Let's Play: Guess the Future

Working in mobile for awhile now, I can say that there are certain questions that reoccur in discussions with company leaders, subject matter experts and users of the actual devices. If I had to sum up the top reoccurring questions, I would say these are the most common ones:

1. Why do I want to move users to the mobile channel? How can I improve customer adoption with minimal risk/investment?
2. What is going to be "the next big thing"? 
3. What type of returns on investment can I expect (customer loyalty, retention, increase in cross-sell, etc)?
4. What are the limitations of this channel? Or, what is the best way to utilize this channel?

I've been pondering that last question in particular recently because, as all of the numerous announcements come spilling out- T-Mobile and AT&T, Google and their NFC love, pilots going on everywhere- this last question becomes increasingly critical as companies try to adapt and offer the best experience possible for their customers.

I think it's a pretty well accepted idea that mobile will have limitations, not in physical capability, but in what makes sense to actually do on a mobile device. For example, you might use your cellphone to download the Zillow app if you were looking for a new house, which overlays real-time real estate information (cost of homes in the area, estimated rent for the area, homes that are for sale in the area, etc.). You could use this app to walk around and house hunt, moving from neighborhood to neighborhood and being able to make instant decisions based on the information being fed to you ("Too expensive.", "Maybe better to rent here."). You could even send homes you like to your significant other, so they can see the same things you're seeing (in case you decided to divide and conquer). This use case is great because it hits on some critical triggers for successful mobile operations:

1. Convenient Usage (app is easy to install and automatically syncs with existing GPS in phone) (critical)
2. Real-time information (critical)
3. Compelling value proposition to the customer (i.e. cost/comparison information) (critical)
4. Ability to share and otherwise "use" the data acquired (critical/optional depending on industry)
5. ROI for Consumer (app is free) (optional)
6. ROI for Companies or Participating Partners (receive info about potential home buyers) (optional)

 On the flip side of this equation, it's most likely not very feasible to have someone fill out a mortgage application on their mobile device- the screen is too small, there is a lot of information required (much of it sensitive information like SS#) and this is a function where the average consumer would feel more comfortable doing it in a branch (maybe online) where they would have ready access to a customer rep to ask questions.

So now I get to the crux of my thought process. If the definition of "mobile" was expanded to include more than just these devices (blocky, brick-like, small, inflexible pieces of plastic) to encompass something else-this is when we could really start doing some interesting things. I'm sure everyone's seen the iPad2 mania, and although exciting, I was most interested in the add-on stand ($40) that was offered with the new iPad2, which allows my colleagues to position their iPads wherever they are to be optimal for their viewing pleasure- on planes, hotels, whatever. After a riveting conversation where two of my newly iPad-ed colleagues discussed the finer points of how to position their stands for plane use, I was shocked to realize that this add on still didn't change the fundamental issue with hardware-it's hard.

Mobile, stereotypically is associated with mobile phones- blocky, inflexible, small pieces of hardware that continually get new features (cameras! GPS! apps that quote Borat!) but they're limited! What if our fundamental concept of what mobile is were to change? If, physically, there was a change in the stereotype of what mobile could be, wouldn't that really begin to open up the opportunities for what mobile can do? I'm not suggesting that the mobile phone would go away, but I'm arguing that the way we utilize it will change. Enter the FlexUPD. By layering the screen polymer, necessary transistors and substrate on a piece of glass that allows for removal after integration (inspired by Taiwanese pancakes), producing a flexible, fully functional screen.

Gone could be the days of "my screens not big enough"- just whip it out of your pocket, plug it into the adapter on your phone, project and interact with the bigger screen as you normally would! Want to use your phone as a mobile workstation? Sure, lay out the sheet on a specialized rack and pull up a "desktop" interface that allows you type and view things just as if it were on a real computer. Watch a movie on your plane? Why not? Just detach the polymer from your book, where it was doubling as a book cover and attach the sheet to the back of the chair in front of you through specialized hooks that adhere to the fabric without leaving a mark!

This next step could take the great things about mobile and combine it with the flexibility and versatility of paper, giving us an expanded mobile channel that allows for limitless functions. (Could it power itself up when it's "off" through solar power? Could it change color to alert you if you have emails or messages? Could it be integrated into clothing to double as a fashion accessory since it will be on you all the time? If it did, could it double as a heart rate monitor or health meter?)

Opportunities are endless. Let's get to it!