The release of the iPhone 5 could be a boon for mobile marketers, it’s been suggested, with the enlarged screen increasing the potential for consumers to interact with advertisements.
While the iPhone 5 comes without a near field communication (NFC) chip, which could disappoint some mobile marketers, the screen is 176 pixels taller than previous versions.
For marketers who rely on mobile display advertisements and landing pages, this is good news, as there’s less potential for misclicks and more potential to interact with an advertisement.
“Apple’s strategy of only releasing one device at a time… has to strike a compromise that is most likely to appeal to a wide base of users,” says Jan Dawson, chief telecoms analyst at Ovum.
“The new device strikes that compromise most dramatically in the increased vertical height.”
“With many Android and Windows Phone devices now significantly larger than the iPhone 4S and gaining popularity, the pressure has grown on Apple to release a larger device.”
“By only increasing the vertical height, it’s created a device that’s notably taller and thinner in aspect ratio than most of those Android devices, and as a result it will stand out.”
But according to Dawson, it still might not be big enough.
“While keeping the device small enough for some hands is important, many customers would have wanted something bigger, and they’ll be disappointed,” he says.
“On the other hand, the addition of LTE (long-term evolution)… will help the device appeal to existing iPhone users, and either close the gap or broaden its lead against competing devices.”
LTE, which is marketed as 4G LTE, is a standard for wireless communication of high-speed data for mobile phones and data terminals.
Dawson says while Apple will likely sell “tens of millions of iPhone 5 devices in the next few months”, mobile marketers should not discount Android devices.
“Android’s lead in total shipments and installed base will continue to grow… as Apple’s devices continue to target just a subset of the addressable market,” he says.
“Android devices meet a much wider range of customer preferences and price points.”
