It was already clear how mobile micro-payments for ‘micro-contents’, ready to be consumed directly on small mobile phones screens was the main trend in digital sales. In mobile phone history this trend is been consolidating through years, competing with traditional market products: we’ve seen how music sales in Japan are firmly better on mobile than in stores.
Now it’s iphone time. Brand new iphone 3.0 firmware guarantee groundbreaking possibilities for software developers: to upgrade their incomes just upgrading their softwares. Steve Jobs&co have realized a new income recipe that has the potential to be outstanding. The ‘one-click’ payment formula, expecially through itunes and app store, evolves itself and allows the consumer to buy even smaller pieces of media products. However in this case consumers can buy directly within the application without entering Apple’s virtual store. Application’s upgrades will became the main products, as new contents like game levels, maps or book’s chapters.
A brand new system to distribute, and to sell, that will extend the ‘micro-sales’ trend. The main idea is to divide products in small portions and make them avaiable promoting a new level of exchange that points to a long-term relationship with customers. Except world’s economic situation, customers are increasingly favoring many small purchases rather than a big and expensive one. This formula is even more effective when customer is more involved in impulsive purchases wich will lead to immediate satisfaction.
Micro sales will determine Apple victory over mobile carriers and software developers for revenues sharing: Apple in fact claim the 30% of every sale.
We’ll wait for this summer, when iphone’s firmware 3.0 wil be avaiable, to verify the effectiveness of Cupertino’s strategy.
