What Kevin Benedict is Learning about Enterprise Mobility this Month

Opinions?  I want to
hear them!

Mobile technology is fun and interesting, but the real impact of mobile technology is when companies adapt and evolve their business strategies, models and business processes because of it.  I am doing a lot of research in this area now.  The real-time and mobile enterprise is a different animal.  Just like modern military strategies have completely changed based upon persistent surveillance, real-time field visibility, remote sensors, mobile resources, mobile assets, connected troops and unified communications, business strategies must also change.

It is not mobile device security that is important, but mobile app and data security.

I have met with over a dozen large companies in the past few weeks and all have many mobile projects that they are researching and considering.

The best "idea generators" and most creative people in a company are technology early adopters.  Companies should encourage them to use new technologies and reap the benefits in innovation.

SAP/Sybase is investing a lot of thought and resources into the concept of enterprise mobile app stores.  Their strategy, as I understand it, is to develop the frameworks and infrastructure that companies will need to manage, trust and secure hundreds of different mobile solutions from many different vendors.

Sybase still needs to learn more about supporting end user customers, rather than ISV partners.  They must limit their blanket marketing statements, and get specific with what they support today, and what they will support over time.  For example, don't say you support mobile devices that use the Microsoft OS, if you don't yet support Windows Phone 7 with Afaria.  This is important to the company that is ordering devices today.  Don't say you support Android OS, if you are supporting only a subset of Android with specific device manufacturers.  Again this is very important to the company ordering devices today.  Be specific about today's supported devices.  Provide specific guidance and details to the people purchasing devices.

I am seeing that it is extremely hard for a corporate IT organization to figure out an enterprise wide mobile middleware strategy.  There are so many decision points and variables that this discussion just sinks into the mire.  It is far easier to choose the best mobile app for a business process.  I think once there are enough mobile apps that use SUP, then the mobile middleware discussion and strategy will be far easier.

I am seeing third party mobility vendors turning away from the SAP mobile app market, because they don't have visibility into where there are opportunities to make money.  They hear SAP/Sybase talking about developing hundreds of mobility apps, so this market seems to be risky, shrinking and not worth their future investment.  Yet, I hear SAP/Sybase saying they need and want third party mobility vendors to develop mobile applications.  There is some work needed here on SAP/Sybase's part to give better guidance and incentives to third party mobility vendors.

Corporate IT is still struggling with developing a master plan for mobility.  As a result selling to the corporate IT organization is often slow and difficult, however, departments and business units are buying enterprise mobility solutions today for the line of business.

If an IT organization forbids mobile solutions, the IT organization will become irrelevant to the company as mobility is unavoidable. 

The M2M (machine to machine) communications market is growing faster and faster.  The ability for smartphones and other computers to communicate with and operate remote machines is rapidly expanding.  For example New York City is working to wirelessly control and manipulate traffic signals.  The fastest growing market segments in M2M are medical equipment, healthcare apps and in-vehicle systems.

I am seeing and learning about more and more mobility vendors using a cloud computing model.  The line of business can quickly subscribe and use mobile apps from cloud computing vendors with minimal IT involvement.  This is how the line of business can avoid the glacieral decision making pace of corporate IT departments.

What have you learned about enterprise mobility this month?  I want to hear it!  Please add your comments!

Upcoming Events

Field Mobility 2011 - Sydney, Australia - Oct 25th-27th
Enterprise Mobility Exchange - November 2 - 3, 2011

Whitepapers of Note

The Business Benefits of Mobile Adoption with SAP Systems
ClickSoftware Mobility Suite and Sybase Mobility Solution
Mobile Adoption Among Gas and Electric Utilities
Mobile Adoption in Life Sciences
Mobile Adoption in Oil and Gas
Networked Field Services

Recorded Webinars of Note

3 Critical Considerations for Embracing Mobile CRM
The Future of Enterprise Mobility
The Latest m-Business Trends and How the Onslaught of Mobile Devices Affects Development Strategies
The Real-Time Mobile Enterprise:  The Benefits of Rapid, Easy Access
Syclo and SAP Deliver Mobile Apps on Sybase Unwired Platform

*************************************************************

Kevin Benedict, Independent Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst, SAP Mentor Volunteer

Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict

Join the SAP Enterprise Mobility Group

Read The Mobility News Weekly

Read The M2M News Monthly

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility analyst, consultant and blogger. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

M2M News Weekly - Week of July 25, 2011

Welcome to M2M News Weekly, an online newsletter that consists of the most interesting news and articles related to M2M (machine to machine) and embedded mobile devices.  I aggregate the information, include the original links and add a synopsis of each article.  I also search for the latest market numbers such as market size, growth and trends in and around the M2M market.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Commerce News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobility Charts Weekly
Also read Mobility ROI Weekly

Smart metering will account for over 40 percent of the 400 million M2M connected devices by 2016, according to a report from Juniper Research.  Read Original Content

New York City has developed an M2M enabled, remotely-controlled traffic management center based in Long Island that allows transportation officials to remotely control traffic lights.  Read Original Content

Numerex Corporation, a company with a large M2M division, has seen increased revenues and a strong second quarter based on successful and diversified M2M projects.  Read Original Content

US Energy Group, Special Applied Intelligence and Sprint are teaming up to provide wireless 4G connections to large industrial buildings so that electricity consumption can be more manageable through remote access via the Internet.  Read Original Content

In the upcoming years M2M connected devices are expected to increase as rapidly as the Internet did during the late 1990s through 2000s.  The main drive behind the increase in connected devices will come from home automation, healthcare telematics, tracking devices and connected vehicles.  Read Original Content

Research conducted by TechNavio reveals that the M2M wireless network services market is expected to grow at a annual rate of 27 percent.  Technavio's report, which examines the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions, indicates that the market is currently being driven by the need to comply an increasing number of government regulations.  Read Original Content

Mobile Expert Podcast Series: Sybase's Dan Ortega, Part 2

In part 2 of this audio interview (listen to part 1 here), I ask Dan Ortega, Sybase's Senior Director Product Marketing to explain various security, deployment and management strategies for different enterprise mobility applications.



Upcoming Events

Field Mobility 2011 - Sydney, Australia - Oct 25th-27th
Enterprise Mobility Exchange - November 2 - 3, 2011

Whitepapers of Note

The Business Benefits of Mobile Adoption with SAP Systems
ClickSoftware Mobility Suite and Sybase Mobility Solution
Mobile Adoption Among Gas and Electric Utilities
Mobile Adoption in Life Sciences
Mobile Adoption in Oil and Gas
Networked Field Services

Recorded Webinars of Note

3 Critical Considerations for Embracing Mobile CRM
The Future of Enterprise Mobility
The Latest m-Business Trends and How the Onslaught of Mobile Devices Affects Development Strategies
The Real-Time Mobile Enterprise:  The Benefits of Rapid, Easy Access
Syclo and SAP Deliver Mobile Apps on Sybase Unwired Platform

You can follow me on Twitter @krbenedict and read my blog, Enterprise Mobility Strategies.

*************************************************************

Kevin Benedict, Independent Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst, SAP Mentor Volunteer

Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict

Join the SAP Enterprise Mobility Group

Read The Mobility News Weekly

Read The M2M News Monthly

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility analyst, consultant and blogger. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Mobile Expert Podcast Series: Sybase's Dan Ortega, Part 1

This is part 1 (listen to part 2 here) of an interview that I recorded with Sybase's Senior Director Product Marketing, Dan Ortega.  In this interview Dan discusses the most recent results from a survey that they commissioned on enterprise mobility, the role enterprise app stores will play, and how Afaria helps make the emerging enterprise app store model possible.  Enjoy!

Upcoming Events

Mobile Tablet Trends in the Enterprise featuring Samsung Mobile - July 28, 2011
Enterprise Mobility Exchange - November 2 - 3, 2011

Whitepapers of Note

The Business Benefits of Mobile Adoption with SAP Systems
ClickSoftware Mobility Suite and Sybase Mobility Solution
Mobile Adoption Among Gas and Electric Utilities
Mobile Adoption in Life Sciences
Mobile Adoption in Oil and Gas
Networked Field Services

Recorded Webinars of Note

3 Critical Considerations for Embracing Mobile CRM
The Future of Enterprise Mobility
The Latest m-Business Trends and How the Onslaught of Mobile Devices Affects Development Strategies
The Real-Time Mobile Enterprise:  The Benefits of Rapid, Easy Access
Syclo and SAP Deliver Mobile Apps on Sybase Unwired Platform

You can follow me on Twitter @krbenedict.
*************************************************************

Kevin Benedict, Independent Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst, SAP Mentor Volunteer

Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict

Join the SAP Enterprise Mobility Group

Read The Mobility News Weekly

Read The M2M News Monthly

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility analyst, consultant and blogger. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Mobility News Weekly - Week of July 25, 2011

The Mobility News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news and articles related to enterprise mobility that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting information that reflects market data and trends.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Commerce News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly
Also read Mobile Charts Weekly
Also read Mobility ROI Weekly

A new collaboration between SAP and Google puts your enterprise data on the map, literally.  SAP business analytics software now has a new mapping platform, courtesy of Google.  Read Original Content

New data released this week captures the frenetic growth in the mobile landscape.  As reported by GigaOm, smartphones now make up more than half of all phones sold in the U.S. and data consumption by wireless devices such as smartphones and tablets has skyrocketed.  Compared to first quarter 2010, first quarter 2011 saw a 130 percent increase in mobile data usage.  Read Original Content

Smartphone sales will hit 420 million units by the end of 2011, yet still make up only 28 percent of the market, according to a study released by IMS Research.  Read Original Content

Downloads of mobile apps will approach 48 billion by 2015.  At an average of $2.50 for each mobile app, that’s some serious coin.  Those figures are according to a new In-Stat report, which claims that the numbers add up to more than $29 billion in just four years.  Read Original Content

Global smartphone makers are looking to extend their battlefront to China, the world’s fastest growing smartphone market.  China saw the inventory of smartphones stand at 113.76 million in the first quarter of 2011, jumping 11.2 percent from the previous quarter, according to Analysys International.  Read Original Content

The first smartphone based on the new "Mango" edition of Microsoft's Windows Phone platform was unveiled recently in Tokyo.  The phone is the first of several handsets due over the next few months that Microsoft hopes will signal its return to the smartphone market as a serious player.  Read Original Content

Mobility ROI Weekly - Week of July 25, 2011

This weekly ROI (return on investment) report includes ROIs that I come across in my weekly enterprise mobility, M2M and GPS vehicle tracking research.  The idea is that in the future if you need to find ROIs for companies in various industries, they will be available here.  I hope you find this useful.


Tablets, Mobile Apps and Farm Inspector ROIs

Quality Consultants of New Zealand (QCONZ) specializes in dairy farm audits, and they recently began using tablet devices to inspect New Zealand farms.  They used Motion Computing rugged F5v tablets to equip their inspectors. The ROI result:

• They have gone from 10 days to a 24-hour turnaround on dairy farm audits.  This represents significant improvements in customer service and efficiency.
• Inspectors have reduced their one hour per day spent on paperwork  to a simple sync and send process that takes only five minutes.  This is a significant efficiency gain that allows inspectors time for more productive activities.
• Including handwriting capabilities on the tablets helped with change management and user acceptance, which meant more field workers used the solution.
• Eliminating human error that occurs during data entry and controlling the consistency and parameters of quality testing enhanced their reputation and improved their brand image.
• Accessing existing records and data wirelessly improved efficiency in the field.
• Remote data collection sensors on farms can be read and adjusted using the tablets onsite.  This improves efficiency and reduces travel time going back and forth to the office.

Read original source here.

Mobile App Improves Construction Site Efficiency and Delivers ROIs

Procore Technologies has developed a mobile app for iPhones and Android devices that is designed specifically for contractors and site managers working on commercial and residential developments. The Procore app allows site managers and supervisors to communicate project data to workers through individual smartphones.  The ROI for this app includes:

• The ability for all workers to clearly view work schedules as they are revised and updated improves project quality and efficiency.
• Workers can use their smartphones as mobile time cards, which saves both paper and time when processing paychecks.
• Managers use the mobile app to access and view project documents remotely and in real time.  This eliminates project delays and improves efficiency.
• Supervisors can save time by quickly dictating notes into the mobile app rather than using paper that needs to be re-typed into the system later.

Read original source here.

Eyewear Retailer Realizes RFID ROIs

Santa Fe Optics installed RFID tracking tags on over 900 merchandise items in their stores.  These small electronic tags allow customers to wear the eyeglasses while the RFID tag remained attached to the merchandise.  They have expanded the use of RFID to more stores and these stores realized a significant drop in shoplifting.  After choosing these small RFID tags their ROI was reported to have come from:

• Reduced shoplifting - The reduction in shoplifting more than paid for the entire RFID system.
• Reduced the time needed to take inventory by automatically reading RFID tags in the store.
• Small RFID tags allow customers to try on eyewear without removing tags which improved the customer’s experience.

Read original source here.

Mobile Apps and ROIs In Healthcare

The mobile app entitled DrChrono supports a mobile healthcare services environment.  The mobile app provides hospital workers access to information and tools that are necessary for their services.  The app allows users to view x-rays and patient records on tablets and smartphones while interacting with patients and moving throughout the office.  The reported ROI is:

Mobile Marketing News Weekly - Week of July 27, 2011

The Mobile Marketing News Weekly is an online newsletter that is made up of the most interesting news, articles and links related to mobile marketing that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting market size and market trend information.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Commerce News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly
Also read Mobile Charts Weekly

Pyramid Research reports that global revenue for the location-based services market is expected to reach $10.3 billion in 2015.  Read Original Content

A Forrester Research report claims that people prefer to shop online using tablets rather than smartphones.  Read Original Content

ExactTarget has found that mobile phone users will more likely make a purchase after viewing a mobile email advertisement compared to using a retail app to browse products.  Read Original Content

The steady growth in Apple’s tablet and smartphone sales show that there is a need for businesses to focus more of their marketing strategies on mobile advertising.  Read Original Content

JC Penny is using mobile apps and QR codes to help drive back-to-school sales for this fall.  The company is using barcodes that will guide viewers to the company’s mobile shopping site.  Read Original Content

A survey by Delloitte has found that nearly half of U.S. smartphone owners have used their devices for assistance while shopping for groceries.  Read Original Content

Mobile Commerce News Weekly - Week of July 25, 2011

The Mobile Commerce News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news, articles and links related to mobile payments, mobile money, e-wallets, mobile banking and mobile security that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting market size and market trend information.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly
Also read Mobility Charts Weekly

Worldwide mobile payment users will surpass 141.1 million in 2011, a 38.2 percent increase from 2010, according to Gartner.  Read Original Content

Isis, an NFC payment provider, has gained the support of all four major credit card companies, Master Card, American Express, Visa and Discover.  Read Original Content

The adoption of electronic banking in the Philippines, particularly Internet banking, will continue on its strong upward growth over the next few years, according to a top official of the Bank of the Philippine Islands.  Read Original Content

Two year old mobile payment startup Dwolla has gone from zero to $1 million per day in transactions.  Read Original Content

A survey by global consulting firm McKinsey and Co. has found that the affluent class in India, categorized as people whose household income is above 10 lakh a year, use mobile phones more than the Internet for their banking needs.  Read Original Content

Projections for and Demonstrations of HTML5

This is the third article in my HTML5 series.  I am researching HTML5 for myself, and sharing some of what I am learning.  I came across an interesting article this week from Reuters entitled, “The HTML5 boom is coming.  Fast."  Here is an excerpt, "New data released Friday indicates that HTML5 is not just going to be big, it’s going to be huge – and it’s coming fast...more than 2.1 billion mobile devices will have HTML5 browsers by 2016, up from just 109 million in 2010, according to a new report by ABI Research."

What is HTML5 again?  HTML5 is the newest version of HTML and a lot of new features have been added that are significant to mobile application developers.  One of the focuses of this new version is to improve multimedia applications and offer support and features for a broader range of devices, particularly mobile devices.

The purpose of these improvements is to help the web support newer and smarter mobile devices and to compete with native mobile applications in terms of a rich user experience.

ABI Research has a new report on HTML5.  A summary of the report is available here.

A number of companies are demonstrating HTML5 capabilities on their websites.  Here are a few links for your enjoyment:

• Google has rolled out a mobile Doodle that moves and sways with your mouse to show off HTML5 Canvas http://www.digitaltrends.com/web/googles-html5-tribute-to-american-artist-alexander-calder/ 
• Nokia Maps now offers an HTML5 version of its service which is compatible with Android and iPhone web browsers http://www.intomobile.com/2011/07/22/nokia-maps-now-iphone-and-androidfriendly-html5-version/ 
• Pandora is replacing Flash with HTML5 and will be unveiling a new look http://content.usatoday.com/communities/technologylive/post/2011/07/pandora-trades-flash-for-html5-in-social-redesign/1 
• Microsoft has been developing a new version of Bing that uses HTML5, enabling video on the home page, instant search results (a la Google Instant), scrolling information, animated weather reports and more http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/2011/07/21/report-bing-to-get-metro-look-with-live-tiles/

Here are the first 2 articles in the HTML5 series:

What Can HTML5 Offer Mobile Developers?
HTML5 - What I am Learning

Upcoming Events

Critical Requirements for Mobile App Development:  Agility and Speed Strategy, Process, and Tools to Accelerate Mobile Development, July 21, 2011
Mobile Tablet Trends in the Enterprise featuring Samsung Mobile - July 28, 2011

Whitepapers of Note

The Business Benefits of Mobile Adoption with SAP Systems
ClickSoftware Mobility Suite and Sybase Mobility Solution
Mobile Adoption Among Gas and Electric Utilities
Mobile Adoption in Life Sciences
Mobile Adoption in Oil and Gas
Networked Field Services

Recorded Webinars of Note

3 Critical Considerations for Embracing Mobile CRM
The Future of Enterprise Mobility
The Latest m-Business Trends and How the Onslaught of Mobile Devices Affects Development Strategies
The Real-Time Mobile Enterprise:  The Benefits of Rapid, Easy Access
Syclo and SAP Deliver Mobile Apps on Sybase Unwired Platform

*************************************************************

Kevin Benedict, Independent Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst, SAP Mentor Volunteer

Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict

Join the SAP Enterprise Mobility Group

Read The Mobility News Weekly

Read The M2M News Monthly

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility analyst, consultant and blogger. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Mobility Charts Weekly - Week of July 25, 2011

In the course of my daily research on subjects related to enterprise mobility I find charts that depict the current and future status of the market.  It occurred to me that these charts might also be useful to others, so I am going to collect these charts, include links to the original source, and then publish them in a new weekly blog article called Mobile Charts Weekly.  I hope you find this useful.

According to research firm iSuppli, 2011 will be a great year for popular mobile app stores.  The study found that Apple, Google, RIM, and Nokia will see a significant rise in app sales.  In 2010 these companies sold $2.1 billion in mobile apps, and by the end of this year it is estimated that over $3.8 billion in apps will be sold.  Read Original Content

Earlier this month Apple announced that since opening its App Store, over 15 billion iPhone, iPad and iPod apps have been downloaded. Within the past three years over $2.5 billion has been paid to app developers and there are currently over 450,000 total apps available.  Read Original Content

According to a new study by Flurry Analytics, the average time spent on mobile apps has surpassed the time spent on regular websites either while on computers or mobile devices.  In June 2010, 64 minutes per day were spent on the web and 43 minutes were spent on mobile apps.  That number has since changed and during June of 2011 some 74 minutes per day were spent on the web and 81 minutes were dedicated to mobile apps.  Read Original Content

A recent report by Aite Group focused on the growth of mobile payments in the United States.  The report found that since 2009 the gross dollar volume of mobile payments has risen sharply and is expected to reach $214 billion by 2015.  Read Original Content


Recent Articles by Kevin Benedict

Enterprise Mobility Exchange - Las Vegas in November
Mobile Expert Video Series: ClickSoftware's Uri Pintov
Mobile Expert Video Series: Electrix's Jeff Morgan
What Can HTML5 Offer Mobile Developers?
Mobile Expert Video Series: ETSA Utility's Grant Roach

Upcoming Events

Critical Requirements for Mobile App Development:  Agility and Speed Strategy, Process, and Tools to Accelerate Mobile Development, July 21, 2011
Mobile Tablet Trends in the Enterprise featuring Samsung Mobile - July 28, 2011

Whitepapers of Note

The Business Benefits of Mobile Adoption with SAP Systems
ClickSoftware Mobility Suite and Sybase Mobility Solution
Mobile Adoption Among Gas and Electric Utilities
Mobile Adoption in Life Sciences
Mobile Adoption in Oil and Gas
Networked Field Services

Recorded Webinars of Note

3 Critical Considerations for Embracing Mobile CRM
The Future of Enterprise Mobility
The Latest m-Business Trends and How the Onslaught of Mobile Devices Affects Development Strategies
The Real-Time Mobile Enterprise:  The Benefits of Rapid, Easy Access
Syclo and SAP Deliver Mobile Apps on Sybase Unwired Platform

You can follow me on Twitter @krbenedict and read my blog, Enterprise Mobility Strategies.

I have added a feature to my blog site that supports email subscriptions.  You can now receive all blog articles directly via email.  If you are interested, click here.

*************************************************************

Kevin Benedict, Independent Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst, SAP Mentor Volunteer

Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict

Join the SAP Enterprise Mobility Group

Read The Mobility News Weekly

Read The M2M News Monthly

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility analyst, consultant and blogger. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.