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[x]cube LABS is a leading digital strategy and solution provider specializing in enterprise mobility space. Over the years, we have delivered numerous digital innovations and mobile solutions, creating over $ 2 billion for startups and enterprises. Broad spectrum of services ranging from mobile app development to enterprise digital strategy makes us the partner of choice for leading brands.
Healthcare, White papers

Healthcare Mobility: Prescription for success

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A study commissioned at the start of 2012 by Telenor Group and the Boston Consulting Group titled “Socio-Economic Impact of mHealth,” revealed two interesting points: 30% of smartphone users are likely to use “wellness apps” by 2015 and secondly, as per the survey, smartphone is the most popular technology among doctors since the stethoscope, underpinning the growing role of mobile technology in patient care. The survey further revealed that- the costs in elderly care can be reduced by 25% with mobile healthcare; Maternal and prenatal mortality can be reduced by as much as 30% and twice as many rural patients can be reached per doctor through mobile solutions.

    The above data and many similar reports showcase how mobile devices and applications are changing the face of patient care and healthcare administration across the globe. In our cover story this month, we get an overview of healthcare mobility solutions, and discuss

    The reasons behind the growing acceptance of mHealth among various stakeholders- patients, physicians and providers.

    How can mHealth address the challenges faced by healthcare organizations?

    How are patients reacting to mobile healthcare solutions?

    How the healthcare landscape is changing through mobility?

    And, many such pertinent questions…

    The shift

    Healthcare industry has been one of the early adopters of enterprise mobility with mobile devices and apps significantly contributing towards improvement in every aspect of healthcare. Healthcare mobility solutions are playing an excellent role in solving some of the major challenges faced by the industry today including rising costs, fast-changing regulatory environment, increasing error-rates, decreasing profitability, and demand for quality healthcare.

    Mobile health which started-off with simple services like call centers, getting doctor appointments, alerts etc., over the phone, has over the years, widened its scope covering a major part of healthcare processes. Cynicism, in the early years, on the utility and success of mobility in healthcare is now replaced with growing trust and expanding role for mobile devices and apps in healthcare administration. Today there is a major shift in patient care and administration with mobility becoming an important medium for both patients and healthcare organizations. A survey conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute, to study the attitude of US internet users towards mobile health solutions revealed that users are slowly lapping up to the idea for patient care via mobile. The study found a strong preference among respondents for accessing medication and health care services through mobile devices.

    It’s not only smartphone users who are keen to use healthcare apps but doctors too are eager to leverage mobile technology into their day-to-day tasks. A survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute (PwC HRI) came up with interesting statistics on how clinicians perceive healthcare mobility solutions to be beneficial for them. As per the study,

    56% of physicians believed m-health could help expedite decision-making.

    39% said it would reduce the time it takes for administrative tasks.

    36% said it would increase collaboration among physicians.

    26% said it would increase time spent with patients.

    40% said they could eliminate 11% to 30% of office visits through the use of mobile health technologies such as remote monitoring, email or text messaging with patients.

    The motivators

    According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), there are now over 5 billion wireless subscribers; over 70% of them reside in low- and middle income countries. The GSM Association reports commercial wireless signals cover over 85% of the world’s population.

    Source- WHO

    The growing acceptance and usage of healthcare mobility solutions can be attributed to two broad factors- industry challenges and rapid advancements in mobile technology. Healthcare systems, across the globe, are facing myriad constraints like an increasing population without access to quality healthcare, shrinking pool of qualified healthcare professionals, emergence of new diseases and limited financial resources. On the other hand, mobile devices like smartphones and Tablets have become ubiquitous. Bandwidth is getting increasingly faster. Mobile applications have become more feature-rich and much-secured to integrate with processes and operations of healthcare organizations. The combination of these two factors and, growing preference among the masses, buoyed by the comfort, convenience and cost-effectiveness are catalyzing the growth of mobile healthcare solutions.

    Scope and opportunities

    Using key mobile applications leads to improved use of healthcare workers time; approximately 39 minutes per day were recovered, a benefit which improves upon itself by leading to additional benefits in better patient care, reduced medical errors and a improved in employee efficiency.

    Source- Motorola

    Today, mobility for healthcare has not only become an important medium in delivering healthcare services but also is an enabler that can act as force multiplier, in both near and long-term future, to the overall operations in an organization. Many electronic healthcare practices prevalent in the industry can be further extended, in scale and operations, by complementing it with mobile technology. mhealth is creating new possibilities for physicians and patients to monitor important health information and manage their care. Healthcare mobility solutions are making processes leaner and quicker not only with their own might but by also complementing other technologies.

    Scope in mobile healthcare

    Services Description
    Health call centres/ help lines Created to deliver health care advice services by trained health professionals in case of an emergency.
    Treatment compliance Sending reminder messages to patients with the aim of achieving treatment compliance.
    Appointment scheduling and reminders For patients to schedule or remind to attend an appointment.
    Community mobilization & health promotion For health promotion or to alert target groups of future health campaigns. Raising public awareness through health information products, games, or quiz programmes.
    Mobile telemedicine Consultation between healthcare professionals and patients using the voice, text, data, imaging, or video functions of a mobile device.
    Health surveys and surveillance Use of mobile devices for health-related data collection and reporting.
    Patient monitoring Using mobile technology to manage, monitor, and treat a patient’s illness from a distance with the help of remote sensors and imaging devices linked to mobile phones.
    Decision support systems Software to advise healthcare professionals on clinical diagnoses of patients based on health history and medical information, such as prescribed drugs. Mobile devices are used to input data and obtain targeted health information.
    Patient records Collecting and displaying patient records at point-of-care through mobile technologies.
    Administration Asset tracking, demand & capacity management, job scheduling & tracking, business analytics
    Mobile integrated devices Devices to check sugar levels, blood pressure and other vital parameters.

    Challenges

    The path of adopting mobility for a healthcare organization is, however not so smooth. There are several challenges facing the organizations as they move on to leverage mobile technology. There is a massive explosion of devices differing in form, features and functionalities in the market. The challenge for the organizations is to come-up with healthcare solutions that fits all. Similarly, there are multiple mobile platforms like iOS, Android, Windows and Blackberry etc., and solutions must be compatible to all the platforms. While the world may be moving into next generation of internet connectivity, but bandwidth latency and coverage is still an area of concern if mHealth has to truly stand to its promise of delivering services to the remotest of locations. Security of patient data is another complicated challenge which calls for continuous monitor and intervention as the technology evolves. It’s also important to keep an eye on the reliability and scalability of the mobile infrastructure as the usage grows and more people gets covered by it.

    The adoption

    As healthcare organizations, across the globe, reel under the pressure of shrinking financial resources, and need to expand their reach and deliver quality services, we are witnessing rapid adoption of mHealth initiatives, at varying scales and levels, globally. The enthusiastic adoption of mobile health solutions clearly showcase the merits and benefits of employing mobility in the delivery of health & wellness services and the growing acceptance of mHealth practices among various stakeholders in the industry.

    Looking ahead

    Emerging trends and areas of interest in mHealth- 

    Emergency response systems.

    Mobile synchronous (voice) and asynchronous (SMS) telemedicine diagnostic and decision support to remote clinicians.

    Clinician-focused, evidence-based formulary, database and decision support information available at the point-of-care.

    Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Integrity & Patient Safety Systems.

    Clinical care and remote patient monitoring.

    A survey conducted in 2010 by research2guidance predicts that smartphones, mobile phones and Tablets will present the best Mobile Health Business Opportunities in 2015 thereby, revealing that mobility is the future of healthcare.

    Mobile devices and applications have the potential to play a very significant role in every stage and aspect of the healthcare. Mobility solutions can not only bridge the gap between the doctor and patient but also have the potential to radically transform the way diseases are diagnosed, monitored and treated. Moreover, anytime and anywhere accessibility and availability of health & wellness information and professional advice can be a key factor in the prevention of diseases and promoting wellness.

    With further advancement in the mobile technology, the scope and role of healthcare mobility solutions will only grow. It can’t be denied anymore- mobile and wireless technology is set to transform the face of healthcare administration across the globe.

    Our Recommendations

    Embrace healthcare mobility. mHealth offers tremendous opportunities and value to an organization. It is the answer to myriad challenges faced by the industry.

    Focus on user experience. Create a user-friendly, reliable and secure mobile environment.

    Pay special attention to data security. Employ adequate authentication and authorization processes.

    Pick the right platform. Diversity in screen sizes, functionalities and operating system necessitates organizations to adopt a multi-platform approach.

    Monitor user behaviour. Customer intelligence will be the key to success of your mHealth initiative.

    Lay down the groundwork for next generation of mHealth. Emerging technologies in mobility promises more opportunities. Be ready to seize them.

    The beginning

    In spite of the upsurge in adoption of mobility in the healthcare industry, there is still a lot to happen. The pervasiveness of mobile computing is leading to the evolution of new business models, reinvention of delivery methods and innovation in patient care. Healthcare mobility solutions are bringing tremendous value to organizations but still there is a huge area of opportunities to be seized which will further add to the value proposition. Organizations, which adapt to mobility early, will not only gain competitive advantage today but will also, be in a better position to leverage further advancements in mobile technology. And, make greater success of their mobile initiatives.

    Blog, Enterprise Mobility

    Infographic: The Mobile Employee

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    Do you know that there will be 397.1 million mobile workers by the end of 2012? Clearly, the era of 9-to-5 work-culture is passé. Today we have a growing tribe of mobile employees, armed with smartphones & Tablets, working from anywhere, anytime. We, at [x]cubeLABS, tried to understand the mobile employee, his preferences on devices, platforms and apps through various research reports to provide you with a visual description in the form of our latest infographic ‘The Mobile Employee’.

    To view the complete infographic and for a high resolution image click here.  Re-tweets and feedback will be highly appreciated!

    Our other infographics-

    Enterprise Mobility-Apps, Platforms and Devices

    The Android Story

    The evolution of mobile operating systems

    Smartphone and Mobile App Usage

    The smartphone app-o-graphic

    Blog, Design, Marketing

    Primary vs. Secondary Users: The Power Behind Developing for not 1, but 2 Target User-bases

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    Marketing media have been evolving digitally for decades; with numerous companies jumping on the mobile bandwagon in the past 3 years, apps are an essential delivery method for tailored mobile experiences however, it is important to realize that amidst the excitement and melee that ensues with initial conceptualization, a well-defined target user-base should be at the forefront of development intentions.

    Mobile-communication

    Building an app around specific concepts and functionality but without substantial thought to a target demographic inevitably leads to an unfocused and unsuccessful app. Remember, apps do not have to solve all of the word’s problems. The most successful apps do one thing really well thereby providing a definitive asset to anyone who uses them. Businesses can only drive usage with a primary base that finds value in the app and a secondary base that has the potential to apply and influence said value.

    In the early stages of ideation, don’t simply generalize audience analysis. Determine a sharp, clear-cut definition of who your users are. Perhaps you want to launch a user-centric app for self-proclaimed foodies. Here, your primary consumer target consists of involved, cuisine-aficionados across various communities.Involvement from these key individuals mobilize restaurants (secondary base) with incentive to comply with the app’s ranking system. To appease the “buy-local” movement, perhaps these restaurants work with local suppliers, thereby stimulating a foundation for new business development as well. This sort of targeted engagement allows for primary and secondary targets to organically evolve and expand your overall user-base.

    Blog, Enterprise Mobility

    BYOD Vs. Consumerization of Enterprise Mobility

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    BYOD

    BYOD or Bring Your Own Device has been the buzz word for the Enterprise mobility space, however, unfortunately often times there is some ambiguity about what BYOD actually means and the word is thrown around in different contexts, besides its own. One of the most common misuse of BYOD is when people confuse it with CoIT or Consumerization of IT. While both of these are closely inter related they are still two very much different and distinct issues.

    BYOD is very simple. Employees want to bring to their workplace the devices that they have bought for their personal use and use the same for work. This is primarily because the person has made a conscious decision to identify the device of their preference and would love to use it. The increasingly vanishing border between work hours and off hours and the need for a modern employee to be connected 24/7, makes a person spend considerable time and effort in working beyond their “working hours” or rather in their “personal hours”. So why not use the device of their preference for both personal and professional use ?

    Now if we are looking at Consumerization of IT or in this context consumerization of enterprise mobility, the concept is definitely different from BYOD. “Consumerization” basically means making something fit for consumer use, or in other words making it easy to use for everyone. So consumerization of Enterprise mobility would mean making the use and adoption of mobility much less complex and simpler.

    Usability is one of the major areas for consumerization of IT / Enterprise mobility. If we are looking at most enterprise applications developed a few years back, usability would probably not be their strongest point to talk about. However, today most organization are spending considerable time and resource in ensuring that their enterprise applications, mobile or otherwise, offers great usability. It is becoming increasingly essential for even enterprise applications to have the finesse of consumer apps and that is significantly adding value in terms of increased employee efficiency. Similarly, another critical spoke in the enterprise mobility wheel, devices too have gone simplified and more user-friendly. The soaring acceptance of Tablets in enterprises and its growing role in overall mobile strategy is a case in point. Tablets with bigger screens, intuitive interfaces, faster computing power and higher capability are influencing mobility adoption and making things easier for the users. In short, complexity associated with enterprise grade tools are giving way to simple, easy to use tools and that is what is considered as true consumerization of IT.

    If there’s still some residual doubts about Consemerization of enterprise mobility vs. BYOD, let’s look at few examples :

    a) Your company allows you to use whatever device you want for your work and you can continue to use your personal device for work : that’s BYOD

    b) Your company allows you to use whatever device you want for your work, but it is purchased by the company and provided to you : that’s not BYOD, that is rather CoIT

    c) Your company specifies which device you have to use for work and provides the same to you : that’s neither BYOD, nor CoIT ( at least in respect to choice of device)

    With businesses investing more and more in enterprise mobility solutions, BYOD and Consumerization of enterprise mobility would always be discussed in tandem but it is essential to understand that while there are certain overlap between the two concepts, they do have enough exclusivity to claim their share of importance.

    Blog, Platform

    Native, Web and Hybrid Apps – Understanding the Difference

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    difference between native app and hybrid app - [x]cube LABSAs newer technologies emerge, the mobile landscape is becoming incredibly intriguing. While currently everyone is gung-ho about native or HTML 5 apps, a considerable section is also rooting for the third approach called Hybrid mobile applications, which combines the best of both native and HTML 5 apps. As the debate rages on which one – HTML 5, native or hybrid – is the right choice; we present before you a feature-wise comparison of each category to help you make your own choice. But, first a brief introduction on each-

    • Native Mobile Apps- Built using native programming language for the platform- iPhone or iPad apps are built using Objective-C, and Android applications are built using Java. Native apps are fast, provide better user experience and interface and have access to all device features for which it is built. On the down side, a native app can be used only for its specific platform thereby restricting the reach. For e.g., an android app cannot be run on an iPhone and vice versa. If you want to cover a larger audience across all platforms, you will need to have separate native apps for them.
    • Web Apps- A website built using HTML5, CSS3 etc., which resembles an application and can be accessed through a mobile browser is called a web app. The biggest advantage of web apps is that it can be used across all platforms and devices. However, web apps are not accepted in any of the native app stores thereby cutting off an important distribution channel for the app developers. Also, web apps cannot access or use the native APIs or device specific hardware features.
    • Hybrid Apps- While many confuse a hybrid app with a native app, but there is a fundamental distinction. A hybrid application is built using web technology, and then wrapped in a platform specific shell.  The native shell not only makes it look like native apps and makes it eligible to enter the app stores, but also, developers can build in some of the native functionalities into it, to access some of the native APIs and use device specific hardware features to some extent. A hybrid app is basically an app developed in combination with HTML 5 and native technology. For cross platform reach, developers would need to code the native part separately for each platform but they can use the same HTML5 part across all of them.

    Features

    Native

    Hybrid

    Web
    Development Language Objective C for iOS, Java for Android HTML plus native JavaScript, HTML
    Tools iPhone SDK, Android SDK, Windows SDK RhoMobile, Titanium Appcelerator, PhoneGap, Worklight etc. HTML5, Sencha, JQuery Mobile
    Code Portability None High High
    Publication & Distribution App Stores App Stores No Stores
    Access to device hardware Yes Yes (need to write platform specific wrappers) No
    User Experience High Moderate Low
    Upgrade Flexibility Low Moderate High
    Development Cost (relative) High Low Medium
    Speed High Moderate Low
    Maintenance Complex Simple Simple
    Content Restrictions Must adhere to app store guidelines Must adhere to app store guidelines No restrictions
    Offline Capabilities Yes Yes No

    Pros and Cons
    Pros
    • Best performance & user experience
    • Works offline
    • Visibility in app stores
    • Full access to device features
    • Build once, deploy multiple times
    • Lower development costs
    • Visibility in app stores
    • Access to all device features
    • Easy maintenance & upgradation
    • Largest reach
    • Lower development costs
    • Easy maintenance & upgradation
    Cons
    • High development costs
    • Requires good development experience
    • Longer production cycle
    • Complex maintenance.
    • Performance and experience weaker than native
    • Apps require tweaking for each platform
    • Performance and experience weaker than native
    • Don’t have access to native functionalities
    • Don’t work offline

    As we see, the jury is still out on which one is the best approach. It all boils down to your requirements and the way you want your user to interact with your app. While you have all the options, selecting the right platform could be a critical factor in the success of your app.

    Announcements

    [x]cube GAMES participating in Inside Social Apps 2012!

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    At [x]cube LABS, we enthusiastically look forward to interact with various stakeholders of the mobile computing ecosystem. Such interactions help us not only to understand the swiftly changing landscape but also, many times, act as a guide to explore new opportunities and broaden our outlook that often culminates into better products and services.

    [x]cube GAMES, our gaming division, is participating in the Inside Social Apps 2012, San Francisco. The 2 day summit brings together leading mobile app and game developers and contemplates on the future of mobile app and game growth and monetization on social and mobile platforms. We will be represented by a high-level team led by our CEO, Mr. Bharath Lingam, and comprising Mr. Ravi Korukonda, COO; Mr. Jason Franzen, Chief Design Officer and others.

    If you too are attending the event, then please drop by and visit us at our booth!

    Announcements

    [x]cube LABS wins honors at HOW Interactive Design Awards

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    Our design team, over the years, has been consistently rolling out highly creative and ingenious designs, which are not only well-appreciated by our clients but has also been winning laurels at various platforms. Adding yet another feather in our cap, the team has brought home the “Merit” award in OTHER/APP category at the 14th Annual HOW Interactive Design Awards.  The annual award event recognizes the year’s top digital projects judged on a range of parameters including design, technical expertise, UI/UX etc.

    Our entry to the event was ‘LoytalTree Rewards’, an application for iPhone, iPad and iPod developed for our client Cardeeo Inc. The award winning application offers users a brand new way to save money and earn rewards at favorite local destinations in their city. The app has previously won the prestigious Bronze award at The Dallas Show 2011 organized by DSVC (The Dallas Society of Visual Communications).

    Blog, Marketing

    Mobile apps enhance company perception and customer satisfaction

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    Mobile applications are fast gaining prominence as essential tools in the enterprise ecosystem. As the world witnesses a massive proliferation of mobile devices and consumers spend more time on apps, there is a significant opportunity for businesses to leverage applications to target, reach and connect with the audience and enhance their brand value.

    Apps impact customer opinion

    A survey by Nuance Communications reveals that companies that deploy mobile apps seem to gain in company perception and customer satisfaction. The majority of respondents (72%) in the survey said that they have a more positive view of a company that has a mobile application. In addition, 81% said that they will share the positive experience with others. When asked, how an app would increase their level of  satisfaction, 35% were of the opinion that easy transition to a live agent from an app would most likely to drive its usage, while 21% expect more functionalities in the app to better meet their needs.

    App Downloads is on the rise

    Mobile app downloads is maintaining its upward growth as more and more customers are willing to try new apps. As high as 89% of smartphone users are found to download at one app every month on their device with 70% having downloaded more than 10 applications, while 29% have over 30 apps on their phone. Another 12% of smartphone users have downloaded over 50 applications on their device.

    Customer engagement with mobile apps

    Mobile applications are fast becoming a popular channel for customer service. More than half of the respondents in the survey have said to download their carrier and bank’s app. Of the users who have downloaded the carrier’s app, 25% use it while 27% of smartphone owners use the banking app.

    The above figures highlights that mobile apps are increasingly becoming a must-have in the overall communication architecture of an organization. Armed with high-powered mobile devices, consumer expects services on their devices. Businesses have significant opportunity in reaching to their respective audience through apps. And, therein lies an opportunity for businesses to differentiate themselves from the competition. However, it is critical for them to meet the rising consumer expectations through seamless experience and better functionality. In near future, a powerful app experience could turn out to be a key element in driving brand loyalty.

    Blog, Enterprise Mobility, Marketing

    Infographic on Enterprise Mobility- Apps, Platforms and Devices

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    The enterprises are witnessing a transformation led by smartphones and Tablets. Mobility is slowly becoming a critical part of IT strategy. As employees and business processes go mobile, we, at [x]cube LABS, tried to decode enterprise mobility, crunch numbers to present before you an informative infographic detailing out the technology used in enterprise mobility, industry verticals that are at the forefront of mobilizing its operations and why enterprises are adopting mobility solutions. Our enterprise mobility infographic also takes a look at the state of enterprise applications, the smartphone deployment approach by industries and how big brands are increasingly deploying apps.

    To view the complete infographic and for a high resolution image click here.  Re-tweets and Feedback will be highly appreciated!

    Our other infographics-

    The Android Story

    The evolution of mobile operating systems

    Smartphone and Mobile App Usage

    The smartphone app-o-graphic

    Blog

    Key focus areas for mobile app developers in 2012

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    More than 40% of mobile app developers participating in the Millennial Media survey say that developing new application will be the key focus area for them in 2012 clearly underling the potential of mobile app development in future. There is also a growing need to maximize revenue in applications among app developers with around 21% marking it as the focus area for 2012. Improving discovery of their apps, marketing and advertising them and learning new skills has emerged as the new goals for mobile app developers for 2012.

    While the latest data reveals the potential in mobile app development, it also highlights the developer need for maximizing revenues. With most app developers adopting Freemium model wherein the app is sold free but users are charged for any further up gradation or in-app purchases in games, developers are looking for new ways to maximize revenues. With millions of applications in app stores, there are also concerns among developers to make their application visible and gain consumer attention.

    We believe mobile app development to gain more traction in 2012. The markets are expanding and the prospects look brighter for a mobile app developer.

    We have to wait and see how it actually unfolds!

    Blog

    Changing Patterns In Mobile Application Usage

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    The mobile application usage has also undergone a major change in the last one year. With the collection of smartphone applications in app stores expanding, both in terms of numbers and categories, there has been changing of positions in the app ranking chart. Music & Entertainment led the application categories in October, ranked by impressions, with productivity and tools applications; and books & references being the new entrants in the list.

    The latest ranking by Millenial Media clearly demonstrates that mobile devices have now expanded their scope. It’s no more only about entertainment, gaming or music but the app usage has moved further beyond into user’s professional life. Mobile applications are also becoming access points for getting information, expert advice etc., on topics of user’s interest.

    We believe there will be major changes in the app usage patterns in the near future. The future will see the rise of smartphone applications in enterprises. Healthcare, retail, banking and travel are already adopting enterprise mobility apps for their internal as well as external usage. In future, we will see massive adoption of mobile apps in industries, big and small, and across all verticals. Similarly, as smartphones become powerful, there will be a much broader role of apps in personal lives of users.

    Blog

    Mobile OS space- Its a two-way battle between Titans

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    The mobile app development space is on a constant churn. The mobile OS battle which has been heating up over the last year or so has now seems to be settled into an Apple iOS vs. Google Android race with RIM’s BlackBerry being a distant third. A latest report by Millenial Media for the October, 2011 seems to suggest exactly that. As per the stats revealed in the report, Google’s Android seems to have overhauled Apple’s iOS to emerge as the leader in the mobile platform race. Android represented 50% of the Application Platform Mix, ranked by ad spends, followed by iOS with 40% and RIM with mere 6%. Other including Windows Phone 7, Symbian and webOS could only manage to gain 4% in the platform mix.

    With RIM seeing fast erosion in its market base and no visible challengers to Apple and Google, we believe it to be a two-way battle in the mobile operating system space. With a majority of mobile app developers getting attracted to iOS or Android or both, others will have to come-up with something special to challenge the giants. There are many reasons for the supremacy of Android and iOS in the market. While Android scores above iOS in the numbers and range of handsets sold in the market, Apple’s iOS provides a bigger collection of applications, a key influencer in user’s purchasing decision. Android app developers see a future in developing apps whereas iPad and iPhone app developers are hooked to the monetizing opportunities and volume sales in Apple app store. So, any worthy contender must have to bring the best of both of the worlds to make his presence felt in the market.

    Blog

    Healthcare apps: Prescription of success for mobile app developers

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    Mobile applications are turning out to be a great source of user empowerment. The smartphone apps have engulfed every sphere in personal and professional life and are ever-expanding their role and significance by catering to the varied needs of the users. The app phenomenon has significantly impacted enterprises, big and small, and across all verticals. Healthcare is one such industry where smartphone applications are quietly empowering various stakeholders and aiding and enabling them to make healthcare more accessible, affordable and efficient. The resultant hype around rapid adoption of mobility in industry has attracted many mobile app developers who are developing and marketing a range of mobile health applications catering to the various needs in the industry. However, the question to be asked is: Will healthcare adopt mobile apps in a big way? Should healthcare become the new focus area of mobile app developers? We believe it so. Here’s why we believe that healthcare is something for mobile application developers to be upbeat about:

    Patients are slowly lapping-up mHealth…

    A study by PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute, “Healthcare Unwired,” Sep 8, 2010 to study the attitude of US internet users towards online/mobile health options revealed that users showed a strong liking for patient care via mobile. There was a strong feeling among respondents with regard to the role of mobile healthcare applicationsand mobility based services.

    Moreover, a Consumer Health Information Corporation (CHIC) survey, conducted in April, 2011 to understand the US consumer’s attitude towards mobile healthcare applications found that-

    • 79.9% would be more likely to use an app that can analyze information input by the consumer and give feedback.
    • 42.2% are likely to use an app to find information about drugs.
    • 26.5% are likely to use an app to find information about disease states.
    • 39.8% are willing to use an app several times a day.
    • 33.4% prefer free health apps.
    • 30.9% are willing to pay $1.00-$5.99 for health apps.

    Physicians are bullish on mobile health…

    It’s not only consumers who are willing to use mobile health apps but doctors too are eager to leverage mobile technology into their day-to-day tasks. A survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute (PwC HRI) came up with interesting statistics evidencing how clinicians perceive mobile healthcare solutions to be a boon for them. As per the study,

    • 56% of physicians believed m-health could help expedite decision-making.
    • 39% said it would reduce the time it takes for administrative tasks.
    • 36% said it would increase collaboration among physicians.
    • 26% said it would increase time spent with patients.
    • 40% said they could eliminate 11% to 30% of office visits through the use of mobile health technologies such as remote monitoring, email or text messaging with patients.

    The Market is gearing for it…

    A survey by research2guidance released in 2010 predicts that smartphones, mobile phones and Tablets will offer the best Mobile Health Business Opportunities in 2015. Thereby revealing that mobile healthcare solutions is the way to go in healthcare industry.

    One of the key stakeholders in the industry, the healthcare manufacturers are also banking big on mobile applications. A survey by Vital mHealth and Trinsic Interactive revealed that manufacturers in US and Europe see a bigger role for mobile applications and therefore a majority of them are already using or are planning big to use mobile channel to reach out to their consumers.

    Mobile apps have the potential to play a significant role in every stage of the healthcare. These applications can not only bridge the gap between the doctor and patient but can also radically transform the way diseases are diagnosed, treated and monitored. Moreover, the 24X7 accessibility and availability of health & wellness information and expert advice can be a key factor in the prevention of diseases and promoting wellness.

    With the advancement in the mobile technology, the scope and role of mobile healthcare applications will only grow. As mobile phones become more feature-packed and add better functionalities, it will widen the coverage of smartphone applications in the industry. The growing adaptation of mHealth or mobile healthcare solutions is and will offer myriad opportunities in future for mobile app developers to develop applications for various smartphone platforms and tap the expanding market.  Are you read to seize it?

    Announcements

    [x]cube LABS mov(i)e to New Downtown Dallas Studio

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    [x]cube Dallas Move

    Our Dallas Design Studio gets a new address! After 2 years in the Dallas Design District, the team moved into a spacious studio near historic Deep Ellum, in the heart of Downtown Dallas. While moving to a new address requires lots of efforts in collecting your stuff, packing, un-packing and then putting all of it in the right place so as to re-create or better the old-office environment. But, we had great fun!!

    Here’s the video capturing some of the best moments –

    [x]cube Dallas mov(i)e from [x]cube LABS on Vimeo.

    Announcements

    [x]cube LABS stamps its brilliance once again, wins Silver at W3 Awards

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    While we derive great satisfaction from building high-quality mobile applications that ensures commercial success for our clients and wins hearts and minds of end-users. We also look forward to participating and proving our mettle in various awards and competitions. We consider awards and appreciations as another appropriate barometer to judge our work, learn and get inspired by it.

    The [x]cube LABS team, this time, has brought home a ‘Silver Award’ in the Mobile App (Health & Wellness) category at W³ awards. W³ Awards honors creative excellence in web and mobile and is sanctioned and judged by the International Academy of the Visual Arts. The invitation-only body consists of top-tier professionals from a “Who’s Who” of acclaimed advertising, media, interactive, and marketing firms. Our entry to the contest was Alertometer, an iPhone, iPad and iPod application developed for our client Bowles-Langley Technology LLC.

    The winning application, Alertometer measures brain performance and computes alertness level of an individual. It’s a highly practical application for those who operate dangerous equipment or work in high-consequence job in an environment with a low tolerance for accidental errors.

    Blog

    Infographic: Smartphone and Mobile App Usage

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    Smartphones have fast replaced feature phones to become essential part of our lives. And, smartphone apps have given a completely new definition to mobility and further expanded the utility of smartphones. Do you know how people use their smartphones? What percentage of people use it while watching Television or reading newspapers? Do you know that smartphones have also metamorphosed into a shopping tool helping their owners find a retailer, compare prices and then make an informed buying decision? We, at [x]cube LABS, have collected data from various research reports to present before you an infographic- THE SMARTPHONE AND MOBILE APP USAGE– showcasing smartphone user behavior. Our infographic will also take you through the world of mobile applications and provide you with rich insights on the popular app categories and mobile games.

    To view the complete infographic and for a high resolution image click here. Tweets and Feedback will be well appreciated!

    Our other infographics-

    The Android Story

    The smartphone app-o-graphic

    The evolution of mobile operating systems

    Announcements

    [x]cube LABS to participate in Tekserve’s Panel Discussion

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    At [x]cube LABS, we derive a lot from meaningful contemplations and deliberations by engaging with various stakeholders of mobile computing ecosystem. Our experience shows that such interactions are not only mutually rewarding in understanding the swiftly changing landscape but also, many times, act as a catalyst, giving birth to many path-breaking ideas that culminate into better products and services. As a part of our continuous endeavor, [x]cube LABS will participate in Tekserve’s Panel discussion on ‘Your Business, Your App’ to be held on September 30, 2011. Mr. Joseph Wachs, SVP Special Projects, [x]cube LABS will represent the company and sit on an elite panel of mobile evangelists.

    Mobile applications are fast changing the way companies interact, externally and internally, and are playing an influential role in building competitive advantages for enterprises of all sizes and across every sector. The eminent panel will share insights on realistic goals that iPad and iPhone apps can achieve for business, integrating apps into workflow and operations, and how companies are driving business results using applications.

    The event also intends to explore how mobile applications can:

    • Help enhance point-of-sale experience and make transactions more agile;
    • Allow companies to keep their content up-to-the-second, and in full color sound and motion;
    • Help HR departments attract top candidates;
    • Enable marketing departments deliver on promise;
    • Support overall business operations to run more smoothly, seamlessly and securely.

    The panel will feature Joe Zeff, President, Joe Zeff Design; Jason Richelson, Founder and CEO, ShopKeep.com; Jamie Manalio,Producer, Rust Labs; Aaron Friemark, Director of IT, Tekserve and Irven Cassio, Director, Retail Innovation at Luxottica Retail.

    *The event will take place Friday, September 30 from 12:30 p.m. at OGILVY, 636 11th Avenue.

    Do meet us there!

    Blog

    Mobilizing Gamification: Why and How?

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    After a brief introduction to Gamification and learning Game-mechanics and Game-dynamics, we will now move on to the importance of mobilizing the Gamification endeavour and then progress towards creating a killer Gamification strategy that will help you boost user-engagement with your brand and achieve desired business objectives.

    Why Mobilize Gamification?

    Gamification, in most cases, is deployed on websites but mobilizing it could open endless opportunities for you to keep your consumers engaged and loyal with your brands. With mobility becoming a disruptive force and mobile devices becoming ubiquitous, it is highly essential for decision makers to mobilize their Gamification efforts so as to leverage from the advantages offered by mobile devices.  Mobilizing the Gamification interface will allow your users to interact with it from anywhere and anytime and for you to target a huge user-base.

    Mobile devices have four intrinsic characteristics that makes them an excellent medium for Gamification-

    1. Mobile devices are personal in nature which makes for higher potential impact with customers thereby resulting in more engagement.

    2. Anytime, anywhere devices which could result in constant engagement with the Gamified interface.

    3. Easy and intuitive interaction improves the success rate of Gamification.

    4. Easy to measure and monitor.

    Once you are convinced with the idea of mobilizing the Gamification drive, the next step is to come-up with a powerful Gamification strategy.

    What Makes For A Successful Gamification Strategy?

    A Gamification strategy is more than selecting the point system or the design of badges. Gamification is a process that requires resources, takes time to deliver results and hence should be implemented with a well-thought out plan so that your users get a unique experience, be motivated to engage with your interface and you are able to boost your brand image. Here are a few tips that will help you in drawing an engaging and powerful Gamification strategy-

    Know your users, sync it with desired actions: Every marketing activity involves understanding the needs, wants and behaviour of the customers. So, it is with Gamification. Understanding your customers will help you know the emotions that will drive them to engage with your brands. And, your Gamification efforts should revolve around these emotions and should be successfully able to tap it. The game-mechanics employed in Gamifying your interface should be in sync with the desired actions you want your users to take. So, a successful strategy should be able to blend your user’s deeper motivations with the desired actions.

    It needs to be fun, interesting and challenging: The gamified interface should be intrinsically enjoyable for the users. Then only they will be motivated to do the desired activity and repeat it over and over again. A fun-filled game experience should be the core of any Gamification effort. To ensure that you gain long-term, sustained customer-loyalty, focus on making your interface interesting and more interesting for the users. Add levels to it so that it also remains challenging. Make your game tough but not impossible to achieve.

    Monitor it: How many users are hitting your interface? How much time they are spending on it? What are the access points to your interface? You need to know it all. Tracking the statistics is essential. It will reveal interesting and significant user behaviour which will aid you in reading the mind of your target audience. Further, it will also help you tweak your Gamification strategy as per your set objectives.

    Socialize it: In the age of social networking sites; it would be a sin not to make your gamified interface social. Including social media tools in your Gamification interface will help you create a community. But more than that it will also help you cater to the social appetites of your users. Allow your users to share, discuss and display their achievements.

    To sum it up, mobilizing the Gamification effort will act as a force multiplier to your endeavour and will help you immensely benefit from ubiquitous nature of the mobile devices. Also, it’s absolute necessary for you to keep your target audience in mind when you brainstorm for a killer Gamification strategy. Think about your users- What will they like? What will motivate them? How would they interact with your gamified interface? Get answers to these questions, develop a game revolving around it and you have the blueprint ready for the success.

    Blog

    Game Dynamics- Satisfy the innate desires of your consumers

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    After an introduction to Gamification and discussing game-mechanics, we now move onto another key element of Gamification known as game dynamics.

    Game dynamics can be defined as needs and desires innate in every human being and can be satisfied using game-mechanics. Game dynamics include human motivations such as reward, status, achievement etc. In other words, game dynamics relate to the psychological aspect of the consumer and how other elements of gamification must work towards satisfying their emotional urge. By gamifying your online property, and by intelligent use of game-mechanics, you can create an environment and drive user engagement and experience by satisfying his one or more intrinsic desires.

    Lets’ explore in detail some popular game dynamics employed in gamification-

    Reward- One of the greatest motivators for a human being is the feeling of being rewarded. Offer your users or visitors to the gamified interface something of value in return and you will be satisfying his key desire which will make it meaningful for him to do the desired action and repeat it, again and again. Earning points for an action and then redeeming it for tangible and intangible goods can be a good example of gamification. GasBuddy is a mobile app which uses rewards to gamify. The app helps users to locate gas stations nearby and see the current gas prices. The app also allows users to report current gas prices and earn points towards prize give-away of $250 gas gift card every week.

    Status- We all have a need for status. We all pursue social status, something which will earns as respect of others. A gamified interface to be successful must target and satisfy status as a desire, of the users. Examples of targeting and satisfying status as a desire can be badges, platinum or gold memberships, exclusive privileges etc. Foursquare, a social media company involved in driving consumers to merchants built a mobile application, wherein users can “check in” to various merchants, know about and gain discounts and special deals.  Further, users could also earn points and badges for frequently checking-in to the app, following friends and visiting the merchants.

    Achievement- Many people feel a constant need to achieve. The feeling of accomplishment is a key motivator in them. To some, accomplishing difficult things provide a new high. A gamified interface must also cater to this human desire. Give your users some goals-easy, moderate and difficult- and let them revel in accomplishing something. The official Starbucks mobile app can be a good example where users earn stars for various activities and those who earn a particular number of stars gets a free drink.

    Self-expression- The urge of the people to express themselves and showcase their style, taste and personality can also be used for gamification. Virtual goods can be a good way to provide an opportunity and satisfy the desire of self-expression. Virtual goods are also an excellent way to monetize your gamified interface and earn some revenue out of it. The best example of monetizing an interface and tapping self-expression of the users is Farmville.

    Competition- A competitive environment goes a long way in motivating consumers towards a desired action and repeat it frequently. Most of us love to perform and compare our performance against others. So, allow users of your gamified interface to compete against others and display their performances. Those at the top will enjoy while those at the bottom will remain motivated to occupy the top slot. Leaderboard in popular mobile game Fruit Ninja is a good example of creating a competitive environment.

    While the above mentioned game dynamics are popular and widely used in gamification, it is not an end in itself. As gamification goes mainstream, many novel experiments and innovations with the gamification concept have also targeted several other inherent human motivators such as altruism, gifting, blissful productivity, community collaboration, ownership etc. However, the underlying principle remains the same- target and satisfy the inner desires of your consumers and get the desired action. Overall, an intelligent mix of game dynamics with smart and innovative game mechanics is the underpinning formula behind the success of gamification.

    Blog

    Game-mechanics: Key to Gamification

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    In our last article, Gamification: An Introduction, we defined Gamification, in business context, as a technique that employs game-mechanics such as points, levels, virtual or real goods and game dynamics like reward, status, competition and achievement etc.,  into non-gaming activities like website, social media and other marketing campaigns so as to encourage user participation and engagement.

    There are two important tools to the process of gamification, game-mechanics and game-dynamics. In this article, we will discuss game-mechanics.

    Game-mechanics can be defined as constructs of rules-actions, behaviors and control mechanisms etc., employed to make a game engaging and enjoyable. Points, Levels and Virtual Goods etc., are some of the popular elements involved in game-mechanics. Simply told, game-mechanics is nothing but a package of simple concepts that work together to make a gamified interface compelling, enjoyable and interesting for the user and makes him interact with it frequently. It is all about, targeting the motivations and desires of the users so as to get desired action from him/her.

    Let’s discuss in detail some of the popular and widely used elements of Game-mechanics-

    Points and Credits – One of the popularly used game-mechanics element is giving points or credits for an activity. Points for visiting a website, credits for referring it to friends and so on. The popularity of points/credits in gamification and its success reveals that people get a new high and pleasure even if there is nothing valuable associated with the point system. However, when points are allowed to be redeemed against some real goods or services then it becomes more rewarding for the user, ignites the will to win and makes his engagement worthy.

    Levels –
    So many games consists of levels. You have to clear one level before you get access to other and so on. A users clears one level, move into the next one and he/she become different from the rest. Add sharing and status display and you will find users hooked to your gamified interface.

    Challenges – Challenges like earning a badge, winning a trophy etc., provides a sense of accomplishment to the user. Now, allow him to share or display his achievement and you provide a most-desired- sense of achievement and pleasure of a winner. Challenges sets a goal for a user, keeps him/her going and investing time and efforts to win the coveted.

    Virtual Goods – A gamified interface or platform becomes more interesting and engaging by adding buying or gaining virtual goods or currency. The gaming history is replete with games wherein users have happily bought virtual goods for real currencies so that they can use it in their games. It also provides the business an excellent opportunity to monetize its platform and earn revenue.

    Leaderboards –
    Leaderboards target the competitive spirit innate in an individual and motivates him to emerge the best. Build a system where your user base has to compete against each other and maintain a score sheet or a performance chart. The user earns name, fame and you earn his loyalty.

    While the above mentioned elements of game-mechanics are the most popularly used in Gamification, there are many different variations based on these concepts which are employed by businesses to gamify their platforms. Organizations who want to employ gamification as a strategy to engage and reward their customers will have to mix-n-match various elements of the game mechanics to make the interface relatively more enjoyable and competitive so as to hit the right emotions of its targeted consumer base and get desired actions from them. In future, as gamification gets wider space in marketing strategies of businesses, more and more experiments and innovations in the game-mechanics is expected. With such huge potential, sky is only the limit!

    The article is a part of Gamification series. In the next post, we will discuss another key element of gamification- the game dynamics. Stay tuned!

    Blog

    The Android Story

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    The entry of Android and its subsequent growth has completely altered the smartphone landscape in the last few years. In a short span of time, it became one of the leading smartphone OS, preferred by many mobile handset manufacturers and a choice of millions of users. A success story of the decade, Android, according to many, is poised to occupy the #1 position in the OS market. So, as a tribute, we attempted to trace the footprints of Android’s fascinating journey and provide you with a visual account of the Android history. “The Android Story” traces the origin of Android, how it evolved with different versions and how it grew on popularity and market share over the years.

    To view the full infographic click here.

    Our other infographics-

    The smartphone app-o-graphic.

    The evolution of mobile operating systems.

    Blog

    NFC- A Close Enough Future

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    Imagine this, if you were to walk into a store and instead of paying with a credit card, you could simply “tap” your NFC-enabled-phone with that of the retailer and walk out with your purchase.

    Or Imagine this. You buy a new bed that arrives in a box and not assembled. You tap your NFC smartphone on a tag that is on the box and immediately a video plays and shows you how to put the bed together.

    Or how about this? You are at an automobile dealer, looking at a new car and decide to buy one. You pull out your NFC-enabled-smartphone, your bank identifies you, with your location and offers you a 5 year personal loan or an option to lease the car.

    Fantastic? Futuristic? Fairy Tale like? “Fair”y enough!

    O.K, so what is this NFC?

    NFC or Near Field Communication is a standards based connectivity technology that tries to harness today’s wireless, contactless technologies. It allows for simplified transactions, data exchange and connections with a touch or perhaps even mere proximity.

    NFC is a set of short-range wireless technologies, requiring a distance of 4 cms or less. It is built on the universally implemented ISO, ECMA and ETSI standards.

    However NFC alone does not ensure secure communications.

    NFC does not offer protection against “eavesdropping” and is vulnerable to data modifications. Apps will have to use cryptographic protocols, perhaps even the industry’s best. Ensuring security of NFC data will require a holistic effort from device providers, customers, application providers and transaction parties. Device providers will have to safeguard NFC enabled phones with better and more powerful cryptography and authentication protocols.

    NFC vs. BlueTooth

    Though, it may not appear so, it is quite evident after careful study of the specifications, that it is pointless to compare NFC and BlueTooth.

    NFC is designed for limited data transfer (max of 424 Kb/s) and a very quick handshake (which we termed as a “tap” in our examples) of 0.1 second. BlueTooth on the other hand has a range of 5 or more meters, operates at 2.1 Mb/s with a longer handshake time, the longest of which can last unto 4-5 minutes.

    The difference lies in the simplicity of the solution. With BlueTooth, the pairing dance often fails and is undoubtedly, painful. In case of NFC, the pairing is instant, in less than a tenth of a second. Secondly the distance over which BlueTooth devices typically communicate ranges around 10 meters. NFC can be used only in the “cm” range, even less than 10 cm! And the amount of data that can be transferred is largely limited and can be tightly controlled, using security algorithms.

    The way ahead for NFC

    PayPal has demonstrated Android-to-Android NFC Payments, in the MobileBeat 2011 event at San Francisco. Clearly indicates that the industry’s best brains are working at it.

    It is not hard to imagine how NFC can be integrated into our daily lives. Already millions of people are using NFC to do their day-to-day transactions.

    Does it not seem logical, that the folks who offer you discount coupons and QR codes, also accept the redemption of the same, via the “same” device? Doesn’t it make the solution simple and elegant?

    In Austria, people are using NFC-enabled-devices for Payments on Public Transport. In France, services ranging from Museum entry fees to Loyalty programs and Event Ticketing are taken care of by NFC. Netherlands even does Employee payments via NFC. And guess what? In Sweden, your Hotel Keys are your NFC-enabled-Smartphones.

    Want proof that NFC is catching on in the gaming world? Matthew Wilson of Rovio Mobile claims that there is a great potential to make NFC cool. Rovio Mobile has integrated NFC tags into Angry Birds plush toys. Reading the tag with an NFC mobile device can unlock levels in the game or give you Facebook credits.

    Integrating NFC tags into toys is yet another way retailers can drive people to retailers, leading to better sales. Perhaps, retailers can boost their sales, by allowing customers to touch their NFC phone to their displays. Rovio has already taken the first step towards it.

    Combining NFC with check-in apps like Foursquare or Gowalla can multiply the sales potential for retailers. Just like how businesses can track the effectiveness of their NFC kiosks, they can also track the “social” effect and the path of their campaigns, like how a specific coupon was redeemed, and how close or far the NFC retailer was from the user’s location, among other data.

    NFC devices are absolutely fantastic to play “treasure-hunt” like games, as seen in the Sundance Film Festival held earlier this year. And going by the response, we can be sure, that NFC Devices are going to catch on “like wildfire”.

    But, NFC is not without its own concerns.

    The first major issue that comes to one’s mind considering NFC is the fact that the “phone” itself is a target for thieves. Let’s take a simple scenario, where you lose your Debit/Credit Card. It would take you, on an average, half an hour to get to customer care and explain your predicament. And then, another half an hour in sorting out the formalities, all the while hoping that the thief hasn’t siphoned off your account. With NFC in place, imagine the mayhem it will cause. By the time you are done with your formalities, your bank-balance will be a thing of the past, by the time you finish blocking your NFC payment system.

    The biggest challenge for NFC is that in every single interaction, there are stakeholders and processes that govern it, and the goal of all of them is to minimize the process to a singular action by the end-user.

    Standardization, Compatibility and Interoperability are just not the answers. Behind NFC lies a series of interconnections, all of which need to happen with clockwork precision for processes to be streamlined. NFC will require many parties to trust and eventually may become liable for their actions. Who takes the liability when the wrong person gets hold of the NFC-enabled-smartphone? Do I need to trust everybody else involved?

    It all boils down to the comfort and convenience of the end-user ultimately. Convenience is pushing all the unpleasant interactions and details into the background, and comfort is the act of showing the user, how to achieve what he wants with the minimum number of key-presses.

    Is there a silver bullet? Let’s wait and watch.

    Blog

    Did Google Make Changes to Android Market Ranking Algorithm Once Again?

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    Google has always been more sophisticated than Apple when it comes to app store ranking algorithms and they did a major change towards the end of March when a lot of apps lost their rankings and some apps jumped on to the top spots overnight. A quick analysis of those movements showed that the Android Market ranking algorithm was rewarding apps with higher user engagement compared to the ones that had huge volume of downloads but poor user retention and engagement. In fact a “sticky factor” was generating a lot of buzz among Android developers which was calculated as a ratio of daily active users to monthly active users.

    While developers were just settling to that it seem Google might be rolling out another major updated to the ranking algorithm, especially for keyword searches in Android market.

    Two of our client’s apps for which we offer app marketing seem to have gone through extraordinary ranking changes for their targeted keyword searches in the Android Market. For some of the keywords where these apps were ranked in top 5 has now slipped to positions between 11 to 21. The biggest move however, has been one of the keywords that was in position 12 and now slipped to 120. We also saw some positive movement where another keyword moved from position 78 to position 17.

    At this point we have just observed the changes and the nature of the changes tell us that this is not one of those regular ups and downs but probably a new Android Market ranking algorithm that we will now have to figure. We would need a lot more data to substantiate the assumption and have a better understanding of what these changes might be.

    While this updates are targeted towards improving the overall experience in the Android Market and rewarding truly good apps it will make life difficult for app marketers and also developers who have utility apps that are not required so often or cater to a very small niche.

     

    Announcements

    [x]cube LABS Wins Notable Award at Core 77 Design Awards

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    Awards and appreciations keep us going. We not only take it as a ‘pat on the back’ for our work but also take great inspiration from it in the future. Our design team, over the years, has been doing some great work – coming up with highly creative and ingenious designs, which are not only well-appreciated by our clients but has also been recognized in various platforms, across the globe. Recently we won the Bronze Award at Dallas Show for one of our apps and the story continues.

    This time, the [x]cube LABS design team has brought home the “Notable” award in INTERACTIVE / WEB / MOBILE category at the Core 77 Design Awards. Core77 Design Awards celebrates outstanding design and designers across a wide array of disciplines and provides a global platform that honors the best and most impactful work on an annual basis. Our entry to the contest was bodybuggSP, an iPhone and iPod application developed for our client 24 Hour Fitness.

    Developed for 24 Hour Fitness, the bodybuggSP keeps an accurate daily count of calories burned and provides the ability to keep track of what you eat. So, as to keep you informed, make decisions, and more effectively manage your weight.

    Announcements

    [X]cited for Core77 Design Awards

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    We always make concentrated efforts to deliver the best and of global standards to our clients. Apart from rich appreciation from our clients, we also love to showcase our work and being recognized in various global platforms- just like our work was appreciated at Dallas Show. This time, we are happy to participate in the inaugural Core77 Design Awards, an event that celebrates outstanding design and designers across a wide array of disciplines and provides a global platform that honors the best and most impactful work on an annual basis. We are proud to be selected as finalists in such a major platform and keenly awaiting for the results!

    Announcements

    [x]cube LABS sponsors DFW SEM- A Panel Discussion on Mobile Marketing Techniques

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    At [x]cube LABS, it has always been our endeavor to keep ourselves updated with changing landscape in the mobile computing industry so that we can think ahead of the curve and be well-prepared for the future. Meeting various stakeholders in the mobile computing ecosystem, engaging with them in meaningful contemplations and deriving mutual benefits out of it is a part of our ‘Think Ahead’ strategy. As part of our endeavor, [x]cube LABS is sponsoring “DFW SEM- A Panel Discussion on Mobile Marketing Techniques and Technologies” this Wednesday, July 13, 2011.

    The DFW SEM will focus on understanding more about mobile marketing with a panel discussion of the industry, how businesses can make the most of mobile marketing to reach and connect with their target audience and even some lessons learned from experienced

    mobile professionals. The panel will feature moderator and experienced mobile strategist Dan Sturdivant from WrightIMC, Brian Teague, President & Co-Founder at Pocketstop, Chris Hershberger, Manager of Marketing Technology at Michael’s Stores, and Michael Griffith, Creative Director at Bottle Rocket Apps. Combined, these panelists have worked with the best in the industry including FINA, BET, Discovery Channel, National Geographic, AARP, Choctaw Casinos, and many others.

    *The event will take place Wednesday, July 13 from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m at the Renaissance Hotel in Richardson.

    Do join us there!

    Announcements

    [x]cube LABS to sponsor Big(D)ESIGN 2011

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    We will be participating in Big(D)ESIGN 2011, July 14-16, where we have a keynote address in the conference on Saturday, July 16, 2011. Mobile is a newly charted territory for game developers and to be competitive and further extend their consumer base, intuitive UX/UI will be one of the key differentiators.  Our company will focus on Gaming and how developers must slightly re-calibrate their thinking about traditional UI and UX experiences. Why designers must leave room to expand features that stem forward (updates, App purchasing, etc.) and designers approach to UX must focus on user intuition, not purely aesthetics.

    Meet us there!

    big-design

    Blog

    Asia – The new game changer in iPhone app development

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    In the first quarter of 2011, the Asia Pacific region, led by China, contributed staggeringly to iPhone sales volumes. In the second quarter of 2011, iPhone sales in Greater China skyrocketed by nearly 250 percent when compared to Q2, 2010.  In revenues, the region accounted for a little under $5 billion (increase of four times from that of 2010) in the first fiscal half. The trends, at that time, were suggesting that the smartphone battle was heating up in Asia Pacific markets.  And, Apple’s iPhone was significantly increasing its reach in the region.

    iPhone app distribution, majorly influenced by the reach of devices, till now was mostly concentrated on North America and Europe owing to iPhone’s popularity in the region. But that is set to change as market trends suggest a gradual shift in power centre of app business to Asia as iPhones penetrate wide and deep into the emerging markets of the region. The shift of power to Asia will impact iPhone developers who now have to gaze the app market dynamics of Asia and accordingly sync their app development efforts.

    Recently we came across a paper published by Distimo on app distribution and on a little analysis there were some very critical business information found, that would be of interest to any app developer. Here are some of the key findings…

    Time for iPhone Developers to Reconsider Asia–

    (The download volume in the top 300 apps is illustrated in the world map on a logarithmic scale from dark blue to pink with pink representing the highest number of downloads. The largest country is the United States while the smallest country is Uganda.)

    • Most iPhone developers’ currently concentrate on North America and Europe, but it may be time for them to revisit Asia. The United States was and is the prime market for iPhone applications; however China pips ahead of other countries in download volumes to become the second largest market. In addition, a surge in download volumes has been witnessed in Asia alongside a dip in volumes in France and Germany since December.
    • South Korea tells a remarkable story. The app download volume in South Korea is higher than Germany and France. In comparison to countries with larger populations like Japan and China, the download volumes in South Korea stands out even more. Moreover, Games which are the most popular apps in many countries are not available in South Korea, implying South Korea can be a profitable ground for non-Games iPhone developers.

    Asia Shows Strong Preference for Free Apps-

    • The proportion of paid downloads versus the total number of free and paid downloads is markedly lower in Asia than U.S. or European countries. Asia appears to be more price-sensitive, with strong preference for free apps than paid ones.
    • App revenue in Asia is about two-thirds of the revenue in U.S. and Japan accounts for greater part in Asia.

    Monetizing App, Tad Difficult in Asia –

    Proportional revenue from in-app purchases from 200 top selling iPhone applications for Singapore, and Malaysia is higher than in the United States. In China only 34% of the revenue from the 200 top applications is generated from apps with in-app purchase feature.  This indicates that iPhone developers will find monetizing their apps a tad difficult in Asia. However, there is hope for developers, as evidenced in the United States where revenue from in-app purchases rose from 39% to 68% over the last year.

    SAME CATEGORIES OF APPS ARE POPULAR IN US & ASIA-

    The category breakdown of 300 popular applications reveal that there is no major difference between the United States and Asia market in the popularity of categories of applications.

    LOCALIZE CONTENT TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN ASIA-

    The regional concentration of applications in Asian countries, with an average of 34% of the top applications are only popular within the region whereas in the US and Europe, only 20% of the applications are regionally popular. The differences become even larger in Asia when observed at the individual country level. Users in China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan particularly have strong preference local apps. So, iPhone developers must localize content in order to be successful in Asia.

    Announcements

    [x]cube LABS Wins Bronze Award at The Dallas Show

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    Dallas, TX., June 14, 2011- Leading mobile technology company, [x]cube LABS, has won the prestigious Bronze award at The Dallas Show 2011 organized by DSVC ( The Dallas Society of Visual Communications). The company won the award for Interactive category for “Mobile + Experience” for its mobile application LoyalTree Rewards. The Bronze award was presented to Mr. Justin Pocta, design team member, [x]cube LABS in a well-attended award ceremony at Dallas Contemporary Museum.

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    Commenting on this accolade Brock Bergman CEO of LoyalTree said, “When we were looking for a partner to help us bring the LoyalTree vision to life we literally scoured the country. What we ended up finding in [x]cube LABS was an organization that not only understood our goals immediately, but they also made it very clear that every single detail was important to them.” He also added, “After long, tedious efforts, we found a design that truly spoke to us, and [x]cube helped make this possible. I would recommend their design team to anyone and look forward to working with them well into the future of our company.”

    The Dallas Show—an annual professional awards show for regional studios is organized by DSVC (The Dallas Society of Visual Communications). The DSVC Professional Show is one of the preeminent creative competitions in the country, showcasing the very best of the past year’s accomplishments in design, advertising, photography, and illustration.

    Two of [x]cube’s designs, LoyalTree and Zephyr were nominated for the final round of the competition, where the Jury adjudged LoyalTree Rewards as one of the medal winners.

    “The DSVC award recognizes the significant efforts made by [x]cube LABS in mobile app design and development, and is a tribute to the creative artistes of our organization, who think out of the box and come with innovative and ingenious designs to provide the best mobile experience to a user.” said Mr. Ravi Korukonda, COO of [x]cube LABS.

    The award winning ‘LoyalTree Rewards’ is an application for iPhone, iPad and iPod that offers users a brand new way to save money and earn rewards at favorite local destinations in their city.

    Blog

    Insights and Analysis on Mobile App Development

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    A latest research report-The Developer Economics 2011- by VisionMobile, conducted between January and April 2011, among the 900+ developers, reveals key insights and analysis on mobile app development.

    Some of the key takeaways from the report are-

    Developer mindshare

    iOS and Android continue to maintain their dominance with 67% of developers presently using Android and 59% using iOS. Windows is not yet emerged as a commercially viable platform whereas Symbian and Java ME are the platforms with the highest developer abandonment rates.

    App-o-nomics

    Large market penetration is the key reason in platform selection followed by the ability to make money, low cost development tools and the ability to quickly code and prototype.

    Not every developer is making money. About a third of mobile app developers make less than $1,000 USD per app. Moreover 50% of the developers make money through a salary or commission highlighting the importance of corporate monetization.

    Pay-per-download is the top revenue model for developers who aim to make money directly from apps followed by advertising and freemium model where users download an app free and then pay to upgrade.

    In terms of platform revenue potential, there are huge discrepancies across platforms. iOS topped the chart, followed by Java ME and BlackBerry. Android and mobile web were the weakest performing platforms in terms of revenue potential.

    App stores

    For 45% of app developers, app stores are the major go-to-market channel with once dominating operator portals losing significance. The ability to reach users is the most important reason behind developers’ inclination for 50% of developers.

    Developers see app store fragmentations as a major challenge with each of the app stores having its own procedures and regulations for app submission, revenue model and payment terms.

    App Development

    Mobile web due to complex stack of languages and technology frameworks aren’t an easy platform to learn.

    Contrary to popular belief, Google is managing Android fragmentation relatively well whereas BlackBerry and Java ME developers suffer more from platform fragmentation needing to produce almost twice the number of app versions when compared to Android developers.

    As distributing apps globally and developing apps regionally becomes easier, Localisation will become a primary issue for developers in the near future.

    iOS, Android and mobile web developers were found to be the most active users of cloud APIs, while BlackBerry and Java developers were late adopters.

    Smartphone App Developers are also gearing up for a multi-screen future with close to 50% of them also developing apps for mid-range feature phones. Close to 25% of developers are thinking of developing apps for TV and set-top boxes in the future.

    Global brands are playing an active role in the app economy. While mobile app developers and platform vendors have kick-started the apps phenomenon, it’s the global brands and local businesses that are fuelling the mobile app economy.

    Blog

    Mobile App Industry Trends [INFOGRAPHIC]

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    The first mobile application store-Apple App Store- was launched on 10th July, 2008. Nearly 3 years after the launch of the first app store, and with app market or store for every major platform and several third party stores, the app ecosystem has steadily grown to become a world in its own. ‘The smartphone App-o-graphic’ intends to showcase the current state of the app ecosystem and also attempts to look into the future to measure the smartphone app store growth trajectory.

    For complete infographic and high resolution image click here.

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    Evolution of Mobile Operating Systems

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    [x]cube has been in the mobile app development space for almost 3 years now and we have worked with almost all the smart phone platforms. Looking back at the days gone by is often fun and it gives a feeling of excitement to think of how technology has evolved so fast.  While discussing the evolution of mobile operating systems and how we moved from the good old days of Palm OS 1.0 to the recent iPhone 4 and Android HoneyComb, we decided to put up this information in a more interesting and graphical manner that would not just interest geeks like us but also the everyday mobile user. Check out the info graphics on Evolution of Mobile operating system here.

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    5 Common Mistakes That Android Developers Do

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    Android Application development is a professional process which needs a lot of expertise. However, there are few key areas where in even expert Android app developers tend to compromise. Here are some of the common mistakes that you must avoid with your Android app development.

    1. Version Compatibility – a Pain for Android Developers
    Android has seen frequent updates and there are too many versions of the OS in the market now. While most users do upgrade there are still many Android devices which runs on Android 1.0. If an application is developed with any one specific version of the OS in mind then the app might not do well or might even crash when run on earlier versions of Android.  It is extremely important for android developers to do proper testing across multiple OS versions and ensure that the application runs smoothly across versions.

    2. Managing Different Devices – The UI Challenge for Android Developers
    User interface design is very crucial in Android application development and also often the most neglected. There are innumerable devices with a wide variety of screen sizes that runs Android making it a major challenge for developers to ensure that the app looks good in all screen sizes and resolutions.

    3. Android Developer Really Don’t Care About Battery Life of a Device
    One issue which Larry Page reported earlier that badly coded applications cause battery of Smartphones to drain very quickly. Developers should take a clue from this that clean coding is not just an accessory but also it is a must. If your application takes a toll on the phone’s battery life then chances of using the application is very less. Another major flaw seen in many Android applications is that developers create bulky widget which often refreshes itself again and again. This cause higher load time and also drains the battery faster. Another often forgotten issue is that applications when not active should be automatically dimmed in order to save battery life.

    4. User Experience – Often Low in Priority for Android Developers
    One thing which even awesomely coded applications often lack is a good UI design. A bad user experience can be a real turn off and one has to be very careful regarding this. If an app is not usable then the possibility of application usage are pretty less which would mean all the hard work go worth less.

    5. No Proper Memory Resource Management
    Most applications don’t effectively use the available memory resources. A memory when not in use should be terminated and an application when running should use as minimum memory as possible. This is important as poor memory management can lead to sluggishness in the device and will bring down its efficiency.

    Does your Andorid app take care of all these points? Need some help with Android development? Speak to our experts today.

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    5 Things You Should Know About iPhone Application Development

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    At [x]cube we get frequent queries from aspiring developers who wants to start with iPhone app development. Here in this blog post we put together five basic points that you must be aware of if you aspire to be an iPhone app developer.

    Since the advent of the first iPhone and the announcement of the launch of the App Store, iPhone application development got the attention of developers around the world. Many budding and professional developers feel that there is an immense possibility for both fame and money once you are able to establish a successful brand in iPhone app development industry. But before venturing into this business developers need to know few basic facts pertaining to iPhone application development so that one starts on a high note.

    1. iPhone Application Development is laid on Cocoa framework

    Cocoa is Apple owned native object-oriented application program environment earlier built for Mac OS X operating system. The cocoa originated from the NeXTSTEP and OPENSTEP programming environments which later became Apple’s property after they acquired the company NeXT. All iPhone applications are developed on this framework hence a thorough understanding of this framework is a must for every aspiring developer.

    2. Apple doesn’t allow cross-platform code in AppStore

     

    3. Good iPhone Apps need good designer

    iPhone application development is not just about complex coding logic. Instead an app should have proper graphics and have good user interface design in order that the applications appeal to a user. An iPhone developer should be aware that he has to make visually appealing graphics within the limited dimensions of the screen.

    4. Apple iPhone / iPad doesn’t support Flash

    An important thing to remember for all aspiring iPhone developers and especially for the ones who  plan to move from web to iPhone,  is that iPhone doesn’t support Flash. This would mean one has to be proficient in HTML 5 and other potential flash replacement techniques.

    5. Thorough understanding of Apple T&C

    Apple closely monitors submitted applications before App Store approval so a developer has to be thorough with Apple’s terms and conditions and ensure that their apps abide by all the terms before submitting the app to App Store.