the mobile ecosystem

The Mobile Ecosystem

Ivano MalavoltaIvano Malavolta

[email protected]

http://www.di.univaq.it/malavolta

Roadmap

• Brief History of Mobile• Brief History of Mobile

• The Mobile Ecosystem

• Mobile as the 7th mass media

Brief history of Mobile

• Many generation of mobiles

• G is often referred to the networking aspect– es. 2G, 3G, 4G

WeWeWeWe willwillwillwill notnotnotnot. WeWeWeWe willwillwillwill notnotnotnot. We will focus on the DEVICE

Brief history of Mobile

• Motivation:

At some point a device comes and At some point a device comes and

changes everything

The beginning…

The Brick Era

* Picture lovely taken from http://www.slideshare.net/fling

The Brick Era

• It was Portable!

calls

• It was Portable!

• More expensive than payphones

• Enormous battery

• Stakeholders:– Stockbrokers, salespeople, …– Stockbrokers, salespeople, …

• After a while, more cellular radio towersand… it got (a little bit) smaller

The Candy bar Era


The Candy Bar Era

• 2G network : GSM, CDMA, TDMA, iDEN

calls SMS

• 2G network : GSM, CDMA, TDMA, iDEN

• More cellular towers

� less power needed

� much smaller

• Better voice quality• Better voice quality

• Added SMS

• Everyone wanted to have a mobile phone– economic prosperity in EU, USA, and JP

The Feature Phone Era


The Feature Phone Era

• 2.5G network: GPRS

calls SMS & MMS music & photos

• 2.5G network: GPRS

• Camera

• MMS

• Data-capable devices

• Interneton mobile (very poor)• Interneton mobile (very poor)– high prices

– poor marketing

– inconsistent rendering

The Smartphone Era


The Smartphone Era

• 3G, HSDPA, WI-FI

calls SMS & MMS music & photos

• 3G, HSDPA, WI-FI

• Like a feature phone, but simulating a PC

• Its own OS (es. Symbian)

• Larger screens, stylus

• The Mobile Platform becomes key• The Mobile Platform becomes key

• (push) email as primary driver

The Touch Era


The Touch Era

• 3G, 4G

calls SMS & MMS music & photos APPS

NOT a phone• 3G, 4G

• Accelerometers

• GPS/Location-based

• User-centered design– true impact on his eveyday life

NOT a phone-

NOT a computer

– true impact on his eveyday life

• Rich interfaces

• A personal media platform

• Mobile web - everyday

Roadmap





HSPDAGPRS4G

Edge

GPRS4G

WIFI


Applications

Services

Devices

Platforms

Operating systems

Application frameworks

Applications

Operators

Networks

Devices


• Operators make the entire mobile ecosystem work

• ROLEROLEROLEROLE: to create and maintain wireless services overa reliable cellular network

They installcellular towers

• Voice• Messages• Internet access

Operators

cellular towers • Internet access


Operatorsdata source: http://bit.ly/Ajzc0o


Mobile networks communicate through electromagnetic radio waves with a cell site base station, the antennas radio waves with a cell site base station, the antennas of which are usually mounted on a tower, pole or building.

Operators

Networksimage from: http://en.kioskea.net/contents/telephonie-mobile/gsm.php3


Operators

Networks

data source: http://www.slideshare.net/fling/mobile-20-design-develop-for-the-iphone-and-beyond


The PHONE– handsets or terminals in industry– handsets or terminals in industry

• But also other devices such as tablets, ebook readers…

Operators

Networks

Devices


Feature Phone

VSVS

Smartphone

(and touch phones)

Operators

Networks

Devices

image source: http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/28/its-still-a-feature-phone-world-global-smartphone-penetration-at-27/


Platforms provide access to the devices

They provide a core programming language in which ALL They provide a core programming language in which ALL the software is written

Three main categories:

• Open SourceOpen SourceOpen SourceOpen Source: free to use and modify– Android

Operators

Networks

Devices

– Android

• ProprietaryProprietaryProprietaryProprietary: by device makers– iPhone, BlackBerry, Palm

• LicensedLicensedLicensedLicensed: sold to device makers– JavaME, BREW, Windows Mobile

Platforms


OS have core services or toolkits that enable apps to talk to each other and share data or servicesto each other and share data or services

For example:

OSs are common in Smart Phones, Operating Systems

Operators

Networks

Devices

but rare in Feature phones. Platforms

Operating Systems


Smartphones byOperative Systems

Operating Systems

Operators

Networks

Devices

Platforms

Operating Systems


They run on top of the OS, sharing core services such as:

• Communications• Communications

• Messaging

• Graphics

• Location

• Security Operating Systems

Application Frameworks

Operators

Networks

Devices

• Security

• Authentication

• …

Platforms

Operating Systems


Operating Systems


Operators

Networks

Devices

Platforms

Operating Systems



Definition:Definition:Definition:Definition: In the realm of technology, this usually refers to a computer program that runs on a website refers to a computer program that runs on a website (Google Apps), a small computing device (iPad App) or a cell phone (Android App).

Example applications may

include Games, Web Browser,Operating Systems


Applications

Operators

Networks

Devices

include Games, Web Browser,

Camera or Media Player.Platforms

Operating Systems


Apps live between the device and the user

Operating Systems


ApplicationsAPP

Operators

Networks

Devices

Platforms

Operating Systems

They must fit with their usage context

They must know the specific deviceattributes and capabilities�� FRAGMENTATION PROBLEMFRAGMENTATION PROBLEMFRAGMENTATION PROBLEMFRAGMENTATION PROBLEM

The Fragmentation problem

It is the inability to develop an app against a reference operating context operating context operating context operating context (OC) and achieve the intended behavior in operating context operating context operating context operating context (OC) and achieve the intended behavior in all OCs suitable for the application.

OC = the external environment influencing its operation

Operating Systems


Applications

Operators

Networks

Devices

Platforms

Operating Systems

The Fragmentation problem

for further info: http://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/~damithch/files/SEKE2008.pdf


ServicesServicesServicesServices are “everything the user is trying to do”

They are often available at different levels:• Application • Application Framework• OS

Operating Systems


Applications

Services

Operators

Networks

DevicesExample services may include:• the Internet• sending a text message

• being able to get a location

Platforms

Operating Systems


All of these layers must be passed through before you get to the contentyou get to the content

Operating Systems


Applications

Services Nowadays, the mobile ecosystem is:

complicated, fragmented, and a political nightmare

Operators

Networks

Devices

Platforms

Operating Systemsand a political nightmare

RUN AWAY!!!however…

Roadmap




Mobile Market

Mass Media???

How big is the Mobile Market???How big is the Mobile Market???


Mobile Market

in 2009data source: http://www.slideshare.net/fling/mobile-20-design-develop-for-the-iphone-and-beyond

Mobile Market

in 2011…

Mobile Market

Mobile is the LARGEST, Mobile is the LARGEST,

most available

mass medium

TO MANKINDTO MANKINDTO MANKINDTO MANKINDTO MANKINDTO MANKINDTO MANKINDTO MANKIND

Mobile as the 7th mass media

Each mass media has advantages and disadvantages, each Each mass media has advantages and disadvantages, each playing a significant role in society

If we understand how we relate to each mass media

� we will understand what our customers expect fromour mobile appsour mobile apps


Printing Press1 Printing Press

Reduced time to publish

Enables information to be easily copied and distributed

1

Enables information to be easily copied and distributed


Recordings2 Recordings

aka recorded sound

Music

2

Started as information sharing (news)


Cinema3 Cinema

Visual Experience

Similarly to recordings,

3

Similarly to recordings, it started as information sharing (news)

Intense personal experience


Radio4 Radio

= recordings + live broadcast


4



Television5 Television

= radio + video

Prices dropped down � a TV for each home

5

Prices dropped down � a TV for each home

� more intimate and visceral medium


Internet6 Internet

Computers @home, not @work

Web 2.0 = interact with other users

6

Purchase, download and stream recordings

Listen to radio and TV streams


Mobile7 Mobile

It started at the same time as the Web

UniqueUniqueUniqueUnique traittraittraittrait: it can do everything all the other media can do

7

• Reading (and publishing)• Play recordings• Watch movies• Listen to radio• Watch TV (and streaming)• Surf the Internet

Unique benefits of Mobile

Apart from covering all the other media, mobile has 5 unique benefits:

First truly personal mass media

First always-carried mass media

First always-on mass media

unique benefits:

We don’t share our phones with our friends

Information is always available 24/7, even when idle

7 out of 10 people sleep with their phones within reach

At the point of creative impulse

Only mass media with a built-in payment channel

First always-carried mass media phones within reach

Universal click-to-buy + credit cards

Ability to create or consume content whenever the mood strikes

Context

CONTEXT CONTEXT CONTEXT




Mobile apps have the amazing capability to addCONTEXTCONTEXTCONTEXTCONTEXT

to information, adding immediate relevance to whatwe are doing right here, right now



we are doing right here, right now

References

http://bit.ly/xSdIiSChapters 1-2-3

http://bit.ly/xSdIiS

There is no “perfect app”, you have to find the sweetsweetsweetsweet spotspotspotspot

Tips for the project

yourAPP

development or configuration,

maintainability, and reliability

costs, revenue, market share, and time to market

User Goals

APP

usability


1. Find a REALREALREALREAL NEEDNEEDNEEDNEED first

2. Find your GOALGOALGOALGOAL to fill the need

3. Reverse Reverse Reverse Reverse EngineerEngineerEngineerEngineer the goal into a potential app

4. Remember the unique benefitsbenefitsbenefitsbenefits of Mobile (slide 53)

5. CONTEXT CONTEXT CONTEXT CONTEXT CONTEXTCONTEXTCONTEXTCONTEXT CONTEXTCONTEXTCONTEXTCONTEXT

– Location, camera, always-carried, accelerometer

– WHO is your typical user???? Define usage scenarios


ThisThisThisThis isisisis mymymymy checkboxcheckboxcheckboxcheckbox whenwhenwhenwhen I I I I reviewreviewreviewreview anananan appappappapp::::

� Does it have a clear goal?

� Is it filling a real need?

� Does it consider the context in which I’m using it?

� Is it integrated with other services?

Look at http://www.programmableweb.com

and discover a new world out there!! ☺

� Is it a pleasure to use it?

I look at UI design, interface slickness, ecc.

Hello World

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