Written by Stephen Vagus

Author: Stephen

Mobile games showing strong progress around the world

Stephen | May 29, 2013

Report highlights the growth of mobile games over handhelds

IDC, a leading market analysis firm, and App Annie, a resource for Apple-centric information, have come together to release a new report concerning emerging trends seen in mobile games. The report, called “App Annie & IDC Portable Gaming Report,” shows that mobile games have managed to establish strong momentum over the years, especially when it comes to iOS devices. The iOS platform has become one of the most popular platforms for mobile games, so much so that these games are beginning to perform better than traditional handheld games.

Mobile games beat handhelds in terms of revenue

Mobile games have become one of the most lucrative sectors of the game industry. Developers and publishers around the world have begun focusing more heavily on the mobile space in order to tap into the powerful economic activity that is occurring therein. According to the report from IDC and App Annie, spending on mobile games has increased significantly over the past year and has, for the first time, outpaced the revenue that traditional handheld games produce.

Android may become powerful gaming platforms, eventually

The report shows that the iOS is leading the way in terms of mobile games spending. Google’s Android is lagging behind both the iOS platform and traditional handhelds in terms of gaming, but the report suggests that this may change in the next financial quarter. Google has been reforming its approach to gaming and mobile applications, introducing significant changes to its Google Play service. These changes are expected to help the company put more focus on mobile games. This focus is likely to propel Android ahead of handheld consoles in the future.

Mobile games may soon cut into console markets

The report indicates that there are a rising number of new markets emerging in the mobile gaming sector. In these markets, consumers are showing strong interest in mobile games of all kinds. Many of these markets happen to be in Asia, where smartphones and tablets are already quite popular. As mobile games continue to grow in power, they may soon begin to cut into the profits that have kept traditional handheld consoles afloat for several years.

Tablets prove popular mobile payments platforms for travelers

Stephen | May 27, 2013

Study shows tablets are favored for mobile payments

JiWire, a leading location-based mobile marketing firm, has released a new study concerning how consumers use their mobile devices to participate in mobile payments. The study, titled “Q1 2013 Mobile Audience Insights Report,” highlights the fact that consumers are becoming increasingly mobile; not in the sense that they are using mobile devices but that they are on the move more often than they have been in the past. Thanks to mobile technology, these consumers have the ability to stay connected to the Internet, allowing them to shop online no matter where they are in the world. For this reason, mobile payments have become especially popular among frequent travelers.

Travelers favor convenience over tradition

For travelers, convenience is often a top priority issue. Traveling itself is sometimes a chaotic and stressful endeavor, which can be exacerbated by having to deal with traditional forms of commerce. Mobile payments represent an easier way to pay for products and services given that these payments are entirely digital and do not deal with physical forms of currency. This has made mobile commerce popular with travelers that favor convenience and simplicity over traditional forms of commerce.

Study shows that tablets lead smartphones and laptops

According to the study, some 52% of travel booked in the first quarter of this year was made using a tablet device. The study suggests that consumers favor their tablet devices when it comes to mobile payments and travel. Smartphones and laptops were also used for travel booking, but tablets were praised for providing a more enjoyable and convenient experience over other platforms. This is similar to a trend that exists in the retail industry, where tablet consumers have been showing more interest in mobile payments than those using smartphones.

Mobile commerce impacting consumer behavior

JiWire notes that mobile commerce is beginning to impact consumer behavior across several sectors. Consumers are showing that they are more interested in mobile payments than traditional forms of commerce. Whether or not this trend will continue to gain momentum into the future is not certain, but consumers are currently eager to become more involved in the realm of mobile payments.