I posted a few days ago how mobile internet is likely to take off next year. The advent of the droid phones can only make this more likely as prices for the new generation of mobiles should come down. Competition and innovation in this field is going to be massive.

My other half happens to be an iphone user and I have been watching him use it with interest. What is exciting about this platform is the openness of the API. It means that many developers are creating new and interesting applications for it.

Just yesterday he demonstrated an application called Shazam which uses the microphone to listen to a song and then names it. You can then use the application to link through to various sites where you can buy that song or you can simply share it with your twitter and facebook friends. This is a very clever way to use the point of information to drive sales. That is exactly why these technologies have the potential to be so powerful in marketing. The device is always on and with the user whilst they are in the moment.

 I heard of another innovative use of location – apparently you can track where your iphone is using Apples “Mobile Me” service. Yesterday I received a tweet from someone who had left their phone in a taxi. He contacted the taxi firm and then watched the phone travel towards him on his Mac. Even better if you phone were stolen you can track it and also remove all your personal information at the press of a button.

Using augmented reality on mobiles is already possible on the iphone 3GS (which has a compass installed) and Android phones. For instance Wikitude allows users to see geotags (written by other members of the public) when scanning a scene with their phones camera. Other apps have used this to show reviews of restaurants and other socially based information.

So how could this be used for marketing products? We are definitely in the experimentation phase. A few companies have jumped straight in there. Lego have had a go at installing augmented reality booths into some of their shops. You place the box in front of the booth and it shows how the set is built. You can imagine being able to do similar things using a 3G phone. Clearly this is something of a gimmick but through experimentation the really valuable uses for this technology will emerge. The key as always will be listen and learn about what your customers needs are and then try and address them in innovative and interesting ways. For me a product like Shazam does exactly this. The possibilities are huge. Contact us!