Hugo Barra – Director, Mobile Product Management, Google
Christian Hernandez – Head of International Business Development, Facebook
Ilja Laurs – Founder CEO, GetJar
Raoul Roverato – VP New Growth Businesses, Orange
Moderator: David Rowan – Editor in Chief, WIRED UK
Top 25 Paid Apps on the iPhone people are spending on average $1.27, on the iPad it’s $5.37 – sounds like a great opportunity.
L’Orange is promoting apps as part of the mobile bundle.
The panel agrees it’s impossible to build creative for every platform. The consumer is spending money on the private platform (Apple) although Apple has made some massive changes to the terms of service and allowing apps that are more social including VOIP.
What you want to do with the application is critical – if you want something standard a web app is fine. But if you want to do video and other things then you are going to need to custom create the app to each device. France has 3 million users of mobile television. Ultimately there will be consolidation of mobile platforms – there needs to be competition so that only the best survive and they are forced to be open. It’s a shift of power 4 – 5 years ago the operator was the gate keeper – and now the OS provider is the gatekeeper to the consumer.
Facebook’s future? They didn’t set out to build the world largest gaming platform, but it happened. They are now the second largest driver to media sites. They are trying to make it easier to allow developers to bring consumers from web to wireless seamlessly.
Audience Question: Is Google working on a social network called GoogleMe to compete with Facebook?
OOHs and AHHs from the audience – answer is NO. They think of social as an ingredient of the experience on a vertical. Google has made it more difficult for Facebook to access GMail info – and TechCrunch has covered the whole story. Obviously and uncomfortable moment on the stage here in Monte Carlo. http://tcrn.ch/aN8MTp
Shenanize 