The lines between digital, mobile, technology and apps are blurring in today’s world. We at Robosoft are keen followers of developments in this arena. At the end of every week, we will share with you highlights of news items which caught our eye in this space.
Meerkat: product and buzz
If you thought the app development market was beginning to get stale with cookie-cutter approach to apps and app marketing, think again. There is a lot of talk in the app industry about problems of app discovery and getting lost in the clutter. Many have attempted to make a fortune in this business only to end up with apps or games which never make it to the top or create buzz. However, when apps become popular the reasons-why are clear to see. They meet a need or solve a problem, they are engaging and easy to use, they are designed well and provide great user experience. Sometimes, apps have the power to disrupt not just the app industry but related industries they operate in. Live streaming music apps, check in apps, instant messaging apps and many more have gone on to impact related industries.
Meerkat, the live video streaming app has gained phenomenal traction in two weeks and has the potential to disrupt several categories. It is remarkable that it has gained such a fan following and buzz all within two weeks.
BBC’s Washington bureau used Meerkat recently to cover live news events. Amateurs are seeing it as a great tool to broadcast videos live with literally no setup or investments required. Potentially it could be used to broadcast live news, music & other entertainment events, sports, training videos and so much more. No wonder Meerkat has attracted high profile investments too.
Meerkat seems to have found that happy intersection of a great product and marketing buzz. Twitter users seem to have fallen in love with it and seems to be growing despite Twitter putting some restrictions on it. Meerkat was first discovered on Product Hunt and got a bigger platforms at the recent SXSW – which are phenomenal platforms for discovery. With Twitter buying Periscope, the live streaming app scenario will see some healthy competition soon. Which can only mean good news for consumers.
Google Play to review apps by staff
Until now, the app approval process at Google Play was relatively simple, compared to the App Store process. Google revealed last week that app submissions will go through a review process – internal team of reviewers will analyze apps for policy violations prior to publication. Also an age-based ratings system for games and apps on Google Play will be in place.
Health Lab for Apple Watch
Apple gave ABC News exclusive access to its top secret health and fitness lab. The lab is fitted with ‘climate chambers’ where participants test the watch in different environments. The watch was also test in live environments of Alaska and Dubai, apparently. Apple is making sure that the story behind the creation of Apple Watch gets through to media and potential consumers prior to launch.
