Disqus - Latest Comments for giff

Re: Android Messages v2.9 prepares to launch Allo-like web interface, Google-enhanced chat features, and payments to businesses [APK Teardown]

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 11:23:47 -0000

Possibly good for consumers who "want" to have the app on their phone, or "choose" to download that specific app, not good for \businesses trying to send messages to all of their customers. Sure, 'IF" I am on a site, and I then want to interact I can make sure I have that messaging "app" on my phone to communicate. But let's think about most businesses in the US - Specifically in the US for this comment... It is drop dead simple for the customer to join text alerts...no download required, it just works. Now, Google wants us to use their messaging app...how does that work on an iPhone again? Companies simply want to text their customers, but how does the company know if the customer is on WhatsApp, or Signal, or Facebook Messenger? On the other hand, with current text plans and a national database registry of cell numbers, no issue to send out a message. And don't even get us started on RCS...the twin brother of NFC. Both highly touted 10 years ago as the next greatest technology. Both still being used on less than 1% of phones. Why are we recreating the wheel again? For WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger to become common in the US, they need to have a company already connected to a large percentage of US households who can then cross-introduce their messaging engine. Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS

Re: The Future Of SMS And Text Messaging: Superpowers Of Conversion And Engagement

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 13:10:15 -0000

Felix, Excellent you bring up the growth of Chat Apps like WhatsApp, Signal, or Facebook Messenger. These apps have certainly seen tremendous growth. What the stats don't show is the vast majority of message growth in these apps have been outside the U.S. You see, the carriers fought this battle way back in 2010-11. The US based carriers, (years behind the rest of the world in adoption rates on texting), quickly realized the golden goose in texting. Where other countries charged for every received text, the US based carriers, (ATT, VZ, TMo, Sprint, etc.) went to an all-you-can-text plan for $10 or so. Later, they just incorporated unlimited texting into most of their plans at set prices. The result - no need for a chat app, we have unlimited text! Battle over before it was fought, and they won.

The next battle, of course, would be the cost to businesses when they want to use short codes to send text messages, still out of line compared with securing a url. We at i2SMS hear the analysts and journalists calling for an end to SMS while promoting the chat apps as the next great channel. What those outside the text industry fail to factor in is the need for each and every consumer to "download" the app the businesses want to communicate with. Many consumers simply see no need, and do not want, another app on their phone. So when the business goes to send messages, only those with the app will get the message - not so smooth! SMS works on almost ever single handset in the US. Seems like a lot of trouble to miss out on reaching your consumer.

What would it take for the chat apps to become a force in the business communication strategy model? They'd need a national clearing house, (ie database), to then point the businesses in the right direction when they go to send messages. This is already present for cell phone numbers as to what carriers to give the messages. However, how does a business know if the message is passed on to ATT or Verizon, or if it is to go to Facebook Messenger, or WhatsApp, or where? This doesn't exist. As long as this does not exist, corporations will not use these chat apps as their primary communication channel. SMS is just too drop dead simple.

Same comments we made 8 years ago. SMS isn't going anywhere anytime soon...until there is a national database for chat apps. Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS

Re: Life Insurers Not Going Mobile, Risking Relevance

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 13:09:52 -0000

Staying relevant in today's digital world has proved tricky for most financial companies. Competition is fierce, fees have been reduced, knowledge has to be continuously expanded on the sales and marketing side. The great news here for insurance companies is they don't have to create the wheel - most other industries have paved the way, both in successes and failures to be studied. Apple has made a living off of following with superior products once other companies have cut their teeth on new mobile products and services. Willing Insurance companies can now easily light the path to mobile products by following the successes of other financial companies. Lead with text, a simple concept and channel 96% of Americans utilize. Once this is stable, move to a mobile web/app tool. But don't over-utilize text. Stay relevant by offering timely texts that are not seen as annoying. Opt-ins are too tricky to simply turn around and lose because of over-use. Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS.com

Re: Is SMS finally ready to evolve? Introducing RCS…

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 11:04:16 -0000

The question to ponder is this a solution looking for a problem? No doubt messaging will continue to grow,, and expanding features will be expected. However, for quick one off communications, do we really need more functionality? The OTP apps and their expanded features say "yes". The quick notices and one-off messages from corporations and P2P say "no". Thus we predict a world where SMS and RCS sit side by side, both complimenting each other over the next few years. As time moves on, this synergy could have RCS remove the need for SMS as platforms convert seamlessly over, where the end user never knows they are no longer using SMS. But this is many years out, most likely +5 years... Handset turnover will drive a good deal of this future movement.

Re: Android Can’t Compete With iMessage. Google Is Changing That

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Sat, 25 Feb 2017 18:33:09 -0000

GAThrawn - great you use it. Currently 0.5% of all transactions are done via NFC in the US. ApplePay is only at 3.5% of users using it. It's been 15 years now. I'm honestly happy it works for you. 15 years later, after it has been touted as the next great thing, having 0.5% of all transactions going the NFC route, this doesn't spell success for me, but it does spell success for folks like you who want to use it. So for folks using it, it is great for them!

Re: Android Can’t Compete With iMessage. Google Is Changing That

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Fri, 24 Feb 2017 11:45:15 -0000

RCS "could" be great for peer to peer messaging, from one end user's phone to another, similar to iMessage. The difficult part here is for this to work the phone you are trying to reach must also have this software loaded on it..."Google’s working with mobile manufacturers around the world to pre-install Messages on all their phones rather than let those companies build their own texting apps." Without this software, it isn't going to work.

The carriers in the US fought this battle way back in 2010-2011. They saw the likes of WhatsApp taking market share and instead of fighting this trend offered unlimited texting to the vast majority of their contracts. Smart move. In the US you have little need for the messaging apps, unless you are trying to reach handsets outside the US.

The other issue which can't be solved here is Business to Peer messaging. Businesses use short codes to communicate with their consumers. RCS can't work in this environment. Where is the central database telling aggregators to go to a cell number or a RCS enabled phone? There isn't one, so businesses will continue to use the tried and true SMS to communicate with their consumers.

Remember, for RCS to work, for you to receive or send a text to another phone with RCS, both phones must have this technology o the phone, either downloaded or pre-installed. Maybe this works in 5-years, but with average handset turnover in the 2 year range, it's a far way away still. Hey @DeanBubly, remember when NFC was the rage and it was going to take over the world with RCS? What happened to NFC?

Giff Gfroerer
i2SMS

Re: Yahoo to face class action suit for allegedly sending unwanted texts to Sprint users

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Wed, 06 Jan 2016 10:07:22 -0000

Let's be clear here on what happened. Someone with prior consent, meaning a lending company where this individual voluntarily gave her Yahoo! Messenger account name, sent this woman a message. This message, as she admits she had prior business dealings with, tried to get her to do more business with them. Was this spam? Sure, just like you receive junk mail from companies you have done prior business with. However, this is not who she is suing. She admits she knew this company.

Next, Yahoo!, trying to be compliant with the law and doing what the CTIA recommends, saw that this business was sending a text message via their PC (computer) 2 SMS (text message) service. Yahoo!, wanting to preserve the integrity of their name, thus sends one, yes one, only one, message to the phone alerting them that indeed someone on their platform was sending them a text message, who they should know. They detailed how to get HELP with this service and also let them know the user was on Yahoo! messenger, which is why they may not recognize the phone number the text was coming from. As it was the "first" time this lady's phone had ever been texted by Yahoo! Messenger, this message was sent to her phone. Yahoo! never texted her again trying to market or sell her services.

Because of the text Yahoo! sent, explaining to the end user why they received the text from the lending company, this lady is suing them. I guess she feels the text she received from Yahoo! was such a waste and inconvenience, she is insisting on Yahoo! giving her $1,500 and every other person who ever received this kind of text.

The FCC and the CTIA must get this under control. Every day we see new lawsuits generated by rules the FCC has implemented, where they have caused every lawyer in America seeing $$$.

This was "not" a marketing message. This was "not" spam. This message was simply trying to alert the end user of why they just received a text message, oh, and from someone "THEY" gave their Yahoo! messenger ID voluntarily.

These are the kinds of lawsuits which bring good people down. These are the kinds of lawsuits the TCPA was never passed to stop unwanted "robo-calls"! The FCC simply must get this under control. The CTIA must get involved here. Just imagine, if someone can be sued by trying to do what the CTIA asks them to do, what is next?

Re: Who will win the smartphone OS war?

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 09:09:19 -0000

I'm a little confused here. Are we talking OS or Smart Phones? There is a huge difference between me pulling out my Samsung Galaxy S Mini, a True Mobile Device (TMD) while travelling to work over the mobile carriers network versus My full sized iPad as I lounge at home on my couch and surf via WiFi. Your title "The State of the Smartphone Market" seems to be at odds with your sub-title "Global Computing Platform Market" or your comment that "iOS users spent more time online during Christmas".

Obviously I am going to "shop" from my iPad as I lounge around the house. However I may check texts, quick searches, read email, etc. as I shoot to work on the train. A distinction must be made between TMD's (true mobile devices) and tablets, laptops, etc. which are connecting via a dongle, MiFi, etc. I do very different things on my tablet than I do on my cellular device (TMD). The technology is present to distinguish between the two. Isn't it time we give TMD's their own category and separate out the laptops, tablets, etc., which act and are used so very differently? It really is irrelevant at this time and age whether one is connecting via WiFi or a cellular network. It is the type of device we are surfing on and the distinctly different actions and tasks we perform based on the device connected where we must focus for better analytics and research.

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS

Re: From the archives: Jan 10, 2007: “The Apple iPhone changes everything”

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 09:37:35 -0000

I think more interesting, as a show of the times, was the title of your news in 2007. For those of us on-board then, it was SMS Text News. We have certainly come a long way as apps were so very difficult to get onto the actual phones and texting was the rage. Now texting is a given... For those in texting, texting has been very good to us. Our very best from i2SMS!
Giff Gfroerer

Re: The text message turns 22, but are its days numbered?

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 10:37:56 -0000

WhatsApp is truly a great application, with many uses globally. Remember, though, the U.S. based carriers fought the free messaging apps battle back in 2011 when they decided to offer unlimited texting with most of their monthly bundles, so as not to lose customers to the free apps before they became mainstream. Therefore, there is not the great need in the U.S. for free messaging applications unless you are trying to communicate internationally. If messaging is basically included in your monthly subscription fee, then why try to use a free messaging app when whoever you want to message also must have downloaded your particular application. Yes, they are being used, but the carriers still have by far the greatest percentage of users.

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS

Re: Are Tablets Mobile Devices Like Smartphones?

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 10:55:57 -0000

Tablets are not Cell Phones. Nobody I know carriers around their laptop as if it was a cell phone, making calls and browsing as they would on a laptop. Cell Phones, or TMDs (True Mobile Devices) are for quick look-ups, price checks, comparing products on the fly, quick phone number or location finder, etc. This comes with the data network provided by carriers. Laptops and Tablets share the same purpose - that being longer viewing, shopping, etc., with a better/larger keypad. They are NOT cell phones and should not be in the same category. Ads on a laptop/tablet should be displayed differently, and targeted to different audiences, than the smaller ads on TMDs. If one is targeting cell phone users with laptop/tablet ads, they are not hitting their mark. Very, very different to users.
Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS

Re: Amazon Fire Phone: Too expensive to matter today

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 15:53:11 -0000

$299? Maybe $399 tops? Too many good alternatives, proven, that are out there right now. I certainly understand they can't offer what they are for that price. But I may not need the facial recognition they are currently offering and the 3D I understand isn't really 3D

Re: Amazon Fire Phone: Too expensive to matter today

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 09:30:48 -0000

I'm 100% in with Amazon. I buy anything and everything I can from them. Free shipping and incredible return policy - nothing is easier for me. I bought the first Kindle Fire on release. I now buy all my music through Amazon. I'm just not so sure I want the phone. I've been a TMobile customer for 14 years and very happy with their service and coverage, so would not consider switching carriers just for this phone.

Re: Amazon Fire Phone: Too expensive to matter today

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 08:42:29 -0000

Ewan, I completely believe Amazon can put a great phone out there. What concerns me is we have entered a time of pretty solid smart phones coming in at the $199 unsubsidized. At $650, that is a huge premium. Next, Apple and Samsung have pretty much defined great user experience, so unseating them will be difficult. To buy an unproven device when you have two other proven providers seems a difficult one. Finally, you usually buy just about every new device that has merit. To me, it is very telling you are waiting on this one... Giff

Re: I absolutely love the bttn: “the simplest internet user interface in the world”

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 09:27:43 -0000

Love the simplicity of this. It is going to be a Huge novelty item. Quite bully, don't you think!

Re: Snapchat drives more traffic than any other messaging app on North American mobile networks

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Fri, 16 May 2014 11:02:22 -0000

Hey Ewan, we've had this discussion in the past, but here goes again. The U.S. based carriers saw the OTT messaging apps coming back in 2011 and fought the battle at that point - done, put a fork in it. They decided to give away messaging, basically unlimited text plans, in a bundle package of unlimited minutes, texts, and set data. I was chatting with Chetan Sharma and he estimates 90% of U.S. subscribers are on some kind of a text plan. Knowing this, why would North America be threatened by WhatsApp? As for b2c, too complicated to connect with the OTT players. The short codes have that market covered. Try figuring out, as an aggregator, what OTT app someone is using when you are trying to get out 400,000 emergency messaging notifications. Our platform is ready for it, but you need someone out there able to figure out what app, as we already have for "what carrier".

The majority of folks in North America using WhatsApp are those with connections/contacts/family in other countries. To text these folks, yes, WhatsApp is perfect. I think I heard their penetration in the U.S. was like 5%. So no need in the U.S. for the OTT players as everyone gets unlimited texting for the p2p market. Shoot, over here our kids text over 10,000 times a month. What parent in their right mind doesn't have their kid on an unlimited text plan?

However, almost every teen uses Snapchat. YES, they still use SMS. Snapchat is more for quick communications. Meaning, Look at me at the party, or check out this shirt, or "hey, how is ya?". As told by my young teen, she uses SMS more for "does this outfit look good on me?" or a longer text/conversation. Snapchat is for quick one-offs and a holler out there. She also uses SMS for folks that don't have a Snapchat account, but she uses both interchangeably, and uses them both a great deal, with or without WiFi as she also has data on her phone. Sort of the Facebook of messaging and quick communications.

My best,
Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS

Re: “Ok Glass: Take me to the Zoo”

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Fri, 04 Apr 2014 12:02:21 -0000

Glass never really made sense to me. Now it does. Thanks for the intro!

Re: Move over Lenovo: Ocado launches world’s largest 42″ tablet

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 15:35:22 -0000

Exactly! How bout that! Very cool that you picked something crazy and then it happened. Not a bad memory on my end either!

Re: Move over Lenovo: Ocado launches world’s largest 42″ tablet

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 12:23:18 -0000

How's the expression go, "fool me once, shame on you. fool me twice, shame on me." I fell for that one last year. Always good to know you are still up to the task each year. Hey, didn't you joke about MS buying Nokia one year? I think you did something like that years ago...

Re: Isis progress: 2/3 of users have inputted card info, make 6-7 transactions per month

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 13:36:18 -0000

Nice that 2/3 of users input their credit card information. However, if 2/3 out of 1,000 users equals just 667 users in the country, that statistic is pretty much useless. You have to wonder why ISIS reports a vague number like 2/3 rather than something like "2.6 million users have input at least one payment card". Obviously, this is not taking off like they would have hoped or they would have released a hard number rather than a vague reference to success.

Re: February 2014 and I still can’t do a phone call on a moving train

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 15:14:24 -0000

I remember your blogs from the Maldives. Gads, seems like just last year! My best...

Giff

Re: Who are the best executive search headhunters in the mobile world?

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 09:32:13 -0000

Don't forget the U.S. in this. You have a big following across the pond. No recommendations, though. I haven't run across a single one that is strong in this space.

Re: Nokia exec: Android-based X phones fill a gap in our portfolio

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 14:32:40 -0000

Too little too late? Where was this logic when Nokia ruled India and other parts of the world focused on economically efficient phones? Nokia will be studied in business schools for years to come. Best hardware in the business by far, yet can't get ahead...
Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS

Re: T-Mobile launches 'Mobile Money,' offers checking accounts to those without

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 14:00:41 -0000

TMobile has a great leg up in this quest. Basically, a name people trust. The un-banked is a huge demographic. This should have tremendous legs.

Re: Esendex Makes Big Moves in the SMS Market with Text Marketer Acquisition

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 09:16:46 -0000

Ewan, remember, in the States most folks are on an "unlimited" text plan. This means the OTT players like WhatsApp and iMessage really don't play a big part as there is no need when we all have unlimited text plans for P2P. On the business side we are seeing pretty explosive growth in the short code and alert message/2-way communication side. This is only increasing.

When folks talk about text being dead, what they have to consider is the alternative from a business perspective. If a company wants to send out messages to their customers, who have opted-in, they need some kind of service to do a number look-up, similar for what DNS does for websites. That is, they need a service that looks at a phone number and says "right, this is WhatsApp" or "right, this is Verizon" or "right this is a google number", etc. Currently we have the look up only for the cell carriers. Until there is an avenue for aggregators/companies to figure out where to send the message, there will be a need for the tried and true SMS as folks change their providers so often these days.

Giff Gfroerer, i2SMS