Definition and Context of Mobile Applications

A mobile application is software designed to be used on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. It is specifically developed for a mobile operating system, such as Android (Google) or iOS (Apple).

• Since 2010, the consumption of data and digital services has been done on the move on smartphones.

• New online services have emerged such as:
  • video on demand (Netflix)
  • unlimited music (Spotify, Deezer)

• Some download figures from the stores:

  Store	Number of applications
  Google Play	2.8 million
  App Store	2.2 million

  Number of downloads	Business
  300 billion combined Google and Apple	You need to find your place among competitors

  Average number of applications per smartphone	Never used	Used only once	After one week	After 3 months
  36	25%	59%	10%	3%

  When	Where	Usage	Who
  Morning	In transit		Millennials (1980-2000) in very large numbers
  During the day, during breaks	At work	check notifications
  	In stores	compare prices
  	at a cafe	read news
  		purchase goods

• IoT (Internet of Things): What is it?

  The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a network of physical objects connected to the Internet, capable of collecting, analyzing and exchanging data without human intervention.

  ✅ Smart homes: Voice assistants (Alexa, Google Home), smart thermostats, connected light bulbs.

  ✅ Health: Connected watches (Apple Watch, Fitbit), remote medical sensors.

  ✅ Industry (Industrial IoT - IIoT): Connected machines to optimize production.

  ✅ Agriculture: Sensors measuring soil moisture to optimize watering.

  ✅ Transportation: Connected cars, smart traffic lights.

  Have you ever used a connected object? What was its advantage?

  a smartwatch (e.g., Apple Watch). ✅ Advantages: tracking physical activity, notifications without taking out your phone, health measurements (heart rate, sleep).

• Smart Cities

  A Smart City is a city that uses digital technologies and IoT to optimize resource management, mobility, environment and quality of life for residents.

  🚦 Smart mobility → Optimized public transport with real-time buses/trains.

  💡 Smart energy → Public lighting that adapts to traffic.

  ♻ Waste management → Connected trash bins that signal when they are full.

  🌱 Environmental monitoring → Sensors measuring pollution and air quality.

  🚓 Urban security → Connected cameras and alert systems

Mobile applications have profoundly transformed our daily lives, influencing the way we work, communicate, consume, learn and entertain ourselves. Here is an overview of their importance and impact across different domains:

• Accessibility and connectivity
  • They provide access to services in real time from anywhere.
  • They facilitate instant communication (social networks, messaging, video conferences).
  • They reduce geographical barriers, improving access to information and services.

• 💼 Economic development and professional opportunities
  • They have created an immense job market (mobile development, UX/UI, digital marketing, etc.).

• 📚 In education and learning
  • Help with inclusion of people with difficulties (applications for dyslexics, visually impaired, etc.).

• 🚑 In health and well-being
  • Medical teleconsultations with apps like Doctolib or Babylon Health.
  • Health monitoring via connected devices and fitness applications (Apple Health, MyFitnessPal).
  • Help with treatment management (medication reminders, medical follow-up).

• 🛍️ In consumption and commerce
  • Digitalization of payments (PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay).

• 🚗 In mobility and transportation
  • Route optimization through GPS and public transport apps (Google Maps, Citymapper, Moovit).
  • Popularization of on-demand transportation (Uber, Bolt, Blablacar).
  • Impact on ecology with carpooling and bike-sharing applications.

• 🎮 In entertainment and culture
  • Unlimited access to music (Spotify).
  • Development of social networks (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter). 

⚠️ Negative effects and challenges to address

• Dependency and overconsumption
  • Screen addiction, especially among young people.
  • Decreased concentration and productivity.

• Data protection and cybersecurity
  • Increased risk of hacking and data theft.
  • Exploitation of personal data for advertising purposes.

• Environmental impact
  • High consumption of energy and resources (servers, production of mobile devices).
  • Generation of electronic waste with frequent smartphone renewal.

5G (fifth generation mobile network) is a major advancement in the field of telecommunications. It brings ultra-fast speeds, reduced latency and massive connection capacity, which revolutionizes mobile application usage.

• Increased speed: up to 100 times faster than 4G.

• Improved capacity: handling more connected devices simultaneously.

A mobile application, unlike a responsive website adapted to smartphone screen size, is available on the phone system's store (Google Play or AppStore):

1. gain visibility:
   1. have your logo on consumers' smartphones screens and therefore have more presence.

• Significant human and financial cost

• Native or hybrid?
  • Advantages of native:
    • The main advantage concerns the power of applications. Designed as native, they use the full potential of the phone on which they are installed
    • The application natively uses the phone's specific features.
    • No hardware compatibility issues,
    • everything is clear, pure and adapted.
  • Slowness and bugs:
    • especially when hybrid solutions first appeared. Since then, solutions have improved.
  • Tools that allow hybrid development include:
    • with a programming language specific to the solution and paid
      • Titanium
      • Xamarin (Microsoft made it available in its development tools)
      • Unity
    • open source and free:
      • Ionic (2013, French)
        • HTML, CSS, Javascript framework that uses a webview. The developer designs the page as they would a web page and Ionic takes care of formatting it for mobile.
        • The back-end is handled by Angular
          • framework created by Google and tied to Cordova: Ionic thus has a whole base of plugins for Cordova adapted to its needs.
        • framework simple to implement
        • this framework is not very optimized. why?
      • React native
        • React JS is the origin of React Native. The React JS framework, designed for front-end web development, has become very popular. One of the characteristics of React JS is that it allows a constant flow of information by only reloading the user interface when necessary.
        • 2015
        • by Facebook
        • React Native is compiled, and that's its difference, meaning that each part of the interface is custom designed and completely adapts to its platform. This means that React Native transforms each element (button, text, image...) into a native component. The application written in React Native thus gains in power.

  Business model

  App distribution model	Revenue	Advantage
  free		Users are easier to convince to try. It is much simpler to retain users once they have signed up.
  paid	RPI: Revenue Per Installation	Finding the fairest price between maximizing revenue and not discouraging the user.
  freemium		free application with paid advanced features

  Store Cost 

  Apple and Google take 30% of the amounts paid by users and 15% from the second year of app usage by a user. 

  Analytics 

  Developers have statistics on the usage of their applications.

  Do you think the 30% commission taken by Apple and Google on app purchases is justified?

  ✔️ Arguments in favor:

  1. Provide a secure platform and distribution ecosystem.
  2. Allow developers to reach a wide audience.

  ❌ Arguments against:

  1. Commission considered excessive by many developers.
  2. Debate on the dominance of Apple and Google (e.g., Epic Games vs Apple lawsuit). 1.

     The Epic Games vs Apple lawsuit

     The Epic Games vs Apple lawsuit is a major legal battle that pitted Epic Games, the publisher of Fortnite, against Apple starting in 2020. This conflict primarily concerned the App Store's business practices, notably the 30% commission that Apple takes on purchases made within applications.

     Why did Epic Games sue Apple?

     1. Epic Games wanted to bypass the 30% commission imposed by Apple on in-app purchases.
     2. In August 2020, Epic integrated a direct payment system in Fortnite, allowing users to buy V-Bucks (the game's virtual currency) at a reduced price without going through the App Store.
     3. Apple then removed Fortnite from the App Store, which triggered a lawsuit from Epic Games against Apple.

     Epic Games' Arguments

     1. Apple's monopoly: The App Store is the only way to install an application on an iPhone, which prevents competition.
     2. Anti-competitive practices: The 30% commission is considered too high and prevents real competition.
     3. Lack of freedom for developers: They cannot offer other payment methods or publish their applications elsewhere.

     Apple's Arguments

     1. Security and quality: Apple claims that its closed ecosystem ensures better security for users.
     2. Justified economic model: The commission finances the App Store infrastructure (hosting, security, updates).
     3. Contract violated: Epic Games knowingly broke the rules by integrating an alternative payment method.

     The Verdict (2021)

     1. The court ruled that Apple was not a monopoly, but ordered Apple to allow developers to offer external payment systems.
     2. However, Epic Games lost on several points and was forced to pay damages to Apple for breach of contract.
     3. Fortnite is still not back on the App Store to this day.

     Consequences and Impact

     1. This case triggered a global debate on app store practices.
     2. Apple had to make changes to its App Store, including allowing certain external payments.
     3. This lawsuit also influenced Google Play, which also applies commissions on Android.

     It is a key case in the regulation of major digital platforms, and other companies (Spotify, Match Group...) have joined the fight against Apple and Google for more freedom for developers. 🚀

  3. Some developers prefer alternative platforms to avoid this tax.

• Discuss the advantages of a mobile device compared to traditional desktop and laptop computers.

• Explain the main characteristics of mobile devices that distinguish them from traditional computers (small size, hardware sensors, network capability).

• Understand why mobile devices have the potential to disrupt most business sectors.

• Discuss the different ways a mobile application can be used to reach consumers.

• Discuss the different ways an application can generate revenue for its developer.

• Explain how a mobile application can be part of business process transformations.

Examples of mobile websites and applications

1. Amazon – Shopping application allowing barcode scanning in store (concept of "showrooming").

2. K-NFB Reader – Application for blind people allowing to read printed text using a camera and pattern recognition software.

3. AppleVis.com – Platform listing applications for blind and visually impaired users.

4. Square – Application allowing small merchants to accept credit card payments with a mobile device.

5. PayPal – Payment service allowing to easily send money via mobile.

6. Starbucks – Loyalty application allowing to collect rewards and order favorite drinks.

7. AXE (Unilever) – Promotional mobile games integrated into their application.

8. Nestlé – Application promoting physical fitness.

9. Zyrtec – Application for tracking allergy symptoms and pollen levels.

10. Kimberly-Clark (Pull-Ups Big Kid) – Potty training application for toddlers.

11. Fence Builder Pro – Application for managing fence construction sites.

12. Bossy – Application for dairy farmers to track actions to perform on their herd.

13. State Farm (Pocket Agent) – Application allowing customers to submit insurance claims, including photos and GPS coordinates.

14. GoFishing! – Application for fishermen, allowing to record their catches with geolocation and weather conditions.

These examples illustrate different uses of mobile applications, ranging from online commerce to business management, accessibility, and financial services.

Importance of Mobile Applications in Today's World, Highlighting Their Benefits, Uses, and Economic Potential

1. Why Mobile is Essential

1. Mobile devices differ from traditional computers due to their reduced size, integrated sensors, and advanced connectivity (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, cellular network).

2. They enable the automation and improvement of business processes, making numerous tasks more accessible and efficient.

3. Their massive adoption is transforming industries and redefining economic models.

2. The Impact of Mobile Applications

1. Reaching customers: Consumers always have their smartphones at hand. An application allows businesses to stay connected with them, offering instant services and better customer retention.

2. Optimization of business processes: Mobile applications can modernize and simplify business operations. Examples like Bossy (dairy herd tracking) and Fence Builder Pro (fence construction management) show how mobile can revolutionize specific sectors.

3. Customer experience and engagement: Major brands like Starbucks, Amazon, Nestlé, and Zyrtec use applications to improve customer experience, strengthen loyalty, and offer personalized services.

3. Monetization and Economic Opportunities

1. Several economic models exist:
   1. Paid applications: One-time purchase (e.g., GoFishing! for anglers).
   2. Integrated advertising: Revenue generated by clicks on ads.
   3. In-app purchases: Premium options or paid extensions within applications.
   4. Subscriptions: Recurring access to a service or exclusive content.

4. Reinvention of Business Processes

1. Mobile is not limited to simple automation; it enables a complete transformation of traditional processes. Example: Pocket Agent (State Farm) facilitates incident reporting by integrating GPS and image capture.

2. The adoption of mobile solutions is a strategic issue: companies that don't adapt risk being overtaken by competition.

Conclusion

Mobile applications are not just a trend but a powerful lever for innovation, customer engagement, and optimization of professional processes. They redefine how businesses interact with their customers and manage their operations. The rise in sales of smartphones and tablets compared to PCs confirms the importance of this transformation. This summary captures the essence of the text by highlighting the main points discussed. Would you like a shorter summary or more details on a specific aspect?

Summary

Mobile technology receives significant attention in the business and computing worlds. The technology represents a spectacular change in technological capability that has enabled potential economic benefits for those able to leverage it. Mobile technology helps foster innovations to reach customers and in the redesign of business processes and software products that lead to the creation of many new small businesses.

Exercises

1. Find an application that uses device capabilities to provide a product that could not exist before. Explain what makes this application important or innovative.

2. Research sales statistics for mobile devices compared to PCs. What did you learn from these statistics?