The launch of Apple’s iPad in Germany is imminent. The launch of the device, which has been sold over a million times in the United States, is eagerly awaited. Arne Flick, Managing Director of the mobile marketing agency Rio Mobile, answers the most important questions about the use of the new device and explains the opportunities it offers in product marketing.
When asked what should be considered when developing apps for the iPad, Flick replied that the features of the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch differ not only in terms of the display. For example, the iPad is equipped with a microphone, but does not have a camera. “So the iPad can hear but not see. On the one hand, this allows popular apps like Shazam to be used, on the other hand, apps like Twittaround will not work, ”affirmed the Rio Mobile CEO.
The triumphant advance of the app will continue with the iPad, if not intensified. The reasons are obvious: Apps are convincing due to their ease of use and high utility value. Regardless of all expert opinions, one shouldn’t forget that apps are simply a hit with the public. It is a concept that is popular with users. Compared to the iPhone, the iPad is designed for a longer service life. “We will see more sophisticated apps on the iPad, with more content and a more complex structure,” estimates Flick.
When asked how the importance of the iPad in product marketing is to be assessed, Flick explains: “The product presentation on the iPad is more impressive, more detailed and more brilliant than on the iPhone and comparable smartphones. The interaction on the large touchscreen opens up a completely new way of presenting brands and products. ”This goes well beyond the usual display on the screen. Then there is the psychological factor, because you hold the device in your hands right in front of you. This develops a completely different quality of advertising effect, since the consumer is addressed very directly via the iPad. From his point of view, the iPad will quickly establish itself as a coveted platform for product marketing.
The iPad also opens up further perspectives for online advertising. In addition to the iAd, an interesting development can also be expected in classic online advertising. Because on the iPad – and the other tablet PCs to come – well-known operating concepts such as mouse-over activation would not work. Conversely, the motion sensor offers new input options. For example, advertising formats that react to the angle of inclination of the device would be conceivable. As soon as the technical fundamentals, such as the adaptation of ad servers, have been laid for the new device class, Flick expects a very dynamic and creative development: “The operation and navigation of websites via the touchscreen makes it necessary to conceptualize practically all known advertising formats on the websites rethink.”
Regarding the effects of the iPad on distribution and use of media content, the system will not prove to be a savior for the publishing industry. News is difficult to sell today, and the iPad will probably not change that. In the past, news was only available as a package and tied to the medium of a magazine or newspaper, but this concept could not be transferred to the Internet. Possibly the iPad could advance the selective sale of items. Refinancing media content exclusively through chargeable channels would be a difficult and lengthy process from Flick’s point of view: “You will have to use news in the future to generate traffic. It can then be capitalized, albeit with significantly poorer margins. The publishers therefore have to develop new sources of income on the Internet. ”He advises a free app with a basic editorial offer that is connected to an online shop for selected premium content. At the same time, upgraded offers or cooperations could contribute to refinancing. In addition to the advertisement, various other business models would frame the journalistic content on the web. Anyone who consistently implements this approach with digital means will certainly move more than competitors who strive for closed paid platforms.
www.riomobile.de
