1）移动广告网站InMobi第二季度报告显示，英国人每天在移动设备上平均投入时间达2.5小时，48%用户反映移动广告会影响其消费决策，这一比例与PC广告相同，仅次于电视广告（55%）。

71%尚未通过移动设备购物的用户有意在未来12个月中采用这种购物方式，有五分之一用户愿意为手机网购投入20英磅以上费用。而最早采用手机购物方式的用户这一比例则高达26%，他们愿意在手机和平板电脑网购中消费50英磅左右。

第二季度有63%英国用户使用移动设备购物，比2011年第四季度增长9%，主要消费内容包括：

*数字商品（47%）

*实体商品（34%）

*分期付款（26%）

2）据The Verge报道，苹果在与三星诉讼案中提出的一项调查报告显示，用户选择Android设备的原因与其操作系统或客服支持没有太大关系，43%用户选择Android只是为了继续使用原供应商的服务，还有36%用户是因为信任谷歌品牌而选择Android，30%用户是为了获得比iPhone更大的屏幕（游戏邦注：该调查由苹果于2011年1月份执行）。

报告称这项调查表明，当时有25%的Android用户曾考虑购买iPhone，用户选择Android的其他原因包括（游戏邦注：该调查允许用户进行多项选择）：

*27%用户认为Android Market更好；

*26%用户认为谷歌服务整合更完善；

*25%用户为获得最新智能手机；

*25%用户为使用最新技术。

3）据insidesocialgames报道，应用商店分析公司App Annie日前宣布在B轮融资中筹得600万美元，该轮融资由Greycroft Partners主导，其他主要支持者包括Infinity Venture Partners、天使投资者Jarl Mohn, e.ventures、Kii Capital以及IDG Capital Partners。

该公司计划在来年推出一系列App Annie产品的新功能，在此之前App Annie已宣布进军Android市场，面向Google Play开放服务。

4）Flurry Analytics公司EMEA地区总经理Richard Firminger在最近的GDC欧洲会议上表示，iOS和Android游戏收益正在侵蚀任天堂3DS和索尼PlayStation Vita等手持电子游戏市场份额。

据其所称，iOS和Android游戏在美国掌上及移动游戏市场份额已从2009年的19%增长至2011年的58%（2009年整个市场规模为27亿美元，2011年达33亿美元）。

除此之外，他还发现应用下载量增长并不意味着开发者能够获得新付费用户；用户留存率也并不乐观，从总体上看，多数开发者在12个月后都会流失96%的用户。

从付费用户性别比例上看，女性用户较少花钱消费，男性用户付费比例更高。较年长的用户消费比例更高，而较年轻群体多为免费用户。

5）Gartner最新数据显示，今年第二季度Android移动设备销量在全球市场份额达64%，其中以三星设备最为领先。

三星与Android也是Gartner今年第一季度报告的市场冠军，但当时三星设备销量刚超过诺基亚，Android市场份额则是55%左右，而苹果iPhone当时销量则达到3700万部。不过在第二季度Android遥遥领先，其设备总销量超过9800万部，而iOS则仅为2893万部左右。

6）在日前的GDC欧洲会议上，自由职业音频设计师Ben Long发言指出，游戏音效可能影响游戏收益。

他举例称在街机游戏中，玩家投币后机器就会发出奇妙响声，玩家虽然花了钱但却获得了声音反馈，这种音频与奖励的心理联系是开发者在今后设计中需注意的环节。

Long认为游戏画面常会受限于iPhone或平板电脑屏幕规格，但声音却是一种没有边界的潜意识元素，因此开发者应重视游戏的音频设计。

7）俄罗斯发行商Game Insight业务发展副总裁Darya Trushkina在GDC欧洲会议上发言称，玩家对玩家（PvP）机制是游戏实现盈利的重要元素。

Trushkina以公司旗下跨平台免费MMORPG《Dragon Eternity》（游戏邦注：由100名开发者投入两年时间开发，已在网页平台进行内部测试，并将推出iOS和Android应用版本）为例指出，PvP游戏中的ARPU值远高于休闲游戏，PvP是游戏实现盈利性的最佳方式，而MMORPG又最适合采用PvP机制。

他称这款游戏内测情况显示，用户留存率甚为惊人，活跃用户也极为可观，但这款游戏开发成本极高，其预算足够开发10款休闲游戏。

8）据venturbeat报道，Game Insight最近由于误解苹果关于应用推广的限制政策而招致大量玩家的投诉和不满。

该公司旗下寻物解谜游戏《Mystery Manor：Hidden Adventure》最近进行了变更，要求玩家至少花费3.99美元才能完成游戏，此举令玩家觉得受骗，而该公司则回应称苹果限制了App Store开发商向用户推出的相关促销手段，因此他们不得不更改游戏以遵守苹果政策，取消了玩家的促销道具（这些道具原先需通过IAP购买）。

苹果开发者1.11条款指出，“应用不可解琐或植入不符合App Store规范的额外功能，否则将被移除”，因此Game Insight移除了其所有iOS游戏的此类功能。Game Insight现已通过其粉丝页面向用户致歉，并表示将尽管快解决这一问题。

该游戏最初以《Mystery Manor》名称发布于Facebook平台，于2011年12月推出iPad版本（但现在仅有1万MAU）；据App Annie数据显示，其iPhone版本曾在88个国家/地区跻身前100名热门下载应用榜单。Game Insight成立于2010年，今年春季时的MAU已超过5000万，预计2012年收益将超过1.5亿美元。观察者称虽然本次的粉丝抗议风波应该不会造成重大影响，但却很考验该公司面对大量热情玩家投诉时的智慧和技巧。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，拒绝任何不保留版权的转载，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

1）Mobile ads influence 48 per cent of Brits’ shopping choices

by Zen Terrelonge

That and more revealed in InMobi’s UK Mobile Media Consumption Report for Q2 2012.

The average Brit spends an average of 2.5 hours a day using their mobile device, according to mobile ad network InMobi, and the attachment is so strong for 48 per cent that mobile ads are influencing their shopping decisions.

That’s on par with PC which also drives 48 per cent of spends, and just behind TV ads which accounts for 55 per cent.

71 per cent of non m-commerce users are set to adopt the tech in the next 12 months, while one-fifth willing to spend more than £20 through mobile purchases.

The figure spikes to 26 per cent for early users of the tech, with results showing they’re willing to splash out £50 via their phones and tablets.

Meanwhile, 63 per cent of Brits used m-commerce in Q2, a nine per cent growth on Q4 2011, while spends went on:

* Digital goods – 47 per cent

* Physical goods – 34 per cent

* Bill payments – 26 per cent

Lee Blyth, head of UK sales at InMobi, said: “The findings show that archaic perceptions of mobile advertising being intrusive are long gone, and as such is fantastic news for brands and publishers alike.

“The onus is now on brands and content agencies to build on this by creating compelling, engaging media to capture consumers’ attention and ensure the mobile can truly become the personalised platform we have all been hoping it will become.”（source:mobile-ent）

2）Survey shows why customers picked Android over iPhone

by Mike Shaw

Details of survey conducted by Apple are revealed in Samsung dispute.

A new internal document has appeared thanks to the Apple vs Samsung case, and this time it’s a survey Apple conducted on why consumers considering an iPhone went to Android instead.

The results show that it has nothing to do with the OS or customer support, but 48 per cent went with Android simply because they wanted to stay with their current provider.

Trusting the Google brand came in at 36 per cent, while 30 per cent wanted a larger screen than the iPhone offered.

The survey itself was conducted just before the iPhone arrived on Verizon in January 2011.

The Verge reports: “With the survey indicating that 25 percent of overall Android buyers at the time had considered an iPhone, the numbers gives us a real look at just how much the iPhone’s AT&T exclusivity may have hurt it while Android — and Verizon’s Droid brand — surged in the US.”

You’ll notice that the figures below don’t add up to 100, because respondents were allowed to check more than one option.

The full list reads:

43% Wanted to stay with current provider

36% Trusted Google brand

30% Preferred larger screen

27% Preferred Android Market

26% Wanted better Google services integration

25% Wanted the newest smartphone

25% Wanted turn-by-turn GPS

25% Wanted the newest technology（source:mobile-ent）

3）App Annie raises $6 million in series B round of funding

Emanuel Maiberg

App store analytics company App Annie today announced it has closed $6 million in Series B led Greycroft Partners. Infinity Venture Partners, angel investor Jarl Mohn, e.ventures, Kii Capital and Series A lead investor IDG Capital Partners also participated.

App Annie CEO Bertrand Schmitt said that within the next year customers can expect to see a whole host of new features and platform integrations for App Annie products. That is all the company disclosed on how it plans to use the new funding, but the announcement follows the company’s entry into the Android marketplace with the launch of App Annie for Google Play, and its recent hire of gaming industry veteran Nicolas Beraudo as EVP and General Manager U.S. based in San Francisco.

In its official press release App Annie stated that 80 percent of the Top 100 Grossing iOS publishers worldwide rely on App Annie’s products for insights into downloads, revenues, in-app purchases and analysis across the iOS, Mac and Google Play app stores.

The Company’s premium market data service, App Annie Intelligence, is also used by software and hardware manufactures like Microsoft, Nokia, as well as mobile publishers including GREE and Storm8.（source:insidesocialgames）

4）Mobile games taking big bites out of Nintendo, Sony’s handheld biz

by Cassandra Khaw

Richard Firminger, managing director of EMEA territories at metrics firm Flurry Analytics, told a GDC Europe audience today that revenue that is coming from the iOS and Android is killing off the handheld video game market, where dedicated portable game systems like Nintendo’s 3DS and Sony’s PlayStation Vita currently compete.

Firminger said that the share of revenue for iOS and Android games in the overall U.S. handheld and mobile game market has grown from 19 percent of a $2.7 billion market in 2009 to 58 percent of a $3.3 billion market in 2011.

“It’s really sort the biggest content revolution that we’ve ever seen. It’s exciting and it shows that indies can kill a very, very established market.”

However, Firminger warned that, in order to tap into its incredible potential, developers had to “stop building the future of their businesses on hunches, or who speaks loudest around the table when you’re discussing the next big project.”

He observed that app downloads, regardless of how valuable they may be, do not mean that developers have won a new, paying customer. “It’s just the first in a very long process to get people to open and play your game,” he said.

“The retention rate is really depressing.” Firminger said. “In general, after 12 months, most developers would have lost 96 percent of their audience.”

Given the circumstances, an understanding of the target demographic is vital. Firminger explained issues like male and female spending habits (“Women are thrifty. Men binge.”) and how “generation X pays while generation Y plays.” According to Firminger, these are elements that should be taken into consideration when pursuing a new project.

“What’s the expected male/female age distribution for your game? Where are you heading and who are you designing the game for? Are you designing for middle-aged men or are you designing for teenagers? What’s the DAU you’re supposed to expect if you’re going to compete and you’re going to compete effectively in this genre? What sort of revenue might you get back in terms of monetization from in-app purchases and advertising?

“‘Build them and they will come’ no longer applies here. Having significant marketing is an advantage and it’s not the only thing you should be doing but it should be part of your consideration if you’re taking this challenge by the horns,” he said.（source:gamasutra）

5）Android Is Winning

Matt Burns

The latest numbers are in: Android is on top, followed by iOS in a distant second.

This word comes from Gartner, a top research firm for these sorts of things. Overall, within the last quarter, Android outsold iOS devices nearly three to one while capturing 64% of the worldwide market share. Samsung was the top dog accounting for 90M handset sales.

There is no denying Android’s dominance anymore. There is no way even the most rabid Apple fanboy can deny that iOS is in second place now. Android is winning.

This report by Gartner looked at the second quarter smartphone sales. That pegs the date range from April to June, which admittedly was a high point for Android while iPhone sales were starting to cool down. The Samsung Galaxy S III launched in late May, likely accounting for a good chunk of Samsung’s haul. It was a great quarter for Android and Samsung.

Gartner’s Q1 report notes similar rankings with Samsung and Android on top, too. At that time, Samsung had just overtaken Nokia as the top worldwide seller of mobile devices. Android was hovering around in the mid fifty percent range in the market share pie, and Apple had its second best iPhone quarter ever with 33M units sold (Apple sold 37M in the previous quarter). But now we have a clearer image and Android is securely positioned at the top of the mobile mountain.

As the Gartner report shows, iPhone sales were a bit off during the second quarter. They are probably even worse right now. Apple CEO Tim Cook noted in the last financial report that iPhone sales are falling victim to the iPhone 5 rumor mill. Consumers are simply (and wisely) not buying iPhones as much right now when it’s clear a new one is right around the corner. In fact iOS’ market share only improved nominally year-over-year.

During Apple’s best iPhone quarter, Q1 of 2012, the company moved 33M iPhones — an impressive feat considering there are only three models. Now, during Android’s best quarter, there were 98M units sold. There is simply no comparison. There is no way to spin these numbers. The iPhone 5 will likely light up Apple’s holiday quarter, but Samsung, Motorola, LG, and HTC combined Android units numbers will account for more units. In fact, Samsung alone might move units than Apple.

This war is starting to heat up. It’s no longer just a playground fight between fanboys. Developers cannot ignore Android. The old mantra of releasing on iOS and then eventually hitting Android needs to be rethought. Google also needs to step up its game. Google Play is a mess and Android has a very big problem with piracy. Android the ecosystem still sucks, but Android the mobile platform is winning.（source:techcrunch）

6）GDCE 2012: In-game audio can aid monetisation on mobile

by Will Wilson

Whether right or wrong, not all mobile devs make in-game audio a priority.

Freelance sound designer Ben Long, however, used his presentation at GDC Europe 2012 to make a case for setting aside more time for sound, going as far as to suggest audio can even aid monetisation.

Taking to the stage in Cologne, Long suggested many mobile studios are overlooking audio not realising it could solve one of the biggest problems that faces them today.

There is dischord in the harmony

“The toughest [aspect] for developers is earning money from their game and getting audiences to buy virtual goods – and audio can help this tremendously,” opened Long.

The reasoning behind such a suggestion lies in the roots of arcade gaming, he stated. More specifically, the sound of a coin being pushed into pinball machines and cabinets.

“What you just heard was real money becoming virtual, and that sound changed it. You lost money, but you gained the sound,” he argued.

This physiological connection between audio and reward, Long added, is something that developers should focus more on in the future.

“Visuals are limited to the square screen of the iPhone or the tablet. Audio is boundless and can be subliminal,” he concluded.

“Audio completely surrounds the phone, so it’s important to take this into consideration.” （source:pocketgamer）

7）GDCE 2012: PVP is the best way to monetise users says Game Insight’s Darya Trushkina

by Jon Jordan

As some smart commentators (ahem) have recently pointed out that the Player Versus Player mechanic is becoming increasingly popular in the mobile-social space.

Russian publisher Game Insight is best known for its casual games, especially on Android.

However, despite the success of its games such as free-to-play hidden object game Mystery Mansion (which has generated over $1 million), it’s betting big on PVP.

Its big hope is cross-platform free-to-play MMORPG Dragon Eternity, which is currently in closed beta on the web, and will also be supported with native iOS and Android releases.

Talking up the subject was Darya Trushkina, the company’s VP business development during her GDC Europe talk – ‘Cross-platform mobile game development: What, Why and How Much’.

All in

“User experience is the basis of your future revenue,” Trushkina explained, why Game Insight has taken two years and had around 100 developers working on the title.

“The ARPU for PVP is much higher than casual games. PVP is the best way to monetise users, and MMORPGs are the best way to deliver PVP,” she added.

Yet while Game Insight says it’s seeing “amazing numbers” from the closed beta, it’s still unsure whether the game will perform globally at the level it hopes.

“Retention rates are unbelievable. The active user base is amazing. But these games are very expensive. We could have made 10 casual games for this budget,” Trushkina said. （source:pocketgamer）

8）Russia’s Game Insight faces a fan revolt in Mystery Manor iPad game

Dean Takahashi

A revolt is rocking Mystery Manor. Due to a misunderstanding about Apple’s restrictions on promotions, Moscow-based Game Insight is dealing with a fan outcry after it had to take back some perks offered to users of the iPad version of the game.

Mystery Manor: Hidden Adventure, and the Facebook version of the game (Mystery Manor), have had more than 20 million registered users who are fans of the “hidden object” games. In this genre, first made popular on the web, a player searches for objects hidden within a scene and clicks on them once discovered. The genre was very popular on the web, but Game Insight made its title social, launching it on Facebook in 2011 as the first hidden-object game on the network. It took off, as gamers who were bored with simulated farms found something new to play.

Game Insight released an iPad version of the game, Mystery Manor: Hidden Adventure, in December, 2011. That version appears to be have a relatively small audience today, at about 10,000 monthly active users. The game was also popular on the iPhone, reaching into the top 100 most-downloaded ranks in 88 countries, according to market researcher App Annie.

But then the company recently changed the game so that players had to spend money in order to finish the game. They had to buy a virtual currency, diamonds, for $3.99 or more. Players felt like this was a bait and switch. The company replied that it discovered that Apple restricted what its App Store developers are allowed to do in terms of offering promotions to users.

Game Insight said on its fan page that it had to make changes to comply with Apple’s policies, canceling promotions where it gave gifts that normally require in-app purchases. Apple’s 1.11 guideline for developers says, “Apps that unlock or enable additional features or functionality with mechanisms other than the App Store will be rejected.” Game Insight is now removing all such functions from its iOS games.

Thousands of users complained on the game’s Facebook fan page, but the company deleted many of the messages. More messages have been posted on an unofficial fan page. Game Insight said it was deleting messages that were “inflammatory” or “abusive.” But now it has stopped doing so.

One fan who contacted us said, “I am not a rebel…FAR from it…. But I am passionate that we should be treated with respect and not be lied to…. The bottom line is we LOVE this game…. We want to play it…. But the cost for most, including me, is ridiculous…. And without buying their diamonds, there is not way to finish their quest…. Via triple their profit….”

Others are also venting about the purchases on the Facebook fan page.

Today, after we contacted Game Insight about the complaints, the company issued the following statement. Game Insight also said it is posting the message on its fan page:

“First of all, we’d like to thank everyone for reaching out and giving us their point of view on the issue. We value and appreciate your dedication, attention, and the investment you’ve made in Mystery Manor. Together, we have built something great. Between our communities on Facebook, independent fan pages and a plethora of forum posts, your support has made us what we are today. We fully understand your position and are working towards finding the best solution for everyone. You helped us build this Manor and all we can ask is that you stick by us as we work through this and find the answer we’re all looking for.

“Furthermore, we would like to formally apologize to all of our community members for any inconvenience and frustration they may have experienced related to this issue. Part of our work as a mobile developer and publisher requires us to occasionally update our games to ensure they are meet all new and existing standards of quality. Unfortunately, sometimes, very rarely, these updates can create unexpected issues, such as this one. As such, we would like to announce the following steps we will be taking:

-As you requested, we will continue to post any/all news regarding the issue on this page. With the sheer number of community members looking for answers, Skype calls and conference lines are simply too contained to properly inform everyone.

-As usual, we ask that everyone keep the level of discourse civil and courteous all sides of the discussion. We’re happy to hear from our fans, but as always, abusive and inflammatory posts will not be allowed to ensure we can have a productive discussion in an environment that is safe for everyone.

Game Insight will have more information and news on this matter as we dig deeper into the issue and we will bring those updates to you, directly, via this Facebook Fan Page.”

As a publisher, Game Insight is a young company, founded in 2010. But it has seen rapid growth with more than 50 million monthly active users as of this spring. The company has hundreds of developers, and it wants to hit revenues of more than $150 million in 2012. This incident isn’t necessarily a big wrinkle in those plans, but it is a test of how the company handles itself when it faces complaints from lots of passionate fans.（source:venturebeat）