With the festive season fast approaching, we’re gearing up for a bumper few months for mobile display advertising as ad budgets reflect the growing tendency of consumers to research products, compare prices and purchase Christmas gifts over their smartphones and tablets.

Record revenues were generated over mobile last year, and this year is set to smash this with brands spending more on mobile advertising than ever.  Planning for the busiest weeks in the mobile advertising calendar is already well under way and now is the time to ensure you’re ready and well placed to maximise the mobile advertising opportunity this holiday season. (more…)

From app developers to product strategists, the pendulum swings widely on whether engaging consumers via their mobile device should be a mobile web or native app experience.  Ultimately, when it comes to consumer facing products the decision does need to be based on the most effective way to connect your consumers to your product and to understand where the market is – because that is where the consumer will be found. (more…)

Good morning, welcome to the first day of Apps World Europe 2011!  We’re taking over the Olympia 2 here in London with some of the leading brands and people in the industry for two days of apps discussion, insight and networking.

If you’re heading down to the event this morning, the first sessions will be kicking off at 9am. Here’s a link to the full agenda.

Last minute booking has been furious but there are still a small number of places left on the free and paid for conference streams, so if you’re in the area, feel free to come down.

We’ve got some fascinating sessions today, with brands such as Nokia and Spotify taking part; as well as global operators such as Vodafone, Orange, Telefonica and Singtel all offering the benefit of their experience and industry viewpoint.

Here’s some interesting food for thought around some of our key sessions today. In the morning we’re looking at operator strategies for Apps & content:

Mobile Europe: Mobile application stores: what’s the opportunity?

Txt4ever: Operators need to embrace apps for new revenue streams

OVUM: Operator billing for third party app stores: changes ahead

In the afternoon we are looking at advertising your app and the media strategies available within the apps business.

Smashing Magazine: How to market your mobile application

Apps Tech News: 10 ways to make your app stand out in the mobile crowd

.NET: 10 step approach to marketing your app

Over in Developer Zone 1 Samsung are taking over with a whole afternoon dedicated to bada developers. Here’s what’s in store

2:00 Welcome
2:10 The UK bada developer challenge
2:15 bada ecosystem/from idea to published app
2:45 bada: show us the money
3:30 Coffee Break
3:45 Tools: implement, test, optimize
4:15 bada and iOS
4:45 Q+A
5:00 End of workshop

Manfred Bortenschlager, Platform Evangelist, Samsung
Keith O’Brien, Head of Content, Samsung
Sameer Ballewar, Technical Consultant, Samsung
Keith Bauwise, Technical Evangelist, Samsung
Jon Lansdell, Technical Writer, Samsung

So there are some things to think about today… If you’ve got something to add to any of the sessions you see, or harbour a burning question that needs answering, you can tweet it into the #AppsWorldQ hashtag; our panel moderators will be keeping an eye on this. Or you can earn maximum kudos by asking it directly over the Q&A mic.

Don’t forget about the official after show drinks will be at the Old Firehouse in Hammersmith. There’ll be complimentary drinks, networking and general merriment for all paid delegates. Doors open at 7.30, come along!

There’s just a couple of days to go until Apps World North America 2011 kicks off in New York, featuring leading brands and developers from across the apps spectrum, brands, businesses and app store operators, all preparing to get together for two days of industry insight, practical advice and top-level networking.
We caught up with two of the show’s speakers, two guys who also happen to be leading app development specialists, to see what advice they could offer for aspiring developers ahead of the apps industry bonanza that is Apps World NY 2011.

Marketing an app is all about building up that initial frenzy when an app is launched and creating a buzz with consumers, bloggers and key press contacts. Those who have a strategy and start marketing the app early create the best buzz and give their app the best chance in a very competitive market.

1) First bird gets the first worm

When the app first becomes available in the app store is a key moment for initial buzz but don’t miss the chance to start your marketing strategy before the app is released to really exploit the buzz you can create. Many developers have begun building splash pages which act as a promotional platform for the app prior to its release and then grow into the full app website post release. (more…)

Alvin Koay’s Singapore-based startup MobileApps.com aims to deliver a fairer deal to app developers, providing a pan-platform wholesale app market that allows them to bank more cash from each app that’s sold.

Hailed by some commentators as a ‘Robin Hood’ of the apps industry, MobileApps.com compares favourably to the main app stores in cash terms, delivering 95% of revenue straight to developers, rather than the current industry standard of 70%. (more…)