Mobile Trends Impacting Consumer Engagement

Take note fellow digitalites! These are the trends that will impact the way you work, think and implement over the next year or so. So regardless of your specialist area, mobile is impacting the way your own audience thinks, and convergence of these channels means that we can no longer begin to consider them disparities. Forget the ‘end user’, its now about the people you communicate with.

Major props to Rudy De Waele for the awesome preso.

Mobile Etiquette – The Social Shift

As part of my study of Multiculturalism in Marketing Communications, I have been exploring the ways in which mobile has invaded/been invited into our personal space, and how our own values impact upon the way we want to receive communication from brands. I stumbled across this infographic on Cellphones.org, and thought it brought to light several key issues. I have had several debates in the past 6 months about the acceptance of answering calls, reading texts and emails whilst engaging with someone face to face, and the discussions of always been hotly contested. What are your views on the subject? Is mobile changing the way we view social interaction? What is deemed acceptable behaviour in such situations? Is the prevalence of ‘instant communication’ creating a necessity for an immediate response, or should the traditional mindset stand strong?

Any thoughts will be included as part of my primary research for my Masters Unit, so would love your feedback

Convergence 2010 – Yay or Nay?

Welcome (back) Windows (Mobile) Phone

The first day of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona usually throws up a few surprises, but I am not sure anyone expected what went down on this cold day in February.

After a complete anti-climax of a press event from Nokia, their faces were well and truly rubbed in the dirt by Steve Ballmer and the Microsoft team. A technical hitch at the beginning of the presentation was the only speed bump in a smooth ride for the Microsoft team, whose presentation has been greeted with great aplomb. Windows Phone 7 is a completely new product from Microsoft that encapsulates a vast range of services and offerings focussed on the consumer (which Windows Mobile before it never seemed to grasp). Where did that come from?!

For me, there were several key USPs that make Windows Phone a very promising inclusion in the smartphone operating system wars.

• UI designed with UX – The UI behind Windows Phone is so heavily user experienced focussed, it goes above and beyond any other produced by Microsoft. Designed for the fast paced ‘at a glance’ lifestyle, it has gone lengths to redesign traditional and even the latest UIs to create a functional and enjoyable experience for its users. OK, so the UX market is dominated by the Apple iPhone OS, but until it embraces widgets and multitasking, it will fall behind.
• Multitasking – Multitasking is the main advantage that Android has had over the iPhone OS, and it seems with a decent UX, it could really challenge the market. Lets just hope it is glitch free as running multiple apps could create some headaches.
• Office for mobile – The Microsoft Office package is the worlds most common utilities packages for personal and business use, and it has received an overhaul for Windows Phone that promises to offer a whole new experience for its users, as well as ensuring a smooth cohesion between itself and the desktop counterpart
• Current service offering extensions – Windows phone will support Xbox Live and Zune in the entertainment arena, offering an opportunity for customer retention, as well as attracting new users with connected purchase decisions.

Microsoft has created a product to support the personal nature of the mobile phone. By taking into account the user experience, they have developed a UI that appeals to a users preference, offering relevant information that can be personalised to a seemingly ‘nTH’ degree. Only time will tell whether this is Microsoft’s fight back onto the mobile scene; all I know is that it is a major step back in the right direction.

For a good summary of the keynote, check out a break down here. Or for the official press release, click here.