Archive for October 6th, 2009

Mobile Apps: Models, Money and Loyaltyics

Published by Babar Bhatti on October 6, 2009 under Mobile Advertising, Mobile Applications, Mobile Content, Trend Watch

Posting an excerpt from Flurry blog post which provides a unique perspective on mobile apps usage and retention.Flurry is the leading mobile analytics provider and has access to the data from a large pool of mobile apps. Application developers should take note of the insights offered here.

Mapping categories by usage frequency and retention also provides insights into pricing models. Quadrants I and IV (the right-hand side) are better suited, on average, to subscription (if supported by the respective app storefront) and advertising-supported models. The main reason is that these apps have perceived enduring value by consumers over a long period of time, and therefore more successfully retain their user bases. For ad-supported apps, this high repeat usage translates into more ad impressions served. Categories on the left-hand side, Quadrants II and III, are better suited for one-time download fees. Those apps may provide higher immediate satisfaction to users but their content, once consumed, rapidly loses their value.

Loyalty_by_AppCategory_updated

The data in this report is computed from a sample size of over 2,00 live applications and over 200 million user sessions tracked each month across Apple (iPhone and iPod Touch), Google Android, Blackberry, JavaME platforms.

The Case For Secure SMS

Published by Babar Bhatti on October 6, 2009 under Information Technology, Mobile Phones, Networks, SMS, Security, Telecommunications

I thought it would be interesting to present information about secure SMS. What is it and why do you need it? There are times when higher grade of security and trust is needed from a sms-based communication. Examples include transmission of sensitive and confidential information from handset-to-handset, server-to-handset or vice versa. Usage scenarios range from financial transactions, healthcare and government and defense agencies. Most of the content here is via CellTrust website, a vendor of secure SMS solution.

Here are some of the potential problems with standard SMS.

  • Standard SMS can be intercepted along the transmission path at multiple locations (aggregators, carriers, infrastructure providers, or tower operators) especially when using Internet to submit your messages. The content is transmitted as a plain text making it easy to eavesdrop.
  • Depending on the carrier, messages larger than 160 characters (varies per carrier) are rejected, truncated or broken down into multiple messages that may be delivered out of sequence.
  • Standard SMS is typically assumed delivered as soon as the carrier submits the message over their network without having any confirmed response from the recipient’s mobile handset. Hence, there is no definitive way to determine if a message was received by the recipient or whether it was opened or just simply deleted. Standard SMS does not provide timing around any of these events.

So what is Secure SMS?

SecureSMS is a secure text messaging solution for enterprises, governments and consumers for transmitting sensitive and confidential information from handset-to-handset, server-to-handset or vice versa.

Using SecureSMS state-of-the-art mobile Micro Client, mobile phones utilize the familiar and user-friendly SMS channel to send and receive healthcare information, financial data or internal communication from others within their Circle of Trust™.

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