee-table or leisure time device.
But this chart from Kleiner Perkins partner Mary Meeker argues that tablets have already, by one measure, surpassed the sales numbers of both PCs and laptop-style notebook computers. More tablet units are shipped per quarter and sales growth for tablets is sharper than it ever was for PCs or laptops.
That, arguably, makes tablets a much more important device in the way we use computers than the PC was:
MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 5, 2014
businessinsider.com - Sprint is close to finalizing a deal to buy T-Mobile for $40 per share, the Wall Street Journal reports.
That would value T-Mobile at around $32 billion.
The deal should be announced this summer, possibly in July. Sprint has reportedly agreed to pay T-Mobile a $1 billion breakup fee if the deal falls through.
Sprint, T-Mobile, Merger, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management
June 5, 2014
workforce.com - Give employees the choice of using a smartphone or desktop computer to see paycheck or benefits information and mobile technology wins hands down.
When employees can use a smartphone to look up a paycheck or confirm a copayment for a doctor's visit on a mobile-friendly website, 37 percent do. By comparison, when employees have to access the same data from a Web portal and desktop or laptop computer, only 23 percent use it, according to an Automatic Data Processing Inc. Research Institute report.
The report is based on analysis of 2 million employees at 25,000 U.S. companies that use both ADP's Web- and mobile-based paycheck and benefits services and 25,000 that use only the Web-based service. The report was released in late February based on data collected in May 2013.
Years after HR departments first started using mobile to find and recruit potential employees, more are integrating it into internal workforce management functions as well.
Mobile Technology, Smartphone, Employees, MobiWork, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Solution, Smartphone GPS Tracking, Field Sales, Field Marketing, Field Service, Logistics, Mobile Workforce Management, Field Service Management