mobile apps at radio ink tech summit 2010
DESCRIPTION
Presentation on mobile apps to a radio conference on digital technology. Focus is on the challenges for mobile music apps, difference between native apps and "mobile web apps.' plus overview of the differences between "radio" and interactive media, and possible levels of interactivity.TRANSCRIPT
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Going mobile
source: Wikipedia
MOBILE OPERATING SYSTEMS
• multi-platform support 10x more complicated than desktop
• multiple OS's, 'containers,' transport protocols, audio formats
• hard to get definitive technical advice ("experts" disagree)
Mobile challenges for music services
• Number 1 — compelling content or service : can be a niche
• service model (what users want) vs. business model (what you need) vs. DMCA
• transport protocol : RTSP, RTMP, HTTP--Progr. DL, SHOUTcast, adaptive bitrate (new)
• container format : tells OS how data and metadata are stored (3GP/3GPP, 3G2/3GPP2)
• audio format aka 'payload' : MP3, MPEG (AAC LC, HE-AAC, aacPlus), WMA
• firewalls : many LANS block common streaming ports and/or protocols; best on port 80
• metadata : DMCA requirement for music -- travel with the file or sync with a stream?
• log analysis and royalty reporting : ASCAP, BMI, SoundExchange all different
• ad insertion and verification : if you are doing a free service
• user accounts, transactions, personal data : database expansion + API integration
• integrated email marketing and social features
• back end technical setup : rationalize and harden as it grows. Goal: 99.999% uptime.
Cost centers for web music services
• salaries
• overhead
• bandwidth
• hosting
• royalties
• customer service
• software development and programming
• software purchases
Native mobile apps
NATIVE APP ADVANTAGES
• simplicity, focus, ease of
use
• full access to hardware: graphics, GPS, accelerometer
• faster operation
• more complete UI toolset
• full screen available
• trending now
• sell via App Store (30%
fee)
NATIVE APP DISADVANTAGES
• separate app for each major platform
• have to keep up with platform changes
• requires user to update their app
• creates version issues over time
• Apple approval x-factor: takes time, limits programming languages, what you can do
with subscription apps
• app ecosystems not equally developed
• turns you into a software developer
Mobile web apps
MOBILE WEB APP DISADVANTAGES
• compatability with different
platforms
• more limited UI operation
• slower screen updates w/o
'prefetching'
• limited to lowest common
denominator delivery format/protocol
• not a magic bullet: impossible to
serve everybody w/one web app
MOBILE WEB APP ADVANTAGES
• run on all mobile platforms
(theoretically…)
• build with standard web tools HTML, CSS, Javascript
• HTML5 browsers will play audio &
video with no plug-ins (2012)
• fast iteration : update app anytime
• sell direct : keep more of the money
'Radio' vs. Online Apps
Levels of interactivity in audio apps
• Launch and listen : Radio Paradise, single channel apps, run in b/g
• Limited interaction : channel-based services, personalized jukeboxes
• Fully interactive, personalized : highly engaged users, willing to pay
• Radio : lack of interactivity is a feature. Dead easy to use.
• Online : moving toward interactive mixed-media formats
• Mobile : screen size and variable user situation limit interactivity
(may be less of an issue for tablets)
Elements of a successful web service
• aggregate : small or large, but something
• add more value : raw content rarely good enough
• "The UI is the brand" (Kurt Hanson) not 100%, but really critical
• optimize the 'user experience' : try for addictive
• engage users : implies user accounts, personalization
• tiers of service, pricing, policies : key to the 'user value calculation'
• responsive customer service : required for paid services
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