Category: Apps

Fans of these hot celebrities can get their smartphones and tablets geared up for some upcoming releases.

If there is one thing that has become quite commonplace in the world of mobile games, it’s that top celebrities are enjoying the chance to add their own names to the mix, and this trend doesn’t appear to be slowing down.

The latest entrants into the mobile gaming app world will be a top rap artist and a leading actor.

Nicki Minaj will soon be joining others in the music industry who have released mobile games, in the hopes of achieving similarly successful download numbers. She will be following in the footsteps of others such as Katy Perry, and will be doing so with the same developer: Glu Mobile. That company is also the mobile game developer behind the recent release of Kim Kardashian: Hollywood.

Nicki Minaj isn’t alone in upcoming celebrity mobile games, as Jason Statham will also have one by this fall.

Statham, best known for his role in The Transporter, will have a Glu Mobile game of his own, too.

As has been the case in previous mobile gaming offerings from Glu Mobile, these celebrities will be adding their likenesses and voices to the games, to provide fans with a more authentic experience by way of their mobile devices.

While Minaj’s mobile app isn’t expected to be released until next summer, and not as much is known about the precise design and purpose of the game, in Statham’s case, the design is a little bit clearer. His game will be called “Sniper X: Kill Confirmed”. It will be out in the fall and will have some features that will feel rather familiar to people who have previously downloaded games from this mobile developer; that is, the celebrity name, likeness, and voice.

However, it deviates from those mobile games a little bit in that it is a first-person shooter that focuses more on that style of entertainment than actually interacting with the celebrity, himself. Most of the specifics on this game have not yet been released, so it is not clear exactly how this game will differ from the dozens of other similar options that are already available to be downloaded.

More consumers are beginning to rely on mobile retail apps to shop online

Consumers are beginning to use applications more frequently when doing their shopping online. A new report from Apptentive, an app marketing firm, shows that 88% of mobile users now use retail applications when shopping online. This is leading to a rise in mobile commerce activity, as consumers are beginning to favor the convenience it represents. With the holiday season coming, many people are expected to rely on their mobile devices in order to avoid large crowds at physical stores.

61% of consumers use their mobile apps to make a purchase at least once a month

According to the report from Apptentive, even consumers that prefer shopping in physical stores are using their mobile devices more frequently to find products that they are interested in. Approximately 47% of consumers plan to make at least one purchase through a mobile retail application during the upcoming holiday season. Of those that already use these apps, 61% said that they use them at least once a month.

Mobile commerce market continues to see healthy growth

Over the past few years, mobile commerce has managed to experience explosive growth, much of which comes during the holiday season. Many retailers have begun to grow more mobile-centric, employing ways to effectively engage consumers that are relying on their smartphones and tablets. Sometimes, this comes in the form of offering mobile shoppers special deals, which has helped mobile commerce grow more attractive to consumers. Many people still do not use a mobile device to make a purchase, but they do use their devices to research products that they are interested in before visiting a store to make a purchase.

Mobile transactions are growing among retailers

Retailers are beginning to see a greater portion of their sales come from mobile commerce. Starbucks, for instance, has reported that mobile commerce now accounts for 20% of all in-store transactions, which represents more than 9 million mobile payments made every week. As mobile commerce becomes more important for consumers, companies like Starbucks are expected to place more emphasis on engaging mobile consumers in order to drive further sales.