Online maps applications are incredibly difficult to create. The data needed to populate them is expensive, and in any case, Google has the market cornered – or does it?
The latest statistics from comScore show Google actually lost users in the United States. Google Maps was used by 43% of mobile users in the US, while the Apple maps app was used by 25% – but the Google audience dropped from 81 million to 59 million in a year.
This is partly due to the fact Apple Maps is the default navigation app on any iPhone device. A lot of people simply won’t care what app they use. But the figures clearly show there is still a lot of steam left in the race for dominance in the navigation sector.
What’s even more important, however, is the data that comes alongside those apps. The more data these companies have about businesses, locations, schools and so on, the more valuable it becomes. So while superficially it may appear to be a battle for mapping apps, it’s really the information inside those apps that contains the gold.
Easing the mobile email experience
The walled-garden approach to software is hotly debated. Is it better to let users have infinite customisation options, or control their environment? With the growth of the always on and highly mobile customer, the challenges of a constrained environment can become tedious and make them switch off.
This change in customer behaviour is perhaps something that Google is on to with its latest move to integrate Google Drive with Gmail – so users don’t have to download attachments. By integrating attachments with mail messages, Google is making it easier for mobile users to view and edit documents, pictures and other files.
The strategy of making apps more mobile-friendly is a challenge for every business. By integrating attachments, Google is raising the bar for others.
On demand entertainment – The new normal
One of the most sure-fire signs the entertainment industry has changed is the shifting source of revenue. Entertainers are making a living by creating video series on YouTube and then making money from advertising. The shift means ‘television’ no longer constitutes a program running at a certain time and is driving the new normal of entertainment on-demand.
That trend is continuing to shift to the mainstream. AdWeek suggests Google will allow Nielsen to track advertising views on YouTube.
“We know our clients want meaningful measurement, which is why we’re investing in brand-friendly metrics,” said a Google spokesperson speaking to AdWeek. “While we continue to build measurement options powered by Google, we’re also partnering with industry leaders, such as Nielsen and comScore, to offer objective, credentialed, third-party measurement options.”
YouTube advertising isn’t new. But the fact an established media brand is now able to measure ad effectiveness suggests the game continues to shift in favour of on-demand entertainment.
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