How Health Insurance Can Use Social Media

Everyday, more medical insurance companies are begrudgingly beginning to integrate social media as elements of their marketing strategies. This probably would not be happening but for the fact that for years, many of their members have been using online communities and blogs to discuss healthcare issues. Some suggestions for the uninitiated:

1. As smartphones continue to proliferate and people have the ability to carry more information in their pockets than ever before, health insurance companies have an opportunity to create two distinct mobile apps. One, to give customers easy access to claims, plan details, network providers, drug prices, etc. and the other to provide lifestyle information on diet, exercise and healthy living.

Apple and Google Fight It Out Over Mobile

A recent New York Times article relates the growing tensions between Apple and Google over future of mobile phones and operating systems. For Apple up to this point, it has been a profitable market with little competition. The iPhone has set the standard for smartphones and their app store is a wild success. Much as they have done with the music industry and their iTunes store, Apple would like a gated marketplace where apps for all OS’s can be sold. This would obviously increase profits of what has quickly become a very successful area of Apple’s business.

2010 Looking Great For Smartphones

From last year’s advances, to recent developments, it appears that 2010 will certainly become a significant year for smartphone growth:

• Smartphone Sales – As contracts expire for regular cell phones, many buyers will make their first smartphone purchases.  With advancements in mobile technology, prices will continue to decrease and smartphone sales will grow.    
• The Application Industry — Apple has created a new, profitable industry with its app store business.  Currently, Apple has over 99% of a business which last year had sales of over 4 billion dollars, with nearly one billion dollars profit for the company.  It’s only natural that Android, Palm and Windows want some of that action.  The consumer could benefit from the competition.
• Social Media & the Smartphone –The smartphone versions of Twitter and Facebook successfully duplicate the user experience of their web counterparts.  A recent Ruder Finn study states that 91% of mobile users spend more time socializing than non-mobile users (79%).  Smartphones and social media are made for each other and will both benefit from each other’s success.

Androids Proliferate

Add AT&T to the list of Android carriers (Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile) and Dell to the list of Android smartphone makers (HTC & Motorola).  As for Google, keep on refining that OS and adding quality apps.  2010 is looking good.

Digital Media Forecasts for 2010

You gotta believe that 2010 will be a better year economically than the one we just left behind. Despite it all, digital business and consumer technologies made significant advances, laying the groundwork for growth in the new year.

• An ever increasing number of companies will adapt social media strategies for their businesses. Better measurement models will develop.
• Traditional media outlets (television, film, publishing) will continue to suffer the effects of old age and will get more serious about experimenting with new business models.
• Although digital music sales will increase in 2010, compact disc sales will continue their fall.
• Though cost prohibitive for the masses, 3D televisions will be considered a success in their introductory release year.
• The smartphone will become more ubiquitous as competition increases and hardware costs go down.
• As more companies develop e-book readers, Kindle prices will continue to decrease (albeit minimally) and publishing companies will get more involved with title pricing.
• Just as it has already happened for the 33 1/3 LP, paper books will one day become niche items for collectors and Luddites alike.

　

Business Week Covers The App Business

The November 6 cover story of ‘Business Week’ looks at the growing app economy.

Verizon Plays Hardass With Apple

I was hoping Verizon was going to pick up the iPhone next year, and though it looks like my hopes have been squashed, I’m pleased to say that it’s not bothering me like I thought it would.

Verizon is showing allegiance with Googles’ entry into the mobile market with its Android OS phone, called the ‘Droid’. We will soon be learning about its’ multitude of features, but as a Google phone, one is not surprised to see a ‘Quick Search’ box located at the top of the browser, allowing users to search the web directly from the home screen.

Android’s free ‘Open Source Project’ platform, will be developer-friendly and insure an extensive quantity of applications. Google has even offerred $250,000 in price money for best new applications.

And if you think Verizon is being delicate about superiority to the iPhone, check out the ad

This competition will be interesting to follow, with the consumer the ultimate beneficiary.

Take That, iPhone!

A deal has recently been announced whereby Google’s ‘Android’ platform will utilize the highly rated Verizon Wireless network. New phones are in development, expected to become available early next year.
What’s particularly pleasing about the news is that the Google Voice application will be included. Google Voice translates voice mails into texts and allows the same phone number to be used with multiple phone locations. Take that iPhone!

Royalties For Ringtones?

The vampire music congloms still want their blood.

iPhone App Creates Magazine Cover (cont)

Press for the recent iPhone-created New Yorker cover has obviously boosted sales of the digital painting application. Current sales are at 40,000 for the $4.99 app.