FTC Charges Apple For Smartphone In-App Purchases

It is so easy to make in-app purchases. You may have just accidentally pressed “get more levels” without realizing it is going to charge you for it, or maybe you just tapped the wrong button accidentally and all the sudden have a bunch of extra lives in Candy Crush. And if it is that easy for adults to accidentally make in-app purchases, just imagine how easy it is for a kid who just wants to keep playing or get help through the level. Your child might not even know what he or she is doing when they ask for more lives or extra help. That is why the FTC is really upset with Apple.

Complaints of Unauthorized In-App Purchases

I know a lot of parents who are very careful about letting their kids play on their phones. One of the reasons may be that the sticky fingers may put dirt and grime on the phone that can never be cleaned off, but another reason is simply that they don’t want their kids making in-app purchases. With it being so easy to just press a button and buy things, kids are always willing to spend their parents’ money. Parents are always complaining about bills they’ve gotten associated with in-app purchases on games they have never played. But now, Apple is in trouble for it.

Lawsuit From FTC

The FTC believes it is unfair to charge parents for in-app purchases made by minors in mistake. There needs to be a better way of monitoring it. According to USA Today, the FTC has settled with Apple for $32.5 million and requires refunds on in-app purchases made by an unauthorized minor to customers. The suit also requires that there be changes made to the way in-app purchases work to where there is a more authorized way to ensure the purchase was not an accident. Consumers everywhere are excited about the win against Apple for this kind of behavior because it means they are being protected by the FTC.

Honesty With In-App Purchases

Do you have an app for your company? And what do you do to protect your customers? This is something you should think about. Of course it’s kind of convenient when you get extra sales because someone’s kid bought something in your app. However, you should have as much protections as possible for your customers, so they will be happy with you. The problem is that if you start to be known as a dishonest company or a company that is unable to keep customers happy, then new customers will be very hesitant to download your app or try you out. By protecting your customers from the beginning and putting in safety features to prevent unauthorized in-app purchases in the first place, your customers will feel safe and as if they can trust you.

Mobile All The Way

If you don’t already have a smartphone app available for your business or at least a mobile website, you should consider making these changes. Getting your mobile website up to speed could make all the difference in today’s world where technology and smartphones are taking over. Stay on top by using mobile.

Mobile technology news brought to you by businesstexter.com

Source: usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/01/15/apple-ftc-settlement/4491365/

FTC Charges Apple For Smartphone In-App Purchases

It is so easy to make in-app purchases. You may have just accidentally pressed “get more levels” without realizing it is going to charge you for it, or maybe you just tapped the wrong button accidentally and all the sudden have a bunch of extra lives in Candy Crush. And if it is that easy for adults to accidentally make in-app purchases, just imagine how easy it is for a kid who just wants to keep playing or get help through the level. Your child might not even know what he or she is doing when they ask for more lives or extra help. That is why the FTC is really upset with Apple.

Complaints of Unauthorized In-App Purchases

I know a lot of parents who are very careful about letting their kids play on their phones. One of the reasons may be that the sticky fingers may put dirt and grime on the phone that can never be cleaned off, but another reason is simply that they don’t want their kids making in-app purchases. With it being so easy to just press a button and buy things, kids are always willing to spend their parents’ money. Parents are always complaining about bills they’ve gotten associated with in-app purchases on games they have never played. But now, Apple is in trouble for it.

Lawsuit From FTC

The FTC believes it is unfair to charge parents for in-app purchases made by minors in mistake. There needs to be a better way of monitoring it. According to USA Today, the FTC has settled with Apple for $32.5 million and requires refunds on in-app purchases made by an unauthorized minor to customers. The suit also requires that there be changes made to the way in-app purchases work to where there is a more authorized way to ensure the purchase was not an accident. Consumers everywhere are excited about the win against Apple for this kind of behavior because it means they are being protected by the FTC.

Honesty With In-App Purchases

Do you have an app for your company? And what do you do to protect your customers? This is something you should think about. Of course it’s kind of convenient when you get extra sales because someone’s kid bought something in your app. However, you should have as much protections as possible for your customers, so they will be happy with you. The problem is that if you start to be known as a dishonest company or a company that is unable to keep customers happy, then new customers will be very hesitant to download your app or try you out. By protecting your customers from the beginning and putting in safety features to prevent unauthorized in-app purchases in the first place, your customers will feel safe and as if they can trust you.

Mobile All The Way

If you don’t already have a smartphone app available for your business or at least a mobile website, you should consider making these changes. Getting your mobile website up to speed could make all the difference in today’s world where technology and smartphones are taking over. Stay on top by using mobile.

Mobile technology news brought to you by businesstexter.com

Source: usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/01/15/apple-ftc-settlement/4491365/

Do You Run On Jelly Bean?

Android is releasing a new operating system regularly, including Jelly Bean. But the truth is, Jelly Bean isn’t even the most recent operating system for Android, though it does seem to finally be getting put on most Android devices. How come Android can’t seem to convince customers to switch over to phones with the new operating system? Maybe it’s because not a lot of new phones even offer KitKat. Or maybe it’s because you need to get on the ball and finally upgrade that phone to something better. The real question is, are you so out of date that you don’t even run on Jelly Bean?

A Short History of Android

The very first couple of versions for Android didn’t have code names. The first one was named Cupcake and was released in April 2009. After that, there were a variety of codenames for Android operating systems including Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, and finally, the most recent one, which is KitKat. The desert-themed names are common for Android, since deserts typically only bring good thoughts to mind. Within each of these operating system releases were updates of the system. Honeycomb and Jelly Bean, for example, both had 3 updates within their names.

Controversy Over KitKat Name

When it was announced that KitKat was going to be the name of the new operating system, a lot of people were surprised. By adding another  brand to the mix, you’re implying that KitKat is now a partner of Android. Though the name was only developed by a random developer who mentioned that KitKat might be a good name for the new operating system, the company has fully embraced the idea. Of course, it had to get permission from KitKat to use the name without and legal problems, which did end up developing a relationship between the two companies, but it was a great way to distinguish the most recent update from everything else. The only problem? Android is pretty slow at finally putting the new operating system on all its devices.

Most Still Use Jelly Bean

Even though KitKat is the most recent operating system, it is really only found on 1.4% of all Android devices, according to PC Magazine. Jelly Bean hasn’t even made it to all the currently used Android devices out there. In fact, only 60% of Android phones are updated with the Jelly Bean operating system. Android is a little behind on getting people up the speed on the newest operating systems, but at least the new stuff is constantly being developed. The truth is, maybe customers aren’t as excited about the KitKat update as Android was about it. If you can’t get your customers excited about the new releases that you have, you’ll be much less successful in convincing them to make a change with you. You’ll just have to see if you have Jelly Bean, Kit Kat, or an older version of Android. More than likely, you’ll find that you have Jelly Bean too.

Mobile technology news brought to you by businesstexter.com

Source: pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2429425,00.asp

Protect Yourself With An iPhone Case

Have you ever been out on the town or walking down an alley and thought, “What would I do if someone attacked me right now?” Have you ever tried saving your phone over yourself when you drop it? Well, if you’ve ever experienced either of these things, there is a new phone case that will ease your pain. No more worrying about a broken phone or being attacked in dark and scary places. There is an iPhone case just for you!
 
All About The Yellow Jacket
 
The Yellow Jacket is an iPhone case that will give you peace of mind in more than one way. When you first look at it, it appears to be a really bulky iPhone case, according to the LA Times. You would never guess what the case has a stun gun in. Not only will the case protect your phone if you ever drop it, but you’ll also be able to stun anyone trying to attack you by keeping your phone handy.
 
How The Taser Works
 
To get to the taser in your phone case, all you have to do is flip the cover down and open it up. The taser prongs can shock you with 650 kilowatts of electricity, bringing pretty much anyone to the ground, according to the LA Times. And the best part isn’t that your iPhone case has protected your phone or you, it is that you can now get away from the person who meant you harm. The taser will make them unable to move their muscles, making it extremely difficult to track where you are going let alone get up and chase you. It is a good way to protect yourself, and disguising it as a cell phone case makes your attackers unaware. And it won’t cost any lasting damage to the attacker.
 
The Down Side
 
There are a few problems to having a stun gun iPhone case to protect yourself. First of all, it is not legal everywhere, so you’ll need to check up on your state and local laws to see if you are even allowed to carry it around. Second, the case isn’t waterproof, which means you need to be really careful when around water. You already do that with your phone, but just be more careful. You’ll especially want to avoid using the taser in the rain or snow where it could end up hurting you more than the criminal trying to attack you.
 
Protection For You And Your Phone
 
The two most valuable things you own can be protected by the Yellow Jacket, making it a pretty neat tool for people who need peace of mind. The truth is that this kind of thing is probably not worth your money since the likelihood of you being attacked is very low. And on top of that, the chances that you’ll have your phone ready for the attacker when you get attacked is even smaller. But at least you’ll know that the two most important things in your life are protected: yourself and your iPhone.
 
Mobile technology news brought to you by businesstexter.com
Source: latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-yellow-jacket-volt-iphone-case-protects-and-powers-your-phone-gadget-weaponry-20131220,0,6010755.story#axzz2q9QWchh4

Best Mobile Technology of 2014

Have you ever attended CES? Probably not, but it’s still the place where you can go to see the latest and greatest technology of the year. And it is the first expo of the year, so it sets a precedent for what will be released. Since the recent CES show, we’ve heard a lot about the great technology that is coming out, but the real question is what is the best mobile technology of 2014?

Get Your Huge Phones

Every few years, phones get a new fad. First, people wanted the smallest phones they could possibly get. I remember seeing commercials where they would compare phones to small objects and show you just how easy they would be to fit in your pants or your wallet. Even though there were still some of us more concerned about losing the tiny phone than being able to fit it anywhere, the fad continued. Now, however, it has gone the opposite direction. Bigger is better in the smartphone market. The best mobile technology now comes with huge screens making it easier to use your phone as an all-purpose device. No more need for laptops when you can just do it all on your phone.

Wearable Technology

If you thought you were geeky and unfashionable, think again. The best mobile technology this year is wearable, which makes smartwatches the new black, according to Engadget. Companies like Pebble showed off their new smartwatches and other technology that gives you everything you want on your wrist. Life is just so much easier when you don’t have to do much to get to all of your emails and phone calls. This industry is just beginning, and a lot is expected out of 2014 in the wearable technology industry. We already live in a Sci-Fi movie from the 50s, but we’re getting even closer to making all of it a reality.

Connecting Your Life

Another thing we saw a lot at CES this year was the way that technology is connecting everything in our lives. It used to be that when you were home, you were home. If you were at the store, that was all you had to think about. Work couldn’t come home with you even if you wanted it to. You had to stop worrying about the house being safe and move on. Technology is making it easier to blend everything together though. This means you can control your TV, alarm system, vehicle and heater all while working from your smartphone. Smartphones can do almost anything, and the new stuff shown at CES shows just how much closer we are to having everything computerized in our lives.

Best Mobile Technology Still Has Texting

With all these great technological advancements, we still use texting every day as a form of communications. You can easily communicate with your customers by using texting, and it will never go out of style. Even smartwatches allow you to send and receive text messages. It is a changing world, but your marketing techniques can stay the same.

Mobile technology news brought to you by businesstexter.com

Source: engadget.com/2014/01/12/ces-2014-mobile-roundup/

Marketing To Millennials

Mobile marketing has come a long way since the first text message marketing campaigns and so has mobile technology. Today nearly everyone has a mobile phone. More than half are smartphones. With such a large audience it's no wonder that many businesses large and small have turned their attention to mobile marketing.
 
According to a recent report from Mobile Commerce Daily, the demographic most likely to engage with brands through mobile are millennials. The report states that millennials are the most susceptible to mobile ads and the most likely to respond positvely to them. It stands to reason then that any business owner should be focused on trying to reach this important audience.
 

The Most Important Generation

If you're not convinced that the youngest generation is the most important to win over, consider this finding from the report: 25% of millennials say they would pay a higher price simply to have a new product first. All evidence seems to suggest that millennials especially have a great desire to be at the head of the curve and they're willing to pay for that privilege. Most importantly, it's the millennials that are driving the interest in the new products they get excited about.
 

How To Reach Them

The same report also found that businesses were having a difficult time reaching millennials through the tried and true traditional marketing channels. It seems the best channel for reaching today's youth is mobile. As a result, many businesses are allocating their marketing budget for mobile marketing efforts such as designing a mobile optimized website, launching a text message marketing campaign, and even investing in mobile apps.
 
While all of these channels are important in this day and age, markers have found that the most important way to reach millennials is through social media. Because most people (and especially millennials) are accessing social media almost exclusively through mobile, the two are inseparably connected.
 

Harnessing The Power of Social Media

As already stated, millennials are the most likely to engage with brands via mobile, and that is the key to success in social media marketing, getting people to engage. It isn't enough anymore to achieve a certain number of “likes” on Facebook. Your target audience should be engaging with your brand. All your social media marketing efforts should be focused on that goal.
 
One way to do this is to encourage feedback on social media. You may want to offer an incentive to get customers to give feedback about products or services. You can also keep them involved by asking for their opinions about new products or services.
 
Because millennials are especially interested in having the latest things, it's important to use social media to keep millennials informed of upcoming products and offer them the chance to get it first. This generates excitement and in turn, more business from millennials and other demographics.
 

Mobile Technology News brought to you by businesstexter.com
Source: business2community.com/mobile-apps/millennials-mobile-marketing-0875987#!MQXkM

Six Tips For Mobile SEO Success

Having an effective mobile SEO strategy in place could be the difference between a sale and a missed opportunity. According to a recent study, 74% of mobile users will rely on a search engine at some point during the process of making a purchase. 83% of mobile users want to complete the purchase within a day. If you want these smartphone shoppers to find and purchase from your business, you’ll want to invest in a mobile SEO strategy. Here are six tips for achieving mobile SEO success.

Focus On User Experience

The bottom line for any mobile SEO strategy should be user experience. You want your mobile site to be simple and easy to navigate. If your mobile site is accessible and easy to use, it’s going to rank higher on search results. And more importantly, it’s going to lead to higher conversion rates. Make sure that your mobile SEO strategy is focused on providing customers with a great user experience. If you don’t do this, nothing else matters.

Have A Mobile Website

In 2014, having a mobile website is no longer an option. Smartphone traffic has grown by 125% compared to desktop’s 12% growth. If your website isn’t optimized for mobile devices, then nearly 50% of your potential customers will be trying to navigate a webpage designed for a screen that is several times larger. Currently, conversion rates on smartphones are only a third of what they are on desktops. This is in large part because of websites not optimized for mobile.

Speed Up Load Times

Research shows that smartphone users don’t have as much patience as desktop users when it comes to page loading times. Google recommends a load time of one second. Currently the average of 7 seconds. The longer customers have to wait, the more likely they’ll look elsewhere. If your mobile pages are loading within a second, the mobile user’s flow of thought won’t be disrupted and they’ll be more likely to carry through with a purchase.

Use Good Design, Focus On Usability

Good design is one of those things that can influence a customer without them realizing it. The goal should be making it as easy to use as possible. Make sure navigation throughout the mobile site is intuitive and information is easily digestible. Eliminate any features that are unnecessary.

Understand User Intent

Mobile user intent is very different from desktop user intent. For instance, mobile users are normally performing searches for something close by and intend to purchase within the hour. Make sure that your address, phone number, and hours of operation are readily available to mobile users, especially if you have more than one location.

Account For Voice Search

The ability for customers to ask their phone a question vocally changes keyword research. People phrase things different when they are using their phone’s voice search feature as opposed to typing it in on a search engine. Also, with voice search, location is more important than ever so keep those two things in mind when doing keyword research.

Mobile Technology News brought to you by businesstexter.com

Source:  searchenginewatch.com/article/2320360/6-Essential-Elements-for-Mobile-SEO-Success-in-2014