Mobile World Congress 2015: Expect Even Shinier Objects
Mobile World Congress (MWC) is “the” event in mobile. It is the event where Samsung, HTC, Huawei, Sony, Microsoft, LG … well, really everyone (but Apple) will launch new mobile phones, tablets, and wearables. And, yes big-screened mobile phones are still “in.” I’m more likely to buy a leather jacket with bigger pockets or a larger purse than to buy a smaller phone.
Thousands flock to Barcelona annually to hold these devices in their hands. Words too often fall short in describing the feeling of holding the next Samsung device in your hand or the emotions of delight and bewilderment when you turn the device on.
The question then is: “So what? What does it mean for my company?”
Here’s what you already know:
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Mobile phones already are and will be the primary touchpoint for you to engage your customers in their mobile moments for the foreseeable future.
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Your customers will buy these devices – consumers upgrade their phones every two years or even more frequently.
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Your customers will expect mobile experiences to take advantage of new features – fingerprint authentication, new sensors, and higher quality cameras.
Here’s why you worry:
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Being leading edge and adopting the latest and greatest features is expensive. Consumers who have adopted fingerprint authentication think “swipes” and “passcodes” are clunky, inconvenient experiences. However, most devices still rely on those user interfaces. New technologies create fragmentation and additional expenses.
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Most enterprises don’t have distinct strategies for laptops, tablets, mobile phones and smart watches. There will be overlap in use cases, but device size, types and capabilities will only continue to fragment. Don’t be lulled into thinking mobile gets simpler just because phone screens are getting larger and tablet screens smaller.
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You’ve written off offering a lot of services on the mobile phone because the screen is too small, the camera isn’t good enough, or the input mechanisms are too clunky. What’s possible on mobile is always a moving target.
Here’s what you do: Stay the course and design for mobile moments.
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Use Forrester’s IDEA framework to design for mobile moments. Mobile moments are the next battleground where you will win, serve and retain your customers. Mobile moments are primarily on mobile phones today, but they will increasingly be on smart watches, wearables, and other connected devices. If you put the right infrastructure in place for mobile moments, you’ll be fine regardless of what these devices look like in three years.
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Do not create device-specific strategies – especially for smart watches. You don’t need a strategy for the Apple Watch, Samsung Gear, or another other branded wearable device. Focus on serving your customers in what Forrester calls their “micro moments.” Forrester’s definition: “A micro moment is a mobile moment that requires only a glance to identify and deliver quick information that you can either consume or act on immediately.” The engagement could be a simple push notification or it could be an app. Choose your technology (e.g., audio signal, haptic vibration, text message, app, etc.) after you’ve articulated your business objective and what you hope to deliver.
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Go back and take a look at the ideas you crossed off the list because they were too complicated. New technologies simplify a lot.
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Assess what new data is available from connected devices and data platforms (e.g., Google Fit, Microsoft Health) and what it means to you. The more connected devices your customers use, the more data and information you have about them. Can you use the new data to create new insights? Can you use the data to streamline task flow within mobile apps or to anticipate what they need before they even know they need it.
Finally, pay attention and assess what it means to your customers and your brand. Don’t panic and say, “we need an app for that device!”