There is no doubt that mobile applications have surpassed their current status as a “trend”. Flurry, reported that mobile app use in the United States rose 35 percent this year, proving a rise in the use of smart phones and smart devices to access information, pass time or interact with family and friends. We are living in a generation of NOW, so why wait for information when it can be discovered with the click of a button and to make matters better, this information can be found anywhere within 100 miles of a cell phone tower.

The reason for all of this mobile device use (in my opinion) is because more and more companies are directing and encouraging their consumers to their smart phone friendly applications. If they do not have an application they are sending them to other applications, like Instagram, and encouraging people to communicate through social media outlets. Using mobile apps for video, now allows businesses to take their media advertising to the next level.

Mobile apps for video has certainly made a huge impact in the market, yet the television is still the number one outlet for video viewing. The roles however, for television, are taking a shift while trying to engage users and instead of competing against these smart devices, they are trying to create a bridge between the two. Other companies, like Apple are trying to bridge the gap as well and break in to the television market. The third generation of Apple TV was launched the beginning of the year  and is allowing people to surf the web and watch Youtube videos on there 50” plasma screens.

Although these mediums are being looked at as competitive markets, each one can benefit the other if used in the correct way. For example, The Richards Group study suggests that 60% of three-screen owners report multi-device use while watching television. So if one medium (television) were to encourage someone to visit another medium, (mobile website) their 15 second commercial can potentially turn into a 2 minute website browse, tell me how this can be a bad thing.

Mobile apps for video have come a long way, and have no intention on stopping now. I will not argue the fact that these applications could and most likely will prove better numbers than TV by 2014, but this competition has just begun.

Sources:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57557437-93/mobile-apps-outpace-the-web-and-neck-in-neck-with-tv/

http://services.google.com/fh/files/misc/multiscreenworld_final.pdf

http://adage.com/article/special-report-look-ahead-2013/mobile-predictions-2013/239122/