Category: Apps

Application developers felt that providing consumers with a smooth experience was by far the most important consideration.

Adding a mobile commerce experience to apps has given developers a whole new way to monetize their products. Now, they aren’t simply reliant upon the purchase price of the application to make money. Furthermore, enabling ads is also not the only route available to them, particularly when offering a free app.

That said, the choice to include an m-commerce checkout option also comes with several additional decisions.

For the vast majority of app developers, providing a smooth and seamless mobile commerce experience is the highest priority. They strive to provide the consumer with a frictionless experience. The hope is to add to the experience for the user, instead of detracting from it. This, according to The Evolving State of Mobile Commerce study by VisionMobile.

That research provided insight based on the participation of 1,986 app developers. These developers all used the VisionMobile platform for the m-commerce component of their apps.

The mobile commerce experience survey revealed that there are certain strategies that most developers have in common.

Among the respondents, 53 percent said they used app-store billing. This made it by far the most popular among the mobile payments options available. Geography played a role in the most popular billing methods. In emerging markets, operator billing – also known as carrier billing – were most common. This was because those are markets in which it is not commonplace to have credit cards. Thirty three percent of app developers in Africa and the Middle East used that form of payment method for their mobile commerce apps.

The survey revealed that there are three main considerations for app developers when choosing m-commerce payment methods. Those considerations were:

• Seamless and frictionless user experience – easily the most important factor, taking a top priority by 66 percent of respondents. In fact 53 percent said smooth mobile commerce experience was more important than cost.
• Security and the ability to prove it – they need to be able to enable secure payments and show that to consumers.
• Capabilities for international expansion – apps need the potential to grow beyond specific borders or regions.

The popular mobile app is reportedly working on its first ever hardware product which will provide AR.

Snapchat is reportedly in the midst of developing its first hardware offering in the form of an augmented reality headset. Reports have stated that it will arrive in the form of AR glasses that will be comparable to the HoloLens from Microsoft or even Google Glass.

As of yet, Snapchat has yet to officially confirm that it is indeed pursuing this type of device.

At the same time, more fuel was added to the fire behind the claim that Snapchat was coming up with an augmented reality headset following a recent move. The disappearing photo app joined the Bluetooth Special Interest Group. That is a wireless technology industry body. It suggests that, at the very least, Snapchat is working on a device of some kind.

Moreover, this would not be Snapchat’s first foray into the world of augmented reality technology. It has already added a spectrum of new filters – called Lenses – within its mobile app.

The augmented reality headset would take the experience beyond accessorizing selfies.

While the Lenses make it possible to add drawings, masks and other kinds of alterations and accessories to photos, the device would take digital enhancements beyond pictures. The company would be able to take a similar concept to Lenses and apply it to wearable technology. It would be possible without needing to look at a smartphone screen.

The company has also reportedly been hiring from augmented reality departments of large tech firms. These include Google, Logitech and even Nokia. While there has been some interest in AR expressed by Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft, none of these giants have yet to launch a successful product based on that tech.

Google had a limited launch of its Google Glass wearable technology, having unveiled it in 2012. However, it halted its sales only three years later in part because of the criticism it drew regarding its hefty price and certain usage habits. For instance, drivers were being pulled over for being behind the wheel while wearing it. People were being questioned by police when wearing them into movie theatres. Moreover, the general public disliked the fact that they could be filmed by a wearer without knowing it.

In 2014, Snapchat acquired an augmented reality headset product making company called Vergence Labs. Ahead of the acquisition, the company launched a fashionable glasses range called Epiphany Eyewear which can record up to 32GB of footage and store it.