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Smartphone Ad Networks

The growth of smartphones in Japan is of course great for local consumers who want more interesting interfaces on their devices. But what does it mean for mobile advertising? Who is providing the needs for advertisers? INterRIDE has done a round-up of the main players in the smartphone field.

AdMob is of course Google’s ad network and famous for its share of the app market. Currently it is top of the pack, not unsurprisingly, and a lot of its ads target working consumers in their thirties and forties.

The second leader among ad network providers is adPapri, who are distributing mobile ads for giants like KDDI, Recruit, Suntory, Kodansha and more. They have around 20 billion impressions per month, and are known for their diversity across different industries and media.

AMoAd focuses its ad solutions for clients looking to advertise on local SNS giants mobage and Ameba (in fact, the operators of those sites, DeNA and Cyber Agent formed AMoAd together), and it has carried its advertisers over from feature phones to the smartphone platform. Its control of female e-commerce advertising is also notable.

AdLantis is known for its GREE smartphone ads and its focus on male consumers in the Tokyo area. Last but not least is nend, whose advertising system is very flexible and allows clients to freely customize banners, circulation and exposure.

On the basis of this general summary the main network providers are pretty distinct at present, though it is early days yet. INterRIDE speculates that for now the providers are trying out different solutions, to meet the competition that will surely only rise as the smartphone becomes the most important device on the market.

Early Warnings, courtesy of Apple

Anyone not satisfied with the popular earthquake warning system apps like Yurekuru Call will be interested in this late August development.

For the Japanese version of iOS5 Apple has added a SMS earthquake early warning system widget. Post 3.11, apps and services offering warnings of tremors and aftershocks flooded the market as consumers tried to cope with the crisis through their mobile lifestyles. This latest system won’t be anything new to mobile users, then, though it is new to Apple devices.

The best thing is that iPhone users won’t require third party apps now but can just receive quake information directly from the national early warning signals. However, since it is permanently connected to the server in order to receive immediate warnings, your battery will potentially die down much faster.

GPS ripora

Gourmet-themed GPS ranking service newbie ripora kicked off at the start of this month. The smartphone app features reviews and info on eateries, drinkers — i.e. the things Japanese consumers are obsessed with — as well as ranking the “reporters”, or the users, by how many posts and reviews they give out.

Ripora is aiming for 300 thousand users in its first year, and hopes in the future to tie-up with corporate partners to offer a SNS platform that connect with potential consumers and diners. Judging purely by ripora’s website, though, the service will definitely need to improve its look in order to stand out in an already very crowded market.

Sharp enters the tablet ring (again)

After previously prompting a host of snide comments following the debut of its poorly titled Galapagos tablet (above, right), so ironic given the Japan market’s oft-criticized insularity, Sharp is back with the RW-T107 (above, left), a FeliCa IC card reader-equipped tablet for businesses.

Not on sale for individuals, the ultra light (around 395g) device works on Android and is being touted as a new system for retailers, banks and others to deal with CMS at the point of sale. In other words, next time in Bic Camera you may end up paying by e-money and giving your membership details to a retail assistant wandering around with a mobile tablet cash register. Sharp aims to shift 5,000 units per month.

This is the latest in a series of blogs based on newsletters provided by our local research partner, INterRIDE Inc.

Related Posts:

Japan Mobile Marketing Round Part 6
Electronics Innovate on Energy Concerns
How Can Brands Innovate Out of Disaster in Japan?

Shopping for a new smartphone is an exciting and arduous experience. It holds the promise of something better and the fear of a two-year commitment. For gadget enthusiasts, it also involves pouring over specs and reviews, and fretting over what’s coming out in the near-term. As we publish this buyer’s guide, we face potential upheavals in the mobile space. Samsung’s Galaxy S II lineup will arrive at three major US carriers, the next iPhone perpetually looms in the distance, and a new generation of Windows Phone handsets is close upon us. You might ask, “Why would anyone buy a smartphone today, when something better is coming tomorrow?” Friends, that’s the blessing and curse of the mobile world — there’s always something better coming. You can’t wait forever, though, and if you want to purchase a smartphone today, we’re here to make the process easier and help you make an informed decision.

While our choices are sometimes contentious, they’re backed with experience that you can rely upon. If you’re looking to make a quick decision without much effort, you can rest assured that our selections won’t steer you wrong. Still, we encourage you to educate yourself before you decide on a smartphone that best fits your needs. Our Primed series is an excellent place to start, where you can learn about dual-core processors and mobile displays. As always, you’re encouraged to share your own experience in the comments, and we hope you have fun listing your own favorites, too. Just remember that we have an $80 ceiling for our budget selections. Compared to our previous buyer’s guide, Samsung has begun to lose ground, and while Android maintains dominance, it’s found some unexpected competition. Curious to see how it played out? Read on, as we round up the best smartphones of the day.

Continue reading Engadget’s smartphone buyer’s guide: fall 2011 edition

Engadget’s smartphone buyer’s guide: fall 2011 edition originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For most of us, cellphones are for texting, calling and maybe the occasional tweet, but what happens when you hand them over to some of the world’s most creative minds? Giving hackers, artists and intellectuals free reign to mess with the various Xperia phones, Sony found out just how capable its handsets really are. Using a few tweaks and hacks, artists were able to create an installation that breathes fire when you snap a photo, a remote-controlled boat with GPS and a bike that uses colored lights to spell out secret words only visible when captured on camera. When Sony asked astrophysicist Joshua Peek to give it a go, he took full sky maps and telescope image data to build an app with an up-close view of electromagnetic patterns in the sky. To round out the project, musician Annabel Lindquist composed a song based on the sounds of Paris she recorded with an Arc. Now, if they could just mod one to avoid dropped calls, we’d be all set. Videos of their ingenuity in action after the break.

Continue reading Artists hack Sony Ericsson’s Xperia phones to see the unseen universe, use fire as a flash

Artists hack Sony Ericsson’s Xperia phones to see the unseen universe, use fire as a flash originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Sep 2011 04:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is this a case of smartphone identity crisis, or just a repurposed chassis? Whatever the case may be, LG’s got a Marquee handset ready to shore up Sprint’s future line-up. The leaked shot comes courtesy of a now private video spotted by Android Central, and was taken at a Dallas-based Radio Shack Business Summit. It’s evident from the one Mr. Blurrycam screen cap on display that the phone’s currently running a vanilla build of Gingerbread, and sports a minimalistic design that’s reminiscent of the Optimus Black. We can’t be certain the two are indeed twins, however that leaked roadmap did indicate a stateside October bow for the Optimus Black — this could simply be a rebrand for the Now Network.

LG Marquee caught on candid camera, is this Sprint’s Optimus Black? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 21:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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