Apps World

 
 
 
 

apps-dev3

GrantSkinnerRonenMoreckiZoozDion_Almaer_-_Walmart_v2Bill_Magnuson_Co-Founder__CTO_AppboyKevinMcNeishv2Richard_Balsewich_Sr._Enterprise_Developer_Research_in_MotionMattThompsonMicrosoftRavi_Kamran_CEO_and_founder_TrademobMiko_Matsumura_Senior_Vice_President_of_Developer_Relations_Kii_CorporationCarrie_Coffee_Vice_President_National_Sales_U.S._MojivaMike_Haney_magplus_Michael_Ludden_-_SamsungJagWoodBarnes_and_NobleBrianSappTapJoyMartin_Wrigley_-_AQuABertrand_Schmitt_-_App_Annie_2_BillScottGetjar_copyThilo_Koslowski_-_Gartner

Developers conference & workshops: Android, iOS, html5, Microsoft, BlackBerry - The free-to-attend Developer Zone returns to Apps World North America again this year, offering tons of expert advice and practical instruction on many practical and strategic aspects of making a living from building apps. Each year, Developer Zone attendees hear from leading developers, platform providers and developer community evangelists from some of the leading industry brands, all keen to share their expertise and connect with talented up and coming developer professionals. These sessions aim not only to equip you with the technical skills you need to be successful, but also cover some of the business and strategic issues developers need to be able to negotiate the highly competitive industry.

We’re proud to have the App Quality Alliance (AQuA) as partners of the Apps World North America Developer Zone.  It’s great to have AQuA’s Martin Wrigley as chair for the two days, giving his insight and experience to the agenda.

Featured speakers
Grant-SkinnerGrant Skinner, gskinner.com

Grant Skinner is an internationally recognized leader in the field of interactive development. Grant fuses his experience with design, user experience, development, and business with a driving creativity to produce projects that push the boundaries of interactive technologies.
apps-n-americaBen Galbraith, VP, Mobile Engineering, Walmart.com

Ben Galbraith, together with his long-time friend Dion Almaer, forms one-half of the dynamic “Ben and Dion” duo that founded Ajaxian.com, headed Developer Tools at Mozilla, ran Developer Relations at Palm and is now running mobile architecture and engineering at Walmart.com after being acquired along with their start-up team in early 2011.
KevinMcNeishSmallKevin McNeish, Author of iOS App Development for Everyone

Kevin is author of the book iOS App Development for Everyone, a book designed for both programmers and non-programmers to learn best practices in iOS App development. He is Chief Software Architect of the MMiOS Framework and is also well known in the .NET world where he has received the Microsoft .NET MVP award eight times.
matt-thompson_smallMatt Thompson, General Manager, Developer & Platform Evangelism, Microsoft

As General Manager of Microsoft’s developer & platform evangelism efforts based in Silicon Valley, Matt has the first hand opportunity to both observe and engage with a number of Silicon Valley’s most interesting technology startups.

DAY ONE - February 7

9.20

Chair's welcome & opening remarks
Martin_Wrigley_-_AQuA

With the two-day Developer Zone chaired by the non-profit industry association AQuA (App Quality Alliance), AQuA’s Martin Wrigley will open the Zone with a summary of what’s to come over the two days: from mobile engagement strategies, analytics, usability considerations, handwriting recognition developments, to the thorny issue of fragmentation, new app distribution outlets, new vertical markets, buyer behaviour, and mobile payments.

He’ll also highlight some of the new deliverables to be released by AQuA at AppsWorld North America, developed as a result of very positive industry feedback following the launch of its Quality App Directory at AppsWorld UK in October 2012.

Martin Wrigley, Chair, App Quality Alliance (AQuA)

9.40

The next great platforms: what every app publisher needs to know

MattThompsonMicrosoft

Join Matt Thompson, Microsoft’s General Manager of Developer & Platform Evangelism for a look at the next great platform(s) for developers - Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. Matt will share what the new Windows means for developers, designers and startups focused on connected experiences across mobility, entertainment and productivity. He will feature the market opportunity for developers & app publishers, and how easy it is to get started building and publishing apps for these platforms.

Matt Thompson, General Manager, Developer & Platform Evangelism, Microsoft

10.10

Samsung + Developers

Michael_Ludden_-_Samsung

During this 30 minute session developers will learn about Samsung's new developer program including how to access cutting edge tools to get your apps noticed on Samsung devices. We will be giving away custom Samsung Developers Galaxy SIII cases and other prizes as well.

Michael Ludden, Senior Manager, Technical Marketing & Business Development, Samsung

10.40

Mobile Commerce Apps with eBay Inc. APIs

PragatiRaiPayPal

The influx of mobile devices are changing the face of commerce. eBay Inc., with an array of mobile commerce capabilities, is the leader in mobile commerce space. With capabilities like Milo and RedLaser for product discovery, PayPal for payments, eBay APIs for marketplaces, PayPal Here for point of sale, and Magento for storefronts, eBay Inc. can help enhance your mobile app. In this session you will learn the different capabilities that eBay Inc. provides to the developer community. We will provide ideas to enhance your apps with mashup of our products. Come prepared with your commerce related questions and get them answered in this session! This session is for both beginner and advanced developers.

Pragati Ogal Rai, Mobile Technology Evangelist, North America, PayPal

11.10

COFFEE BREAK

11.30

HTML5 Recipes and Beyond

Richard_Balsewich_Sr._Enterprise_Developer_Research_in_Motion

There has been a long running debate on the “Theory” of HTML5 being the cross-platform solution.  But Theory only gets you so far.  Come listen to Research In Motion developers discuss and demonstrate the “Practice” of HTML5.  Attendees will be introduced to some HTML5 recipes for their application ideas to feast on.

Highlights:

  • HTML5 Recipes? You mean Frameworks? Containers?
  • The HTML5 Practical Experience
  • HTML5 Tips and Lessons Learned
  • JavaScript Outside the (web)Box

Richard Balsewich, Sr. Enterprise Developer, Research in Motion

12.00

Web vs. Apps

Ben_Galbraith_-_walmartDion_Almaer_-_Walmart

Apple's iPhone SDK has proven the largest disruption to software development since the Web, sparking the creation in a few short years of the largest medium for consumer engagement in the world, eclipsing even movies and television. The Web, once destined to be the industry's dominant app platform, now has an uncertain future in mobile at a time when mobile is disrupting the entire PC industry. Is the Web destined to reclaim its former glory, or will app popularity continue its explosive growth? Join Ben and Dion as they discuss the web vs. app conflict in the context of the present and the post-PC era beyond.

Ben Galbraith, Vice President, Mobile Engineering, Walmart
Dion Almaer, Vice President, Mobile Architecture, WalmartLabs

12.30

Mobile Engagement, Monetization and Marketing Best Practices

Bill_Magnuson_Co-Founder__CTO_Appboy

How do you turn your mobile app customers into fans and repeat buyers, when most of them use your app only once? The key is understanding who they are and engaging them across multiple marketing channels. While many companies solve individual pieces of this puzzle, Appboy is the only one that brings everything together in one place - from rich customer profiles and segmentation features to automated marketing tools like push notifications, in-app messages, email, customer support and cross-promotion. Led by developers who are pioneering Mobile Customer Engagement, this session will cover best practices and case studies to help you understand, engage and monetize your mobile audience.

Bill Magnuson, Co-Founder & CTO, Appboy

1.00

LUNCH BREAK

1.30

Measurement and metrics – Analytics for success

Bertrand_Schmitt_-_App_Annie

  • Which apps and publishers are the most successful?
  • What are the global trends developing across iOS and Google Play?
  • Just how significant is the growth of the app stores in Asia?
  • Where are the growth opportunities for publishers across different categories and regions?

Bertrand Schmitt, CEO, App Annie 

2.00

Great new features found in iOS 6 and Xcode 4.5

KevinMcNeish

  • Working with Apple Maps—the replacement for Google Maps in iOS 6
  • The new Social Framework for accessing the user's social media
  • accounts
  • Implementing the Pass Kit for boarding passes, coupons, event
  • tickets, etc.
  • What's new in Xcode 4.5
  • Integrating with iOS Reminders with the updated Event Kit framework
  • Handling In-App purchases with the updated Store Kit framework
  • Presenting Data with the new Collection View
  • Working with iOS 6 Data Privacy
  • Designing your user interfaces with the new Auto Layout

    Kevin McNeish, Author of 'iOS App Development for Everyone'

2.45

When every device contains an app

SravishSridharKinvey

Smart phones sales has just eclipsed desktops and laptops. Much can, and has, been made of what this milestone means for business leaders. But what does it mean for developers? It means we are approaching the second phase of the "app era," and mobile apps are only the beginning. Apps will continue their migration from the desktop, to the web, to the handset, and will soon arrive in household appliances and a new generation of smart home devices, like Twine or Spool. What does a future of single-function, app-enabled objects mean to developers? It means a massive skill-shift, and an even more massive opportunity.

Sravish Sridhar, Founder and CEO, Kinvey

3.15

COFFEE BREAK

3.30

Panel: Data-driven mobile marketing: How analytics can help boost app downloads and build long-term relationships with users

Johann_Huber-GutierrezRavi_Kamran_CEO_and_founder_TrademobBill_Magnuson_Co-Founder__CTO_AppboyMiko_Matsumura_Senior_Vice_President_of_Developer_Relations_Kii_CorporationAaronStannardMicrosoftMarkedUp

  • Analytics to understand your mobile users, and benefits of audience segmentation
  • Integrating data to intelligently drive the app marketing decision making process
  • Data-driven optimization for simple and efficient mobile app promotion
  • Understanding and managing consumer loyalty
  • Calculating meaningful return on investment

Moderator: Johann Huber-Gutierrez, Founder, TechReactor
Ravi Kamran, CEO and founder, Trademob
Bill Magnuson, Co-Founder & CTO, Appboy
Miko Matsumura, Senior Vice President of Developer Relations, Kii Corporation
Aaron Stannard, Founder, MarkedUp

David Shreni, Director, Global Mobile Strategy at Walmart

4.00

How UI impacts engagement and monetization in F2P mobile Games

BrianSappTapJoy

The rapid growth of free to play applications has demanded a higher level of sophistication in mobile app design and an increasing need to optimize the user experience in order to retain users. Understanding proper design has become more important than ever. In this session, we'll take a closer look at the do's and don'ts for building successful F2P mobile applications, from tutorials and on-boarding user flows, to purchase points, every aspect of design is an opportunity to win or lose a user.

Brian Sapp, Developer Partnerships at Tapjoy

4.30

Testing Panel: Innovations in apps testing

Martin_Wrigley_-_AQuAEmilSonyEricssonPeterRembiszewskiATTStephenPeacockBabelRhodri_Thomas_Chief_Commercial_Officer_SwiftKey

You have the great app idea.  You develop it and it works.  You even get it to market, promote it , and it sells.  But what’s the point if it’s fraught with annoying inconsistencies, crashes when a phone call comes in, or drains the user’s battery?   You’ll get bad reviews, but isn’t that a bit too late?

Take one developer, one carrier, a test house and a couple of distribution channels.    Put them together and what do you get?  An agreement on the importance of the quality of a mobile app, but differing views on how to achieve it.  What do *you* think?

The panel will explain their views, and examine the following:

  • what to test when
  • what tools can help
  • how automated testing may or may not be useful
  • emulator testing
  • testing for battery life and network performance

… and when to stop!  

Hear the views from the panel, and have your say too.

Moderator: Martin Wrigley, Chair, App Quality Alliance (AQuA)
Emil Bengtsson, Senior Project Manager, Sony Mobile Communications
Peter Rembiszewski, Senior-Product Development Engineer, AT&T
Stephen Peacock, Director of Sales MMO/Social at Babel Media
Rhodri Thomas, Chief Commercial Officer, SwiftKey

5.10

Using components to build native-quality HTML5 apps

KevinSchaafEnyo
HTML5 is a great way to develop cross-platform apps — but if you're aiming for native-quality polish and performance, you can't build apps the same way you build websites. In this talk, we'll explain why it takes more than HTML templates and UI plugins to deliver a native-quality user experience. Walking through examples from a simple Slider to a smooth-scrolling virtualized List, we'll show how a component model like the one in the Enyo framework not only delivers better-performing apps, but also makes it easier to maintain and reuse your application code.

Kevin Schaaf, Product Manager & Architect, Enyo Framework Team

540

CLOSE OF WORKSHOP

6.00

Local Meet up groups monetisation session (6pm - 7pm)

Raj_SinghBillScottGetjar_copyRichard_Balsewich_Sr._Enterprise_Developer_Research_in_Motion

Panel : Monetization as a foundation for developer businesses

  • Monetization strategies: In-app purchase, virtual currencies, freemium, ad-supported, and premium sponsorships
  • How to increase your cart conversion, revealing the secrets
  • Exploring different ways to enhance the revenue potential of both paid and freemium apps, tapping new revenue sources
  • How to leverage an API sharing community portal to drive new revenues, usage, and engagement of mobile developers

Moderator: Raj Singh, Founder and CEO, Tempo Al
Bill Scott, SVP, GetJar
Richard Balsewich, Enterprise Mobility Architect, Blackberry
Travis Broughton, Enterprise Architect, Intel

DAY TWO - February 8

9.30

Chair's welcome & opening remarks
Martin_Wrigley_-_AQuA
  Martin Wrigley, Chair, App Quality Alliance (AQuA)

9.40

A Cloud Platform for Apps: The Rackspace SDKs

Everett_Toews_-_Rackspace
  • Introduction to the Rackspace Developer Relations Group
  • Introduction to the SDKs
  • Benefits of using the SDKs
  • Interoperability with OpenStack
  • Overview of the SDKs
  • Demo of the Rackspace SDK for Java

Everett Toews, Developer Advocate, Rackspace

10.10

Panel: Building an app business: User acquisition, retention and monetization

RonenMoreckiZoozKobi_Marenko_President_Taptica_-_v2ArielShimoniStartAppchristian_limon_tapjoy_Carrie_Coffee_Vice_President_National_Sales_U.S._Mojiva

  • How do I navigate mobile payments including carrier billing?
  • User acquisition secrets of successful App Makers
  • Monetization strategies: In-app purchase, virtual currencies, freemium, ad-supported, and premium sponsorships
  • Raising angel or VC money, when, how and how much?
  • Tapping new revenue sources such as international markets in Europe and Asia

Ronen Morecki, Founder & CTO, ZooZ
Kobi Marenko, President, Taptica
Ariel Shimoni, Director of Publisher Relations at Startapp
Christian Limon, Director of Partnerships,Tapjoy
Carrie Coffee, Vice President, National Sales U.S., Mojiva

10.50

Digital Writing HMI, Solutions & Opportunities

CDroulersVisionObjFRynneVisionObj

  • Touchscreen applications require new interfaces that take into account smaller display areas and the cumbersomeness of the virtual keyboard
  • Handwriting recognition provides a great alternative to the keyboard and is no longer limited to providing digital text transcription, it opens up a host of possibilities.
  • Discover how to use handwriting, shape and mathematical recognition technology to build more intuitive and powerful applications.
  • We’ll show live demonstrations and explain the technology behind that’s required to make this work.

Christophe Droulers, Director Product Development, Vision Objects
Fernando Rynne, Marketing Director, Vision Objects

11.20

Building the Atari Arcade in HTML5 & CreateJS

GrantSkinner

  • Building games is fun! Building web-deployed, device-friendly, multi-player games using bleeding-edge web standards is fun AND challenging.
  • This session will explore the process and challenges of building the Atari Arcade site and games using CreateJS and HTML5.
  • The talk will cover a wide range of topics spanning from concept and design through to technical implementation and performance optimization.

Grant Skinner, gskinner.com  

12.00

App Development: Tackling Fragmentation at Every Level

Walter_Luh_-_Corona_Labs_v2

Fragmentation is everywhere. It cuts across devices, platforms, and cloud services — whether you're going cross-platform between iOS and Android, struggling to get your app working on various flavors of Android devices, or integrating the right 3rd party services. In this action-packed session, we'll talk about the broad and deep challenges that you have to tackle to stay competitive. We'll also dive into some technical case studies that help illuminate the challenges and strategies for solving them.

Walter Luh, CEO, Corona Labs

12.30

Build Your Dream Content App Cheaply and Quickly with the New Mag+ SDK Challenge
Mike_Haney_magplus_caleb_magplus_

Learn how the new iOS app SDK from digital publishing leader Mag+ can allow you to build the content delivery app that's right for your business, without the time and expense of a custom app project. Whether you're in publishing, retail or enterprise, the Mag+ system can help you expand your reach in the smartphone and tablet space by taking advantage of our powerful creation tools and distribution backend, while the SDK lets you build highly customized apps for delivering your content. Mag+ Chief Creative Officer Mike Haney and lead iOS Developer Caleb Jaffa introduce the Mag+ system, show off sample apps built with the SDK and announce an app-building contest with a top prize valued at over $20,000.

Mike Haney, Chief Creative Officer, Mag+
Caleb Jaffa, Lead iOS Developer, Mag+

 

1.00

LUNCH BREAK

2.00

Barnes and Noble - The Future of Apps in a Content Centric World

JagWoodBarnes_and_Noble

Sitting at the crossroads of the physical and digital worlds, NOOK is in a unique position to be able to see how consumers are weaving together collections of on-line and off-line content, and how different types of content can influence each other.  In this session, we will explore how the subconscious blurring of the boundaries between different content types is changing the way we think of apps and their discovery. We cover how these trends impact carefully curated storefront on NOOK with better app definition, selection and integration. The routes to achieving this are multiple, but our experience suggests that a more curated app store leads to fewer problems with discovery, and better revenues for developers.

Jag Wood, Director, Developer Outreach, NOOK Media LLC (Barnes & Noble)

Startup Village - Part Two
SESSION ONE: Connected TV apps – A marketplace overview

2.30

 UX design in the software development process
BrianEganPurpledecks

Historically, UX design was not placed at the top of the list when App programming. You can code amazing things on a device but often this is easily overlooked by managers or customers when presenting, simply because UX design was not a priority. Brian will take you through lessons learned over many years in the business about the importance of UX design from the perspective of a Software Developer.

  • How not to!
  • One at a time!
  • Simple is hard!
  • The Polishing Phase!
  • Tips not tears!

Brian Egan, Founder, Purpledecks

2.50

Why "Jaguar" minus "Porsche" equals "Tiger"
Francisco_E._De_Sousa_Webber_co-founder_of_CEPT_GmbH_-_v2
  • CEPT presents a technology to enhance search engines that works according to the principles of the human brain
  • The CEPT-Retina captures 16.000 semantic features for any word and converts them into semantic fingerprints
  • The CEPT-Retina allows direct comparison of symbolic language (words, documents and user's interests) without needing any other external information sources
  • The CEPT-Retina can be used for similarity search, classification, meta-data enrichment etc…
  • The CEPT-Technology is easily accessible through an API

Francisco E. De Sousa Webber, co-founder of CEPT GmbH

3.10

Discovery is not your friend: Take responsibility for your own demand generation
EricDyckTapForTap
  • The changing landscape of app discovery
  • Navigating 3rd party tools
  • Earning eyeballs with cross-promotion

Eric Dyck, Co-founder and VP of Marketing and Communications, Tap for Tap

3.30

How to bag a deer - a Canadian perspective

MackFlavelleTapstream

Hunting Deer is hard.
So is getting users to your app.
Learn how the ancient art of deer hunting parallels app marketing and how you can win at both.

MackFlavelle, Business Development, Tapstream Inc

3.50

AppTap: Tap the power of context to get your app discovered



  • Effective app discovery and marketing strategies require more than just pursuing installs. Finding the right user at the right time is key to growing an engaged audience and building a successful app.
  • Join AppTap as they describe their approach to leveraging a user's context to deliver an app discovery experience that rewards consumers and app developers.
  • If you're an app developer, brand or agency looking for innovative ways to market and monetize your apps or mobile web properties, join us.


Ken Margolis, Head of Sales, AppTap