HotelTonight
-
Posted by: Viki ZabalaOctober 5, 2012
- With less than two weeks until Apple’s speculated Oct. 17 iPad Mini release, reports show that mass production of the smaller iPad has begun.
- Though the iPhone 5 has just barely hit shelves, some mobile mavens have already started wish lists for their dream iPhone 6.
- As the holiday travel season starts in less than one month, popular smartphone app HotelTonight’s recent acquisition of PrimaTable should allow more personalized recommendations for guests looking to snag last-minute rooms.
- Retailers will be able to learn how to promote m-commerce – especially during the upcoming holiday season – at next week’s Internet Retailer Mobile Marketing and Commerce Forum, where Fiksu and our customer Lemon are co-presenting.
Apple’s Asian component suppliers have commenced mass production of the rumored iPad Mini tablet that is expected to directly compete with Amazon’s recently released tablets, according to The Wall Street Journal. With an expected 7-inch size, the so-called iPad Mini will enter a crowded, low-cost tablet market that includes Barnes & Noble’s Nook and Amazon’s hot Kindle Fire HD. Though its price tag hasn’t been announced, speculation is that the iPad Mini will retail for less than the $499 price of the latest full-size iPad.
As Apple’s iPhone 5 continues to break records, including selling 5 million units during its first weekend, some users are already sharing their desires for the iPhone 6 - even though Apple’s usual product timeline would have the hypothetical release a year off. Some wish-list items include fingerprint screening, near-field communication technology, more storage, and an improved Siri, reports CNET. Apple’s design philosophy is modest: “Our goals are very simple – to design and make better products. If we can’t make something that is better, we won’t do it,” said Apple’s chief designer Sir Jonathan Ive.
With the holiday season kicking off in just a few short weeks, travelers will inevitably flock to hotels worldwide in order to spend time with friends and family. But spontaneous tourists don’t need to plan months ahead, as they can use last-minute booking app HotelTonight for their accommodations. Now, the wildly popular smartphone app just became a little more personal. HotelTonight recently acquired PrimaTable, which provided members-only access to reservations at fine restaurants in San Francisco and New York. According to Mashable, HotelTonight and PrimaTable will combine their algorithms to make hotel booking more personal, creating more relevant search results and rational pricing for users. Read more about HotelTonight’s mobile app marketing success story here.
Retailers looking to boost their mobile efforts during the holiday season can turn to next week’s Internet Retailer 2012 Mobile Marketing and Commerce Forum for actionable advice. Fiksu and our customer Lemon, a digital wallet app, will co-present on new frontiers in app promotion, focusing on Lemon’s successful experience navigating the complex mobile app ecosystem. The discussion will also cover iOS and Android app marketing, as well as attaining customer loyalty. The show takes place Monday, Oct. 8, though Wednesday, Oct. 10, in San Diego. Details and registration here.
-
Posted by: Viki ZabalaSeptember 6, 2012
While all eyes remain focused on Apple’s official Sept. 12 unveiling of the iPhone 5 and iOS 6, other major mobile competitors are holding their own media events to launch new products ahead of Apple’s highly anticipated launch. Still, reports point to Android’s continued position as top dog in terms of world market share for mobile devices. And, with the holiday travel season just around the corner, mobile users will want to check out the red-hot HotelTonight app that lets spontaneous travelers check-in to hotels for last-minute stays around the globe.
September is shaping up to be a huge month for mobile industry announcements. On Sept. 5, Nokia unveiled its new Lumia Windows phone, which will serve as the flagship handset in its Microsoft alliance, reports USA Today. “The Lumia 920 is a smartphone experience so immersive that you’ll never want to put it down,” said Jo Harlow, executive vice president of smart devices at Nokia, in a ZDNet piece. Similarly rushing to beat the iPhone was Motorola, which revealed a top-of-the-line Droid Razr phone at a Sept. 5 New York event. CNET reports that the device will feature a sharper screen and a higher-capacity battery.
On Thursday, Sept. 6, Amazon is expected to debut new Kindle devices. Technology companies used to divulge new products at enormous conferences, such as the Consumer Electronics Show, but have now followed Apple’s footsteps to create their own press events. “It seems that the rumor of an Apple announcement is having an effect on competitors’ announcements, unless it’s an amazing coincidence,” said Gartner technology analyst Michael Gartenberg to The New York Times.
Though we are just days away from the iPhone 5’s unveiling, Android remains “king” of the world mobile market. According to the latest smartphone sales figures from Kantar Worldpanel Comtech, the Google-powered operating system stakes a more than 61 percent share in eight key regions, including the U.S., European Union and Brazil. That’s a nearly 10 percent overall increase in the past year. In the U.S. market alone, however, Android’s holdings fell 4.5 percent in favor of Apple’s iOS platform.
As consumers eagerly await the new iPhone, Apple is allowing existing users to cash in on their current devices. According to TheNextWeb, Apple is offering through its Reuse and Recycle program up to $345 for older iPhone models. Users can simply input their devices’ model, color and donation, and Apple will calculate what it believes the product is worth. After agreeing to return power cable cords with iPhones, Apple will then generate a gift certificate for the user, redeemable for a new purchase in its online store.
Wildly popular smartphone app HotelTonight, which allows users to book same-day reservations for hotels, has now dropped in to 10 U.S. and U.K. cities and has tallied more 3 million downloads to date. In the past year, HotelTonight has impressively launched apps for iPhone, iPad and Android. “Hitting the 3 million download mark and announcing ten new cities shows how serious we are about our aggressive expansion and fulfilling our promise to be ubiquitous,” said Jared Simon, co-founder and COO, HotelTonight, to TheNextWeb. Read how HotelTonight teamed up with Fiksu to help “book its success” here.
Follow Us
