Today saw the launch of the Apple iPhone 5, the first device to feature Apple's new mapping application pre-installed. However, iOS 6 was released for other Apple devices a few days earlier, and when installed, replaced Google Maps with Apple's new mapping application.

iOS 6 maps brings new features to the iPhone, including turn-by-turn navigation. While there have been many positive experience reported on iOS 6 Maps, there have also been a significant volume of criticism in the press and on social media sites of missing towns, poorly rendered imaging, inaccurate routing and out of date information. A blog has even been set up where users can take a screen shot of such issues - The Amazing iOS 6 Maps (The Apple iOS 6 Maps are Amazing. Not.)

Source: http://theamazingios6maps.tumblr.com/post/31927907199/left-apple-map-on-iphone-4s-right-google-map-on

SA research has found that maps and navigation are one of the most used features by smartphone users. 66% of iPhone users in the US and Western Europe report using maps on their phone on a weekly basis. Users also place a high value on a map/navigation application compared to other apps.

So what are the alternatives? There are many map and navigation applications available to download to the iPhone, although not the one they are familiar with - Google Maps - which they can now only access via the iPhone's web browser. However, the well-known and well-trusted navigation apps generally come with a hefty price tag.

Switching to another platform is also an option. Nokia has invested heavily in mapping, and both Nokia Maps and Nokia Drive on the Lumia series of devices provide an excellent experience, including indoor maps. Android also provides a viable alternative through embedded Google Maps which supports the turn-by-turn navigation and street view functions that iPhone users are familiar with.

However, our recent research into consumer attachment to the mobile platform of their choice suggests that dissatisfaction with specific features - even those as important and valued as mapping - is unlikely by itself to drive more than a few iOS devotees to switch to a new platform due to their concerns about losing access to apps and content associated with their current device and the requirement to learn a new, unfamiliar UI.

In the short-term the implementation of turn-by-turn navigation is being overshadowed by mapping glitches and backlash regarding features that are no longer supported. In the long run, Apple will address these issues and the current outcry will be largely forgotten. What the company will gain is control over its own map app, which will allow it to provide deeper location integration and more compelling location services.

- Paul Brown

With the total number of mobile applications downloaded set to exceed 21 billion in 2016, and with global market revenue reaching $32.6 billion, there will be many new players vying for a share of both downloads and revenue. To successfully compete in this market, it will be critical for application store providers to have an app store that is useful and usable, as well as providing compelling features.

In order to understand how to create a superior application store user experience, our Wireless Media Lab has recently undertaken user experience evaluations of a number of leading application stores in the US and UK. The stores evaluated by current Smartphone owners were Android Market, Apple App Store, BlackBerry App World, GetJar, Nokia Ovi Store (UK only) and Windows MarketPlace.

Drawing upon these user experience evaluations (as well as previous application store best practices), we have identified 21 best practice guidelines across the application store process which contribute to a superior user experience. These can be broken down into five main categories, with a selection of best practices highlight:

App Store Structure & Layout

- The homepage of application stores should be clear and simple, and provide direct access to the core sections of a store which should be: categories, search, top lists and users downloads/updates.

- Core sections of the store should always be accessible within one click.

App Discovery & Search

- The search feature should be accessible in one-click no matter where a user is within the store.

 App Description & Overview

- Each app should have a detailed description, including price, ratings, reviews and screenshots. The app overview should be no longer than one page.

 Price & Purchasing

- The price of an application should be clear at all steps in the purchase process - not just when a user chooses the app from a list or search.

- Users like to have an option to preview or trial an app before purchasing it.

Downloading

- Users want the ability to re-download apps they have purchased if they change their phone.

The full set of guidelines are available within the report Mobile Application Stores: Best Practices and User Evaluations, along with in-depth analysis of each application store. (Available to Strategy Analytics' WML clients or for purchase).

- Paul Brown

In a recently published report, 'Mobile Internet Usage Continues to Rise: Android Users Catching up with Apple' Strategy Analytics Wireless Media Lab has found that the proportion of mobile device owners who use their phone to access the internet regularly has quadrupled in the US, and tripled in Western Europe over the past four years. This trend is being driven by younger respondents in the US and Western Europe. The dramatic drop in usage as age increases is particularly evident in the data from US. Regular usage by respondents aged 45 and older drops to 16%, from 47% among younger respondents. Owners of smartphones, who typically browse the internet on their phones on a daily basis, are driving the increase in mobile internet usage, particularly owners of Apple mobile devices in both the US and Western Europe.

In volume terms, more consumers access the web on their mobile phone primarily via the cellular connection (not Wifi) in both the US and Western Europe. This is because owners of non-smartphones are now accessing the web in large numbers via cellular connection only.

The majority of respondents in both Western Europe and the US still spend more time web browsing on their computer than on their mobile phone. Average length of a web browsing session on mobile devices has remained constant since 2008 with the majority of respondents spending 0-10 minutes per session browsing the web. This suggests that mobile web browsing remains predominantly a `snacking' or `time critical' behavior, whereas the PC/laptop is used for more leisurely or intensive usage scenarios.

To view the full report (subscription required), click here.

- Paul Brown

We are half way through our study benchmarking the user experience of mobile application stores. Our consumer research in London, UK has already thrown up some interesting findings. After reviewing offerings from Apple, Android, Windows, GetJar, BlackBerry and Nokia/Ovi, we asked participants to tell us what they think makes for the best store.

Neither the total number of applications, nor the total number of free applications was considered to be particularly important. As you can see from the list below, the critical factors for these users were all about application discoverability - i.e. how to find the apps they want and how to determine which of the apps available are most relevant and useful to them. The figure in brackets represents the number of times that each factor was mentioned.

• Simple layout, easy to navigate, clean visual appearance (21)
• Detailed descriptions of each app (incl. number of downloads, ratings, reviews, screenshots etc.) (11)
• Powerful, accurate search (9)
• Good categorization (clear, mutually exclusive categories) (8)
• Easy payment process (e.g. ability to choose billing mechanism, enter card details once only) (7)
• Easily identify familiar/official branded apps (5)
• Nice design, professional style graphics, modern color scheme (5)
• Previews and trials (e.g. “try before you buy”, beta testing new trial apps) (5)
• Clear pricing (e.g. clear labelling of whether paid/free) (5)
• Lots of apps - esp. free apps (5)
• Recommendations, featured reviews (4)
• Not too much advertising (2)
• Behavioral profiling (1)
• Most popular apps listed on homescreen (1)
• Secure payment (1)

Among the other things we learned from these consumers were the following recommendations for app stores:

• They prefer a light, elegant, but bright design. Ovi feels more modern in design than many of the other stores.
• They want online backup of apps and the ability to re-download apps they have purchased if they change their phone.
• Since they care about their privacy and data security, it is very useful to tell them the features and personal data that an app needs to access before they choose to download it.
• They would like to be able to sort apps lists and search results in multiple ways (e.g. by popularity, alphabetically etc.)
• Before they download an app, they like to see what similar offerings are available so that they can compare and choose the one that best meets their needs.

We will be repeating this research next week in the USA and the full results (including a performance comparison of the main stores) will be available to clients in January.