by Aaron Kirchner-Loeser
Aurnhammer Marketing Coordinator

In a day and age where almost everyone in public is seen talking or texting on their cell phone, it is safe to say that mobility is the way of the future. From social networking to online shopping, almost everyone is doing it.

A study in 2013 showed that 65% of companies in United States and United Kingdom had planned to deploy five or more apps while 21% organizations look forward to deploy 20 or more apps. Given this trend, more and more businesses are looking to take advantage of the mobile market with “enterprise mobility”.

A prime example of enterprise mobility is Hewlett Packard’s ePrint enterprise. Connecting to HP’s network of 300,000+ public print locations such as FedEx, UPS, and more, this app allows users to print from essentially anywhere. In addition, HP’s ePrint enterprise supports corporate printing by using a private-cloud based solution for corporate network printers.

According to a survey conducted across the United States and United Kingdom, in 2013 44% of organizations had already implemented an enterprise mobility project. Also, in 2013 the mobile worker population was projected to reach 1.2 billion. This would account for nearly 35% of the global work force, according to a report from IDC. Given the rising numbers in enterprise mobility, it seems this tactic should be taken into consideration by more companies. In order to assess the success of enterprise mobility, often times the Return on Investment (ROI) is analyzed.

The ROI can be calculated by dividing a company’s productivity gains by its costs. Given that ROI is the foundational metric in measuring a company’s success with enterprise mobility, there are several key considerations. Sometimes, qualitative and/or quantitative benefits can’t be calculated at all, but in a recent study done by Harvard Business School that is depicted below, enterprise mobility is quantified.

A second aspect of enterprise mobility that needs to be considered when weighing the pros and cons of deploying an enterprise app is the fact that as time goes on, the cost per user goes down as well. This may make creating a mobile app for enterprises more enticing, as even though there are serious investments upfront, over time the cost per user starts to decline.

Lastly, outsourcing is something that needs to be taken into consideration regarding the ROI. As costs are key in calculating the ROI of an enterprise, in some cases it may be beneficial to outsource the development of the app. By doing this, costs will be kept down as the costs of in-house development, investments in technology and equipment, and hiring a team of developers are usually more expensive domestically. According to Visage Mobile, outsourcing can reduce costs of enterprise mobility by $160 billion, which is a 35% net savings. To contextualize these large numbers, that is $254 saved on each employee every year!

In effect, enterprise mobility is well worth the investment in the long run. Although creating mobile applications can be time consuming and expensive, the analytics show that more often than not there is a significantly positive ROI that goes hand in hand with enterprise mobility.

To find out more, download the Mobile Enterprise Whitepaper.

Rumor or Fallacy?

by Aaron Kirchner-Loeser
Aurnhammer Marketing Coordinator

Between June 2nd and 6th, developers from around the world will converge on San Francisco to attend Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference. Although rumors leading up to the conference in the past have sometimes been true, such as the unveiling of iOS 7 at WWDC 2013, many rumors did not come to fruition.

With the upcoming conference in just a few days, there have been a slew of enticing rumors about new devices and technologies that Apple may unveil, ranging from introduction of iHome to the presentation of the iPhone 6. Since Apple is remaining close-lipped, everything is speculation and we look forward to seeing which rumors are true and which rumors are not.

IPHONE 6: The iPhone 6 is one device that techies and users think will be introduced at the conference. As the iPhone 5’s screen is significantly larger than the iPhone 4, the iPhone 6’s screen is expected to grow. According to MacRumors, the iPhone 6’s retina display could potentially be anywhere between 4.7 and 5.5 inches, which would level the playing field between the size of the iPhone’s screen and that of Android devices like Samsung’s Galaxy and the Nexus. Also, there are rumors that the iPhone 6’s screen will move from Corning Gorilla Glass to sapphire crystal, which is already used in small parts of the iPhone 5 such as the camera lens. This is what the rumored iPhone 6 may look like:

IOS 8: As iOS7 was speculated to be presented at WWDC 2013 and it was, insiders believe that iOS 8 will be introduced at WWDC14. Although the physical and aesthetic appearance of iOS 7 will not change, several new features are expected to be added, including split-screen apps, which will help users multitask, and an Apple Maps update, which will improve not only navigation by adding public transportation directions and more detailed streets, but also connectivity in an age of globalization.

IHOME: Another rumor that has been circulating leading up to WWDC 2014 is that iHome will be introduced. A smart home platform that will run on BLE and possibly NFC (near field communication), iHome would allow users to control the most basic functions of their home from the palm of their hand. This could be anything from opening the garage door when one pulls in from work to cranking up the heat in the winter to turning up the volume on the speakers at a 4th of July party.

APPLE TV: To the dismay of many hopeful onlookers, it doesn’t seem like Apple TV will be one of the keynote presentations at WWDC 2014. In fact, John Paczkowski of Re/Code claims that there will absolutely be no Apple TV at the conference.

With the conference less than a week away, these rumored technological unveilings will not only spark heated and productive dialogue, but also potentially change our lives for the better. Stay tuned for a follow-up WWDC 2014 blog post next week to see which rumors actually become reality!

Additional Rumored Products

-       iOS 8
-       OS X 10.10
-       iTunes radio and Healtbook
-       Updated MacBook air, updated MacBook Pro, and updated iMac
-       New Mac mini
-       IPad mini 3

The New Year has arrived with all the resolutions we hope to tackle.

To keep you from renewing the same resolutions next year, we’ve pulled together some mobile tips & helps to make sure 2014 the year you succeed with your goals. Your smartphone could be your best mentor!

Oh Valentine’s Day
How you tickle me every
Time you come around

by Tim Aaron
Aurnhammer Philosopher and Social Media Strategist

For some of us, February 14th is a wonderful day for shared love and affection where individuals emote, demonstrating to others just how much they care. For others, it is a nightmarish day for realized loneliness and tearful rejection where individuals hide themselves in dejected isolation. We at Aurnhammer spurn the polarized conceptions that depict the day as two opposite extremes. So, we’ve created some videos to identify what Valentine’s Day is actually for:

Dating

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdUePq50QyI

Jealousy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2HiXExqYRU

Lust

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0jcV53C7uU

Expressing emotions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uERA5DgRfwE

Love songs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvD2C_083ro

Realizations

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZDpPqjfuoM

And, of course, supporting a government that isn’t full of gangsters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06zFJvLItJ8

If you want to create funny, cute, provocative, or even dirty video valentines, download the Say It! app and you’ll be sure to put a smile on the faces of those you love. It’s simple, quicker than making a collage valentine yourself, and can be shared via email and Facebook. Just download the app from the iTunes app store, choose an animated character, record your oh-so seductive voice, and share the video valentine with family, friends, and, of course, that special someone. Updates on the app are pending so check in soon for an even more seamless mobile experience. We hope you enjoy the day of love and cheers to us both if your video valentine helps you get some.