According to recent research from InStat, smartphone users typically download five software applications at a time. Reports from market research firm Net Applications indicate 66% of those who access the Web use an iPhone, while the rest use Java, Windows, or Android-based phones.
As the number of smartphones grow, so does the amount of third-party applications available for download. Clearly, the numbers show that the iPhone isn't the only game in town -- though it does seem to have the most enterprise apps available.
Lots of businesses are creating smartphone apps to enhance or compliment their products and services, and with good reason -- everyone and their brother carries a cellphone. If you're contemplating developing an app for your business, have a look at Everypoint's Nemo mobile app builder.
Nemo is a mobile application platform that helps developers create, distribute, and manage smartphone apps that can be used on any Java-enabled device, including Nokia, Samsung, SonyEricsson, LG and Motorola models. That covers a wide swath of mobile phone users without limiting your app's availability to only iPhones or BlackBerrys.
To get an idea of what Nemo can do, take a look at Everypoint's online emulator, play around with some apps, and even download the source code and tutorials. “These five mobile applications were developed over a period of only a few weeks and already represent some of the most graphically impressive and feature-rich applications ever seen on feature phones,” said Allan Mackinnon, Founder, President and CTO of Everypoint.
The emulator has some games, a stock ticker, and a horoscope app for visitors to test. Bearing in mind that it's tricky to navigate a virtual cell phone in lieu of a real one, I think the demos look great. I can easily see using any of them on my BlackBerry and also my standard Samsung camera phone.
As mobile apps become easier to develop, there's really no reason not to consider adding one to your arsenal of customer service tools. If you're new to mobile app development, or want something that works "out-of-the-box", Nemo looks like a great place to start.
