Last week Google hosted its developers conference - Google IO 2015 - at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. This was not a mobile-only event, but because Android is a massive end-point for collecting data and reaching users, almost every announcement had a mobile focus or application. Sure, there was an announcement about a revamped Google Photos that comes with unlimited storage for pics and videos.
But the announcements from Google IO 2015 that will likely have the biggest impact on mobile marketing and mobile strategies are Android Pay, Now on Tap and Project Brillo - Android for your Smart Home.
Despite multiple attempts at creating a digital wallet, Google is moving Google Wallet on mobile devices to Android Pay. The challenge for Google has been and may continue to be they don't own the hardware. So when Samsung adds a payments app - do they pull Android Pay from their default Android OS? What could make this effort different from previous attempts is both the precedent set by Apple with Apple Pay, and broader partnership with financial institutions. 
A "Pay with Android Pay" button for mobile shopping apps should be an obvious addition as an option for shoppers. It is expected Android Pay (and Apple Pay for that matter) should function like Paypal has for the web - my details are already stored so entering my card info is not a roadblock to a sale, or customer leakage point.
Part contextual awareness, part knowledge graph - Google Now on Tap looks to be almost a super-intuitive assistant in your pocket. Scenarios to explain the application include:
Now on Tap potentially makes mobile devices much, much smarter, more useful and goes where Apple was trying to take Siri.
A simpler version of Android specifically for the "Connected" or "Smart" home. The promise is that Project Brillo provides a platform for hardware manufacturers and developers that is cost effective enough to use for light bulbs. This is mobile news because Project Brillo enables a connection from a mobile app to the physical world. It is easy to think of use cases for turning off and on lights, shutting garage door, adjusting the thermostat. When a mobile app can control a connected physical object - not just lightbulbs but anything - we start to appreciate how ambitious this Google I/O event was.
The latest Apple event, “Time Flies,” has concluded. The live streamed event introduced us to upcoming devices and services, as well as announced the launch date for the new operating systems. True to predictions, the iPhone 12 was not announced, but there is still plenty of news app developers will want to be aware of.
The yearly Apple Event has been announced, which means the latest in iOS devices and services will be revealed soon. The event, titled “Time Flies,” will reveal new hardware and services, although recent announcements around delayed devices raise questions about the specifics. With that in mind, here’s what we can expect at Apple’s “Time Flies” event.
Apple’s WWDC 2020 keynote presentation ended with several announcements, including new operating systems, app development tools and more. It’s time to look at the biggest news from the keynote and how it can impact App Store Optimization.