The Smartphone Application – Your Destiny Decided For You
Recently Apple has had some controversy cast upon it regarding it’s handling of certain applications and how they are brought out into or kept out of their marketplace. Apples is the fianl decision-maker in what applications it will allow into it’s apps store and it also can pull the plug on any application it deems unfit even after it has been allowed into the market. This was made evident when it disallowed the Google Voice application, pulled what it deemed risque applications and even disabled seemingly harmless applications like Wi-Fi finders that had been previously approved.
So why is this important?
If you are considering future strategies utilizing smartphone applications, through a controlled marketplace such as Apple, their directive should warrant concern. Many clients have expressed their fear in spending a chunk of their IT budget on these devices, or application development only to see them pulled off the shelves from a disinterested third party.
So what should you do?
It would be impossible to determine what the direction of Apple will be going forward, and even more foolish to assume that even though something has worked in the past, it will always be allowed in the future, a smarter position is to not get any one company to control your strategy.
Here are a couple of tips you should consider for your company:
1. Write your applications for web access. Google went around the Apple by allowing iPhone users to access Google Voice once Apple threw it’s support around the HTML5 architecture. While an application can be disallowed on Apple’s store, access to the internet cannot be hindered. There is nothing to stop the iPhones from using it now.
2. Consider alternatives to the “closed environments”. The Blackberry, Ovi Store, The Android Marketplace etc. There are many alternatives available for every user to work with, but you need to check that the phones you want to use will support other application stores. Don’t limit your company or yourself to one walled system.
3. Determine if the applications belong on a phone or some other device. Netbooks, proprietary devices, tablets allow for free flow of applications and programs, we are starting to see more handheld devices that “fit better” in something other than a phone. What is it your company really needs?
4. Keep it off the mobile device. As we move towards more mobile access, we want to have access to our information at the tips of our fingers all the time. However, does that really make sense? Ask first, if by putting it on a mobile device, what liability or problems do we open our company up for? Is it a MUST HAVE or NICE TO HAVE? Choose wisely.
The future is amazingly bright for mobile devices, don’t make the mistake of rushing into what might be something that is put out of your hands or unnecessary for your company today. Time will tell.
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Benny Carreon is the President and CEO of GrayBear Resources Group. GBR is a next-generation telecommunications consulting firm. We aren't a telephone company's vendor disguising itself as a consultant. We don't sell carrier products that would conflict with out mission - our goal is to work for our clients by reducing costs, streamlining services, eliminating waste and fraud while providing the least disruption to your business.
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