If Apple refuses to support something (Flash) and then fully backs another product (HTML5), the world will usually follow. Recalling Conan’s recent review of the iPad 2: “You’ll buy it no matter what we say.” Yes, it was a jab at Apple. Yes, it was a hilarious video. But does the message change? Not really. Apple is a giant in the industry and with the magnitude of iProducts alone, any developer would be remiss not to develop HTML5 advertisements.

But aside from the Jobs endorsement, there are numerous new things that HTML5 brings to the table. Alex Linde, Yahoo’s director of mobile advertising, summed it up perfectly: “With iPhone, Android and others now adopting HTML5 we have, No. 1, a standard that allows us to ‘write almost once, run almost everywhere,’ No. 2, an installed base to do it at scale and No. 3, enough bandwidth and screen real estate to do something really interesting for the consumer.”

But, can HTML5 do what Flash did? Yes, and more. Users can swipe products across the screen, drag and drop, spin, flip, and generally control their experience with the advertisement. The glory of HTML5 is summed up by Apple. [Cool HTML5 examples.]

So far, HTML5 is dominating the mobile and tablet market, while Flash is holding its dominance in the computer world. Whether HTML5 expands its reach or Flash steps up its technology for mobile (or both) time will soon tell. Regardless of the channel, we are bound to be impressed by the innovative ways companies try to get their consumers to interact with the brand.

While consumers want to absorb content through a mobile browser, many (more than 80%) of the more popular consumer & media sites are not optimized for mobile. Being optimized for mobile does not mean that the content is ’shrunk’ to fit a mobile screen, nor does it mean that brand identity is lost with templated layouts and obscure URLs. Take for example a mobile site I use often, Southwest Airlines. They have an okay design, but the user experience is well thought out, the features are relevant to users on the go and the URL is still “www.iflyswa.com” which automatically redirects me to their mobile site recognizing that I’m requesting the site from a mobile device. Another favorite site on mobile is ESPN; they have great design, functioanlity and their brand identity is not lost. Conversly there are mobile sites that simply need some upgrading – such as Fairmont Hotels and Crate & Barrel. It’s refreshing that these brands have taken to mobile, but brand identity, limited design and less than friendly experiences make me want to download their app (if they have one) rather than browse their mobile site!

Do you agree with the survey, or are you in agreement with Steve Jobs who is betting that people on mobile will want to find information via apps and not mobile sties?

How can Google fix this?  Well they have some ideas in the future, but as for now they have created a site for developers where they show statistics about what version has visited the Android Market the most within the last 14 days.   This is a good short term solution, but how can they fix the long term implications of having so many different versions?  Turn everything into browser based web apps and rid themselves of apps all together.  Browser based apps work cross platform, cross version, and cross handset.  No longer would developers need to support each version, but one update to a version’s browser would support a bunch of new feature rich tools.

Another way Google plans on keeping all of their users up-to-date is by changing the way they update their proprietary apps – mail, contacts, etc.  By adding those to the Android Market, Google can add new features and have them pushed out to all users regardless of their version – thus allowing developers one base feature list to work with.

All in all, it seems like a big headache.  At least Apple has kept things consistent.  Let’s just hope Google follows suit and makes all of our lives easier.

3 years ago I lived in Japan and when I first moved there 2D barcodes were old hat.  Pretend you are sitting on a train in Tokyo.  All around you are advertisements, and in the corner there is a 2D barcode.  Most Japanese handsets have some kind of 2D barcode reader preinstalled and all you have to do is scan the barcode and it provides some information related to the advertisement such as a phone number, web site, and email address.  A simple interaction to provide basic information which the end user can do whatever they would like with it.  Nothing further happens on a marketing level, advertising level, handset level, or carrier level.  I like simple, simple works best.

There is nothing simple about what people were pushing at CTIA.  2D barcodes that launches apps, 2D barcodes that open websites, 2D barcodes that add contacts, 2D barcodes can do all sorts of things, but I’m not sure if I want them to.  It is up to us, the marketers, to create the most interaction with the end user doing as little as possible.  Am I really going to download a barcode scanner, scan the image, wait for the app to download, enter in all my information, and then get to watch a video?  That’s about 5 too many steps.  Our goal should be to make things as easy as possible, but it seems like we’re just complicating things more and more.  There are no barcode clearninghouses in Japan, no further interaction, no carrier compliancy.  There were no rules because 2D barcodes are used for simple interactions.

I’m sticking to my guns and saying simple interactions will defeat complicated marketing tools.  I bet we can get more people to opt into a SMS club than we can get them to scan a barcode – any takers?

Text messaging is a digital and mobile tool that enables people anywhere at anytime to communicate with anyone anywhere.

Texting has been internationally adapted because it is much cheaper to send a short text message than make a phone call. In the Philippines, text messages cost less than a penny and in Europe texting is still, economically, a better form communication due to high roaming charges. For U.S text messaging fanatics, unlimited text messaging plans prove to save users money when juxtaposing how many phone calls users would typically make, if texting were not available. Source 1

The convenience of communicating on this scale has overridden talking on the phone with exponential numbers. In fact:

• There are 280 million U.S. mobile subscribers. Roughly, 91.4 percent of total U.S. population uses mobile. Source 2
• 740 billion text messages were sent during the first half of 2009. Making an average of 4.1 billion text messages sent/received a day. These statistics nearly doubled from 2008. Source 3
• As of the second quarter of 2008, a typical U.S. mobile subscriber sends or receives 568 text messages a month. While the number of calls has remained relatively steady, the number of text messages is up 450% from 2006. Source 4 / Source 5

Users also use text messaging as a social informative tool. After news broke about Michael Jackson’s death, 65,000 SMS messages were sent per second on AT&T alone. This vital information can be sent faster and easier via text message, versus calling individual, thanks to the forwarding feature. Source 6

Going back to the initial article that sparked this blog, I think the only argument worth explaining here is the argument suggesting that text messaging and its language based off abbreviations (i.e. TTYL and BRB) is preventing our youth from writing academically correct and efficiently.  This is not the case, and this is why:

• A 2010 research found that extensive exposure to texting does not erode a child’s ability to spell but creates strong literacy and spelling skills. This Phylogeny awareness indicates that although using initials, abbreviations and understanding phonetics and rhymes are a part of texting – they are also a part of developing successful reading and spelling skills. Source 7
• A 2009 survey highlights how children who acquire a mobile phone at a young age become more financially aware and learn how to manage money earlier then they would with out a mobile phone. Children want to be able to afford ringtones, call costs and computer games even offer to do chores in exchange for cash to afford mobile add-ons. Source 8
• Abilene Christian University conducted mobile research and found that iPhones present a more attractive platform for learning than current classroom tools. Research also found that mobile instruction can transition to a mobile platform with no loss in student mastery of content. Furthermore, 89 percent of students and 87 percent of faculty called the mobile program successful. Source 9
• Public educator, Edutopia launched “The Digital Generation Project”, a media-rich digital based program that helps educators and parents understand how kids learn, communicate, and socialize in very different ways than any previous generation. Edutopia believes that the collaboration of new technology with new approaches to teaching creates a personalized style of learning students can benefit more from. History, literature, and art can be taught via text, images, and sound. Source 10

In addition, I have added a couple of statements from the article, in which I will comment on:

MYTH: “Text messaging is replacing talking, hindering the ability to form a face-to-face relationship.”

FACT: Text messaging is a new form of correspondence that encourages communication and allows friends to stay in contact in situations that phone calls cannot (i.e. working, in class, in the library, on an awkward date etc.) In fact, 3 billion of the world population text messages. Source 11

MYTH: “My mom learned to text because she found it was the best way to get a hold of my sister.” (Implying that it is bad to learn how to text.)

FACT: 60 percent of adults said that the new technologies did not affect the closeness of their family, while 25 percent said cell phones and online communication made their families closer. Source 12

MYTH: “Kids are getting in trouble for texting during class.” (Implying text messaging inspires bad behavior among kids.)

FACT: Kids get in trouble in class regardless!

MYTH: “Phone bills have racked up hundreds of dollars due to texting. Most people have unlimited which is actually a good investment if it is your main way of communicating.”

FACT: Phone data plans are decreasing, saving people more money. Source 13

MYTH: “How is this affecting to the up and coming generation? The generation is expecting immediate responses.”

FACT: The upcoming generation is expecting access to information on a 24 hour basis, access to social media networks in order to stay in touch with family and friends, and of course the ability to communicate on a level that is available to everyone, anywhere, anytime of the day; mobile does that. I hope the upcoming generation expects the best, because the industry is catering!

MYTH: “Cell phones are constantly glued to people’s hips, you would think it was a life-saving device. Of course, in some situations, it is. For example, if you are stranded on the side of the road.”

FACT: Text messaging does save lives, and not just for road side assistance. SMS alerts can warn students of school shootings, tornado warnings and other weather alerts, and even mobile helped Malawi people by connecting rural communities to hospitals. Source 14 / Source 15 / Source 16

MYTH: “People feel lost when they forget their phone at home. And I don’t think it is not because they are worried about being stranded on the freeway; it is the missed calls and text messages from friends they are going to miss.”

FACT: People do not wish to leave behind their phones simply because they might miss the chance to talk to a friend or family member (although I would not want to miss their message either!). People use their phones for more then texting. Mobile internet browsing and applications help people accomplish their goals through out the day. 3 billion applications have been downloaded (by iPhone and iPod Touch users ALONE) to help users receive news about stocks, financial accounts, weather reports, traffic reports, business information and more. In fact, users have increased daily use of the mobile internet by 107%. Source 17 / Source 18

MYTH: “I think it is still important to keep our verbal communication skills in tact. I just don’t want text messages to replace face-to-face contact with people.”

FACT: People around the world are not staying locked in their rooms with cell phone in hand, relying only on text messaging to communicate with the world. Living in a fast pace society, people are going to school, going to work, running errands, eating, meeting with friends and family. With this, text messaging simply suits the busy body with a means of convenience. Meaning that when you are on the go, your phone is going to aid you throughout your day and make sure things get done.

MYTH: “You lose other communication techniques as well that are involved in a conversation: facial expressions and body language. A smiley face icon is not the same as a real smile.”

FACT: Text messaging is not meant to replace real smiles or real hugs, nor will it ever. However, if you are having a bad day and a friend sends you a smiley face, the gesture of a smile will somehow make your day a little better. Moreover, if you still do not like the text smile, take a picture of your smile and send it via MMS!

MYTH:  “Communication can be easily misinterpreted over test messaging. You can’t hear the person’s tone of voice in a text message, so the content may be construed by the receiver. Sometimes technology doesn’t work and a text message doesn’t get delivered, whereas then, the sender thinks the receiver is avoiding him/her. It can get very complicated, whereas a simple phone call would have avoided all misunderstanding.”

FACT: A phone call takes more time to get the point across. If text messaging was not a suitable way for people to appropriate get their message across, then people would not be ‘texting more then talking’ (on the phone.) Source 19

MYTH: “It is rude to be having a physical conversation with someone while the other person is having a conversation with someone else on the phone. It makes that person feel like they are not important enough, and again back to the point of not being able to form in-person relationships.”

FACT: It is called texting etiquette along acquired social skills. You can’t blame text message for bad etiquette!

MYTH: “We don’t want technology to take over and become the face of all conversations.”

FACT: This is not a terminator movie, technology is meant to help us. It feeds into our naturally creative swagger and strive for innovation.

These statements (myths) are perhaps what some of the population thinks about text messaging and mobile innovation. But before you judge this incredibly convenient technology, know your facts! Then make an educated decision.

Also, understand that the group of people willing to text is 3.5 times bigger than the number of people willing to pay for TV and these numbers will only continue to grow. Maybe not necessarily in relation to watching TV, but text messaging is a part of the present, and will be part of the future. So hold on tight! And watch the wave of WAP, SMS, and mobile internet entice you (because sometimes the majority knows what is best, in this case, mobile engagement.) Source 20

Want more myths demystified? Want to talk about mobile some more? Send me an email!

For the article in question click here.