1. The Mobile App Landscape
Mobile for the Cultural Sector
Ravensbourne 9 March 2011
Mark Curtis

2. Introduction
Flirtomatic allows people to find, flirt and date
Almost 4m registrations
Cross platform: on iPhone, Android, Mobile Web,
PC web
“Freemium” – core usage free, revenue from in-
app billling and advertising
Dwell times of 25 minutes per session, plus 750
pages per user per month
US, UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Australia
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3. Where are the users?
Featurephone still the biggest market
Will be eclipsed by the smartphone this year
Half of all phone shipments in Western Europe this year (source IDC)
Key manufacturers: HTC, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Apple, Nokia
Both mobile internet and app usage growing very fast
Note: carrier portals in freefall
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4. Why Apps?
Tight integration with native device capabilities (“APIs”)
Touchscreen
Discovery
- in store
- on device
Ease of billing
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5. Don’t forget the browser
HTML 5 allows app like experience
Discovery via “launcher” so store and device look the same
The internet is much better connected than apps
- search is still the best discovery mechanism
- it’s hard to link e.g.: from an email to an app
- initial app access requires more clicks
It’s easier to change a web site than an app
Platform choice less complex
And it’s not a policed garden
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6. So what’s an App good for then?
For the app owner:
- Fastest growing mobile market
- Call to action simple
- Word of pub
- On device relationship
For the user:
- Frequent/repeat actions
- Smooth experience
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7. Making Money
Ad revenues will be amazing on mobile: it may become
the number one media
But not yet: supply outstripping demand
Free downloads outperform paid for (unless you’re a
game)
One off payment good but not a sustainable business
model
In app billing and subscriptions on the rise but:
- Apple most advanced
- Google in catch-up, advances in Q2 2011
- Mobile internet through traditional aggregators
- 70:30?
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8. Marketing Apps
Now 60 channels to market (US/UK) and rising fast
• Platform markets: Apple AppStore, Android, Ovi, Blackberry
• Handset markets: Samsung, LG
• Carrier markets: Vodafone, O2,Verizon, AT&T
• Independents: Getjar, Amazon, apptism
• Incentivators: Tapjoy, Flurry
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9. Apps Marketing issues
Still in early stage: all accept that discovery is the biggest challenge for
the market
Billing/business model may be different for each channel
Relationships still matter
Viral not yet mastered
Most powerful strategies?
- Word of mouth
- Off line marketing if you have the outlet
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10. Summary
Do you really need an App? Make sure the use case fits the
platform….
If you need to sustain it, how will you do so?
Which platforms?
Is revenue important?
mark@flirtomatic.com
Twitter: flirtomark
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