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Just to recap, OTA or over-the-air programming is the process of wirelessly updating Smartphones with software, updates, and services.  Nowadays, OTA occurs via SMS/text message, which is sent to a subscriber (you) with an action request.

Today, we will dig a little deeper into over-the-air programming by touching on enrollment, mobile device management, configuration profiles, what they include and what they are responsible for.

Suppose there is a large mobile automotive company, ABCx, that provides oil changes, tire service, tune-ups, windshield replacement, and detailing services. The owner has 100 employees that need to stay connected to each other, as well as with him.  For this purpose, the owner purchases a fleet of iPhones for all of his employees.   Each device needs to be configured with various settings such as email and Wi-fi settings; restrictions such as app installation, in-app purchasing, and automatic sync of mail accounts while roaming; policies such as passcode length, required passcode, and number of attempts before the device is wiped.

In order to get all of the ABCx iPhones up and running, each device must be enrolled with a mobile device management server.  The server connects with the devices wirelessly to enroll, configure and update settings, as well as remotely wipe or lock devices.  This allows for overall wireless management of every ABCx mobile device.

Before any of the iPhones can be used by the employees, updated with new software or services, configuration profiles must be created.  These profiles are XML files that configure and send information to Smartphone devices, which allow them to interact with enterprise systems; essentially the files contain instructions for the device, telling it how to act and react to our actions (the mobile user).  Configuration profiles can be signed and encrypted, which will keep data and settings safe from changes ad theft.

To give you a clearer picture….

Imagine the website for ABCx; it has 4 tabs, HOME, ABOUT US, SERVICES, and CONTACT US.  The code behind the webpages instruct the pages on how to act.  Suppose a customer was on the homepage and interested in the company’s Services.  Initially, after they roll over the SERVICES tab, the color changes, letting them know that the tab is clickable.  After clicking on the SERVICES page, voila…..they now see the offered services.  You’ve guessed correct, the code told the page how to react when the user rolled over and clicked on the tabs.

Once the configuration profile has been created, it has to be deployed or installed onto the iPhone device.  The simplest way to achieve this is to use over-the-air programming.

The enterprise “one size fits all” Smartphone strategy is soon coming to an end. More and more companies are looking to allow employees to use their personally owned Smartphones to connect to corporate resources, while embracing a multiplatform strategy; one that supports at minimum Blackberry, Android, and iOS. According to a recent report from Forrester Research, close to 60% of surveyed companies already support personally owned Smartphones.

As the report disclosed, IT departments are struggling with mobile device management, as well as security, which is leading companies to invest in device management solutions. Forrester pointed out ten key functionality features for Smartphone solutions, including:

•    Over-the-air programming (OTA)
•    Security management
•    Configuration management
•    Software management
•    Scalability
•    Central console
•    Asset management and reporting
•    Device recovery
•    Self-service portals
•    Remote control

Also mentioned in the report were ten enterprise solutions that included all ten pieces of key functionalities of device management.

Apple sent shivers through the mobile advertising market a couple months back when they warned that they would be limiting ads in iDevices to only ads from “independent networks” in addition to their in-house iAds platform. To this date, they haven’t followed through on those plans, which could be a side effect of the FTC looking into their business practices.

Leena Rao has a run-down over at TechCrunch and tries to predict what may be some of the unfortunate consequences of this mobile ads arms race:

So in the coming year, we could see the top three smartphone device makers all have their own mobile ad networks. And RIM’s ad network could also be prohibited from serving ads on the iPhone with Apple’s policies. The result of this would be a more device-centric, fragmented, mobile advertising market. Already Steve Jobs is promoting Apple’s iAds as a revolutionary ad format optimized for the iPhone and iPad. RIM and Google could be forced to develop and tout their device-centric ad formats.

And thus, advertisers would be encouraged to go to each device manufacturer for the ad formats that promise the best clickthrough rates. It would be a nightmare however for advertisers and agencies to have to split their spending between all the different networks. Advertisers hate fragmentation. They love scale: buy once, plaster everywhere.

Are you watching these developments closely in order to assess the possible impact it could have on your mobile project? Are you just now diving in and this could have an effect on your potential business model? Tell us about it in the comments and let us know what you’re doing to prepare for future scenarios.

Stated in the PointAbout blog post, Mobile Device Sales, Up 13.8% in Q2, 325.6 million Smartphones were sold, accounting for 19% of worldwide mobile device sales in Q2 2010. This means millions of devices will be sending and receiving messages, whether text, picture, video or voice, playing audio and videos, storing sensitive information, installing applications, and becoming incorporated into businesses and corporations.

All of these functions are enabled by the mobile device’s firmware, which is the device’s programs and data structure. Everything in the electronic and computing world is controlled by firmware; our beloved Smartphones, iPhones, iPods, iPads, laptops, tablet PCs….As initial application versions/software become outdated, “buggy,” and lethargic, new applications become available and more advanced, producing a need to distribute new update packages and software to “rev up” those devices. One of the most convenient and important ways to accomplish that is OTA configuration, also known as over-the-air-programming. This post will give an overview of OTA or over-the-air-programming.

OTA Description

To help put over-the-air programming in perspective, think back to your childhood days. Remember remote control cars??  When they first came to market, the remote control was attached to the car itself, forcing you to run behind the car. Fun, but not as much fun as when the controllers became wireless. You were free to be wherever you wanted and still control your car. Ok, switching back to OTA. In the past, companies had to tether or directly connect mobile devices to a computer to install or update the software on it.  How time consuming do you think that was?

Suppose your company was supplying each staff member with a Blackberry Smartphone, which needed to be configured or updated with new software. Depending on the number to be deployed, it could be hours into days and weeks before this task could be completed. With the use of over-the-air programming, all of the Blackberrys can be updated at once, wirelessly, saving time, money, and man-hours. Another example for you. Imagine a security breach took place.  The sensitive data on your companies’ mobile devices has been hacked. Before anymore were compromised, they all need to be completely wiped clean. Again, it would take too much time to wipe the devices one-by-one….OTA comes to the rescue.

To bring this all together…..

Over-the-air programming (OTA) is a scheme enabling the distribution of updates, software, and services to mobile devices over a wireless network in real-time, involving various requirements, processes, and phases. Used together, SMS (text messaging) and OTA offer remote control of mobile devices for upgrades and activation of subscriptions and services, security, along with the programming and customization of new services.

OTA in Action

In order for updates to take place, the existing hardware and software of the intended device must be capable of receiving and installing, basically support the new software from a wireless network provider. The current method of OTA entails a carrier sending a text message (SMS) to subscribers with an action to receive the update or to call a particular number. For instance, *228 is a Verizon Wireless OTA service code, which gives subscribers the option to program and activate a new device or update roaming capabilities.

Not only is this quick and easy for the mobile user, it also reduces time and costs spend on customer support. Additionally, OTA permits mobile phone carriers to keep subscribers “in-the-know” about pertinent upgrades, services, and improvements.

Come back for the next post on OTA.

The once upon a time sought after desktop PCs are being left in the dust for the slew of tablet PCs emerging, including those rivaling the infamous Apple iPad.

A recent report published by the Forrester research firm revealed that 27 million U.S. online consumers (14%) anticipate purchasing a tablet in the next 12 months. Although the iPad has sold close to 3.3 million units to date, potential customers are not necessarily chasing the iPad. The study found that devices from manufacturers such as Dell, HP and Toshiba have caught the attention of consumer-conscious, tech-savvy shoppers; only 3.8% of potential buyers have their sights set on the iPad.

Forrester also reported that the anticipating 14% are not all Apple customers. Sarah Rotman Epps, a Forrester consumer product analyst said, “There’s interest in the category that goes beyond the iPad.” Most notably, the firm’s report dispelled the myth about Apple worshippers (all things “Apple”). More iPad customers own HP computers verses Macs; 39% of those who are setting out to purchase an iPad in the next 12 months own an HP computer.

Over-the-air programming (OTA) works in conjunction with SMS or text messaging to provide remote control of mobile devices, allowing for an efficient, cost-effective method to update a device’s OS, send software, and troubleshoot. OTA is easily a vital part of a mobile device’s functionality and security.

In the coming days and weeks, our What Is OTA?  Blog Series we will explore over-the-air programming, its concepts and phases, and how it interacts with mobile devices.  Stay tuned!

Unprompted by me, Osman whipped out his smartphone and handed it over. I was watching a decent video clip illustrating his product’s features and functionality. I could tap to hear testimonials. I could tap to play with a simulation of the software. In a matter of moments, the device had transformed Osman from an entrepreneur I was having a conversation with to a guide and narrator of an interactive experience. My focus and attention alternated between what he said and what appeared onscreen. Sometimes he’d take, touch, and hand back the device; other times, I’d point to something onscreen and ask another question.

The object — and our interaction with it — became an intimate part of our conversation.

What a great idea, no? Like Schrage mentions, this method works in a lot of situations where you wouldn’t be able to use a laptop or where it just doesn’t make sense if you even have it with you. He continues:

My professional bet is that “hand-it-over” innovation pitches will double smartphone and mobile device sales worldwide. Entrepreneurs, salespeople and innovators alike will socialize with at least two devices in the backpacks and breast pockets — one for their personal/professional use and the other to “hand over” for interpersonal play.

“Hand-it-over” conversations seem destined to create new genres of salesmanship and interaction. It will become an innovation best practice. In fact, people will be surprised, and disappointed, if you don’t have anything to hand over.

Now, we’re not sure about doubling smartphone sales worldwide, but this certainly makes more sense than outfitting your whole salesforce with pico-sized projectors to go with their laptops they’re likely already carrying.

Does this sound like a strategy that would help sell your product or service? Do you know where to begin in launching an effort like this? We do. If you’d like to learn more, take a look at our guidance on developing a mobile strategy and reach out to us so we can get you going on the correct path, right from the launch of your project.

Washington, DC — PointAbout, the DC-based creator of a platform allowing clients to develop their own low-cost mobile apps, said that it is in the process of raising a new round of funding from Charles River Ventures and angel investors Bill Lee and Rich Chen. The news comes amidst a period of rapid growth for the company, which recently opened a West Coast office in San Francisco, launched a new website and was featured in the September edition of FastCompany magazine. PointAbout’s AppMakr platform has created more than 10,000 iPhone apps since its launch in January. Clients include Burger King, Disney, Kohl’s and The Washington Post.

The first step to creating a mobile application is to read these whitepapers and provide us with a requirements document, or even a few paragraphs describing your project.

If you don’t have a full requirements document, we can help.  We have an entire process that we use with large organizations to help you figure it out – starting with ideation & brainstorming sessions, identifying stakeholders, picking the right approach(es), such as apps vs. mobile web, doing design iterations, getting the project scoped and versioned correctly, and then implemented, QA’d and delivered, and we always do a post-mortem review to set us up to work even more closely after the first project.  So, if you already have some ideas sketched out, we always like to start there, but if you don’t, we’ll help you get everything figured out.

Ideally, you’ll already have set a budget aside for your project, although that is often not the case.  However, much of what we end up doing will be driven largely by how much of a budget you want to put towards mobile.

Here are a few whitepaper resources to get you started:

• 14 things to know and do when starting a mobile project
• Whitepaper on avoiding common mobile development pitfalls
• Details on our proprietary enterprise mobile development process
• Our Capabilities deck (iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry, HTML5 mobile web)
• Case study highlighting copious learning from the Cars iPhone app
• Case study from an automotive thought leader on mobile within the enterprise

Also, we have a slide on what the mobile landscape looks like, called the Mobile Pyramid.  It’s proven to be  very a powerful way to explain mobile to those who don’t live it every day like we do.  You’re welcome to use it if you find it useful when explaining mobile within your organization; there’s a PDF & PPT link below the image you can grab