Regardless of the excitement for the Mobile App space, it is foreseen that new technologies will shift the focus of the Marketers from the crammed branded App space. However to everyone’s shock panelists advised Advertisers to stay away from app space at this moment. They suggested focusing more on devising unambiguous policies before the best suited channels.

Jared Hopfer, Marketing Manager at Mobext, a Mobile agency says, “Our initial conversations with clients always start with them getting excited about applications. As an agency we have to calm them down and talk about the types of functionality that an app would offer that other experiences wouldn’t, and weigh the relative benefits.”

“I think we all know that when iAd is launched we’ll see a lot of very interesting stuff coming through that will really excite brand Marketers,” said Patrick Collins, CEO of agency 5th Finger, conveying his reservations on the iAd network. He is not certain whether or not iAd network will be able to deliver better results than ad formats presently available with the Mobile Marketing Market. However Apple’s iAd team is putting in a great effort to target the agencies too with much success.

Although the discussion between Mobile Apps vs the Mobile Web and Flash vs HTML5 continues, the immediate feeling from an agency’s viewpoint, advantage goes to HTML and the mobile Web. “We see a lot of ad impressions, and I think the winning platform is HTML5. It’s going to take 3 years or so, and there’s no doubt applications are all the rage today, but I think the browser platform will win in the end,” said the CEO of one of the biggest Mobile Ad network Company.

He is also from the school of thought which believes that the escalation in mobile use is a within the browser phenomenon than anything else.

This pioneer touchscreen keyboard input technology will make way for itself in over 10 million smartphones by the end of this year. Swype the manufacturers of this keyboard “swype” are very confident of it.

Users can swipe their fingers across virtual letters which makes typing much easier and faster. The software can detect the words that the user wants and automatically puts in the punctuations and the spaces.  The system is very user friendly and can be learnt in no time. The company claims that the speed of typing is actually double through this software.

The credit of inventing this technology from Swype goes to Cliff Kushler who also was responsible for the creation of the predictive text-entry system T9 which has more than 4 billion user all over the world. Much like the T9, the Swype software has also evolved out of the extensive research to design a technology to assist users with disabilities.

Swype seems to have all the potential to not only follow the success of T9 but also cross it. Mike McShee, CEO at Swype informed that all the four major U.S. carries informed that they shall be offering phones with Swype technology by this summer. Presently the software is already being sued on 6 Smartphone models. 14 more models are expected to be added to the list in near future.

Swype has also set its target beyond the millions of Smartphones. Other Mobile devices such as tablets and e-book readers are already in its radar.

The company was initially founded with the intention of making use of the mobility of Mobile devices. The thought was to bring together digital interactivity and real world interaction. SCVNGR was thus formed. However, within this short period it has become much more than just that. It facilitates individuals and institutions worldwide to use their ideas, imagination, creativity to create real-world Mobile games, tours, alternate reality games, etc using their absolutely easy and user friendly platform.

SCVNGR was launched last year primarily as a gaming engine to facilitate big corporations such as the US Army, Princeton University and retail chains having 20-plus outlets. However the focus is now more on the consumer directly. The enterprise tool allows clients to fabricate Mobile games based on the challenges thrown up by the real world. Users are awarded for successful taking up challenges such as clicking a photo, responding to questions and such other tasks. For every such successful attempt the clients accumulate points by checking into various locations.

Institutions are able to buy out a credit to create a challenge through this only-of-its-kind business model offered by SCVNGR. The pocket pinch differs with respect to the vertical and the amount bought. Say for example, it could cost an university approximately $5,000 to purchase 25 credits.

Seth Priebatsch, Chief Executive Officer at SCVNGR claims that the model is running absolutely fine. His confidence is well supported with the fact that over 600 institutions have by now registered themselves gaining a striking 91% return rate. 100% of SCVNGR’s revenue is generated through the enterprise platform. The platform through its support and analytics will facilitate this newly formed company to generate encouraging cash flows in the following months with staff strength of around 45 people.

DeHood is one of the latest LBS that emulated Foursquare’s features. However it goes on to a hyper local level with additions of few local advantages and characteristics to keep itself distinct from Foursquare. It targets to accumulate the communities of “hoods” about local news, places, business, etc. This facilitates immediate communication with firends, families and neighbours which makes it the first location-based social network for the neighbourhoods as claimed by DeHood.

To quote from the Press Release, “DeHood helps users discover people, places, events and great offers in their locality, and enables a complete Social Network for shopping and places.  For example, residents can find out what is going on around them before they leave their house, whether it’s a traffic jam, the latest Hot Spot, the best deal nearby, or a local event to check into.  With an accurate check-in function they learn the location of their friends, privately message them, or follow the thoughts of other residents on how to make their ‘hood’ a better place to live.”

DeHood’s target of neighbourhood and its surroundings is one-of-its-kind. However in terms of its service one hardly finds any difference from the numerous other “location-based social networks” that mushroom every now and then. It probably is a wonderful concept conceived a bit too late. It has missed the train to catch on with the craze.

Foursquare and Gowalla are distinctly ahead and lead the race. Inspite of doing all correct DeHood will not be able to takeover these leaders of the game. It would be an uphill task for DeHood to make itself the automatic choice when one thinks of a social LBS. We would love to see that happening though.

Ogilvy and The Hyperfactory were collectively pressed into action by Motorola for this “Say Goodbye” Campaign. Travelers using their cosy small screens of Motorola connected with the near and dear ones through the gigantic digital screens with the assistance of David Beckham and Jay Chow.

The purpose of this operation was to enable this high frequency traffic digital site costing near about $1 Million, absolutely free to the winners of the contest. In the process it helped Motorola to display its new RAZR in an entertaining fashion by engaging the users. It further provided the audience a first time experience of “Saying Goodbye” with David Beckham and Jay Chow. Motorola also got a chance to portray themselves as providers of innovative & cutting edge experience across all its models.

The customers could take a picture of themselves with their phone; write a message and text it to their loved ones to be displayed on the giant screen “Saying Goodbye” even after entering the security zone of the airport. For an option they could also choose David Beckham or Jay Chow as their medium of interaction through their recorded messages.

The initiative got an overwhelming response from thousands of travels. It produced an enormous interest in the regional press and whispering campaign ensured people crowding the airport just to “Say Goodbye” to their loved ones. It’s not only been a great marketing exercise for Motorola but for Hong Kong Airport too. Hong Kong Airport now has a long queue of corporate desperate to promote their brands on the huge digital screen.

Women can test the new color combinations; obtain valuable advices from experts in Lancôme. Julie Thompson, Interactive Marketing & CRM Director of Lancôme says, “Lancôme was the first brand in the Market to launch a Mobile Commerce Website in Japan in 2007. Today, we continue our strategy of innovation in offering an iPhone Application that makes full use of the possibilities of the touchpad. We are committed to the sensation and are ready to offer an experience that is intuitive and truly personalized.”

The consumers can design a total look by using the Declare Indigo products on a virtual model face in the “Create Your Look” segment of the app. The touchscreen enables you to do all this most effortlessly. You can go ahead and save your creation and also text it to your friends. The message as received by your friends will be a full colour image with instructions of how to download the Lancôme app.

Lancôme news feeds are also provided through this app which keeps the consumers updated with Lancôme’s initiatives all over the world. The Make-up Blog having a string of information about make-up from Lancôme’s experts was also launched. This provides a true chance for discussion with the brand’s National Make-up artists who can download their knowledge and expertise to the consumers. The consumers can also enjoy conversing with Aaron de Mey and the Lancôme National Make-up Artists, “making of” videos and backstage photos and clips.

Mobile Agency Phonevalley, a subsidiary of Publicis group designed and put into practice the iPhone Declare Indigo app which is accessible in English and Chinese. Customers are being intimated about this new app through weekly emails and Lancôme’s 15 existing web sites worldwide.

The U.S. Agency for International Development joining hands with The Gates Foundation to ensure a complete makeover by funding $10 million to encourage cell phone banking and payments through mobile. This is an effort to revive the financial ecosystem in Haiti and take the funds to the poor.

Companies who will put up mobile financial services in Haiti shall be awarded with cash prizes. The first nation that implements a mobile banking service within the coming 6 months and achieves its specified goals shall be entitled to get $2.5 million dollar. The company following them at second position by achieving the target in 12 months would receive $1.5 million. The rest of the amount will be distributed to those who process the initial 5 million transactions.

Mark Suzman, acting president of the Global Development Program at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation stated, “Out of the ruins of Haiti’s tragic earthquake, there is an unprecedented opportunity to improve the lives of millions of Haitians and unlock the country’s economic potential through mobile money. Making financial services widely available to the poorest families in the developing world can help break the cycle of poverty by giving them a safe place to save, guard against risks, build assets, and provide opportunities for the next generation.”

M-Pesa, a similar initiative in Kenya has already reached 9 million people which is about 40% of the adult population of Kenya in just about 3 years from its inception. This has tremendously boosted people involved with the initiative in Haiti. By using M-Pesa once can pay off a variety of services such as taxi fares, school fees etc through their phone which resulted in an increase by 5% to 30% in their household income.

As per the findings of the research by ABI round about 2.4 billion applications were downloaded from App Stores. It is projected that within 2013 the Smartphone download rate will pick up the pace and will reach near about 7 billion. The Mobile Web is expected to capture the Market then.

“App stores aren’t going away: following the 2013 peak in demand, the number of downloads in 2015 will have decreased only 7 or 8%. But as our use of the Mobile Internet evolves, demand will increasingly shift elsewhere”, said Senior Analyst Mark Beccue. “We see two emerging trends: first, many applications (increasingly built on web standards) will migrate from App Stores to regular Websites, and for some sites you won’t need an app at all. In addition, more and more popular Applications will be preloaded on Mobile devices. Social Networking Apps in particular will be pre-loaded on new products.”

The Apple App Store is projected to remain at the apex of the app segment. However ABI Research also predicts that there will be a slow down turn in the rate of downloads from the different App Stores, following the peak in 2013 which would be more due to a temporary saturation in consumer satisfaction. With each passing day the Mobile Web is becoming more elaborate and refined therefore there will be an increase in the number of subscribers who use the functionality more than dedicated apps on the Mobile Websites.

Nike True City App has been developed by AKQA. The App enables the users to keep pace with the almost everything that’s happening in these cities. The App provides a wide variety of information ranging from food and drink to Music, Art, Culture, Shopping and Sport. The geo tagged information Appears on the screen with icons on the local map. One also has the option to chose the contents by using the filters and concentrate on the activity of their choice.

On clicking on a chosen item, a tiny window pops up, giving further details of that place along with messages from the provider, snaps, etc. The user can also comment on the location and share it with his friends and family through the Social Networking sites. Special contents can be “unlocked” using the special QR code reader in few locations.

While common users contribute the information “Nike Insiders” also do play a major role. These are nominated workforce in each city who contribute with contents on their places of choice and hidden treasures. Nike claims “these cultural authorities take pride in owning their cities and sharing their knowledge with likeminded Nike lovers.”

The Buzz Filter allows previews of forthcoming events and product launches. This App displays photos of about to be launched products and also the countdown to the launch. It even provides knowledge about the Design and Designer.

Nike is Marketing the launch of Nike True City App through their Website. A video with high quality pictures introducing the App is also worth watching. This is all part of their extensive PR exercise to promote the App.

Geotoko, as it is being named is an app created to let businesses operate contests, sweepstakes and various campaigns through the check-in functionality of already available location-based services like Gowalla and Foursquare. Hence instead to trying to redo the whole thing it just aims at adding value to the existing LBS available in the Market.

Geotoko provides a control panel for businesses to build their site for promotional campaigns. The site will combine Check-in and Geolocation input data from Foursquare, Twitter and Gowalla at present for the location of the business together with campaign details or promotions like prizes, freebies, etc. They also plan to add on Facebook, Brightkite, etc in days to come.

For instance a coffee shop can design a campaign to launch a new drink by giving away free coffee to customers who check-in through this app. Geotoko allows the outlet to administer the check-ins and have a common point for hype around the promotion, where everyone checking in can witness others doing so. Businesses can also track the traffic flow of all the locations.

With so many LBS available in the Market businesses are excited but not sure about where to start with. Business “dashboards” are being launched by different LBS providers which facilitate local business and brands to introduce one-of-its kind campaigns however it limits itself to a certain section. Suppose a business creates a campaign based on Foursquare it does not include any one using Gowalla, Yelp, Brightkite and such dozens other LBS.

Accumulating and providing a complete way out for businesses and brands to make us of the LBS ecosystem is a wonderful thought but it would be of use only if implemented effectively. Geotoko looks to have the potential but how far will it succeed will have to be seen in the days to come.