“If you have a website you are going to need an apps strategy!!!!”
This event was aimed at people that are either doing apps or want to do apps. It was very well attended (packed even) and held in the Ogilvy building at Canary Wharf <- great venue!
Jon Moore - Mobile PM for the Guardian
Tasked with making an app for the Guardian that made money from the start. Has a P&L for his group. Before you create an app you need KPI’s, understand your audience and develop the business case around said audience. A great app is a thousand times better than a good app and will be remembered. Question when developing the business case – ‘would I use it for the purpose it is designed for?’
Two good quotes:
“top products = blood, sweat and tears”
“test, test, test”
Gerd Leonhard – Media Futurist
“It is not about technology, it is about emerging social practices and behaviour”
“iPad will be successful because it offers a fragmentation of money and existing business models” <- I think that is what he said, anyway I liked it 
Applications and models that change behaviour and make life easier will be successful. Cited Instapaper, used to print out articles to take with him whilst traveling, this was cumbersome and wasteful. Instapaper has solved this issue as only needs a laptop to perform same function.
Lots of money to be made in mobile, mobile + social = collaboration.
Mark Curtis – Flirtomatic CEO
Deeply concerned about fragmentation in mobile. Previous platform used by Flirtomatic was Java “which was horrible”. Mobile Internet is great for Flirtomatic and has less issues with regards platforms and handsets. There is an iPhone app available, next platform likely to be RIM(Blackberry) due to the take up of Blackberry’s by the youth sector.
Later discussion was chaired by Vikki Chowney.
More quotes and comment during this discussion.
Gerd
“free ->paid will be a common model going forward”
“Value will be in aggregation and social/community”
Jon
Guardian strategy is to launch iPhone app, learn, and consider other platforms. Apps provide a route to market but not the only route and not the only market.
Reach – Apps give you reach, Guardian experience is that web has stayed constant which was not what was expected. Thought that iPhone app would reduce web traffic. <- I am not sure whether he meant mobile web or straight web here.
A person from Ogilvy mentioned in one of the discussions that they would “always go for web first, apps are a nightmare”.
Unfortunately I could not stay for the demo’s. 
Comment
Apps, well people are obviously have their own views and are fairly passionate about what believe. HTML 5.0 was discussed with a view that applications days are numbered. I have since done some research and personally I am not convinced. Native apps with all the problems that come with them like number of platforms and fragmentation still provide the most compelling experience. That is not going to go away any time soon. Web technologies are likely to creep further in into every day development and I suspect a compromise between web and native apps will be the norm (look at WebOS).
I get frustrated at the focus on iPhone and Android but recognise where the developer money or at least buzz currently resides. How many development houses are truly making a living out of iPhone alone? I would like to hear your story if you are (seriously). The problem still lies in fragmentation and ease of deployment on the platforms and app stores. Also are there any truly carrier grade iPhone apps out there? Would they pass Operator/OEM testing especially if they have a connection to the network or are complex.
I was impressed with Jon Moore and his “test, test, test” mantra. You don’t hear that often and it is key to making a quality app.
