Tag Archives: video

Learn How Apple Tightened Their Hold on the AR Market with the Release of ARKit 4

February 2, 2021iOS DevelopmentAnchors, Apple, AR, ARKit, ARKit 4, Augmented, Depth API, Face Tracking, LIDAR, Location, Materials, Reality, RealityKit, videoadmin

Since the explosive launch of Pokemon Go, AR technologies have vastly improved. Our review of the iPhone 12 concluded that as Apple continues to optimize its hardware, AR will become more prominent in both applications and marketing.

At the 2020 WWDC in June, Apple announced ARKit 4, their latest iteration of the famed augmented reality platform. ARKit 4 features some vast improvements that help Apple tighten their hold on the AR market.

LOCATION ANCHORS

ARKit 4 introduces location anchors, which allow developers to set virtual content in specific geographic coordinates (latitude, longitude, and altitude). When rebuilding the data backend for Apple Maps, Apple collected camera and 3D LiDAR data from city streets across the globe. ARKit downloads the virtual map surrounding your device from the cloud and matches it with the device’s feed to determine your location. The kicker is: all processing happens using machine learning within the device, so your camera feed stays put.

Devices with an A12 chip or later, can run Geo-tracking; however, location anchors require Apple to have mapped the area previously. As of now, they are supported in over 50 cities in the U.S. As the availability of compatible devices increases and Apple continues to expand its mapping project, location anchors will find increased usage.

DEPTH API

ARKit’s new Depth API harnesses the LiDAR scanner available on iPad Pro and iPhone 12 devices to introduce advanced scene understanding and enhanced pixel depth information in AR applications. When combined with 3D mesh data derived from Scene Geometry, which creates a 3D matrix of readings of the environment, the Depth API vastly improves virtual object occlusion features. The result is the instant placement of digital objects and seamless blending with their physical surroundings.

FACE TRACKING

Face tracking has found an exceptional application in Memojis, which enables fun AR experiences for devices with a TrueDepth camera. ARKit 4 expands support to devices without a camera that has at least an A12. TrueDepth cameras can now leverage ARKit 4 to track up to three faces at once, providing many fun potential applications for Memojis.

VIDEO MATERIALS WITH REALITYKIT

ARKit 4 also brings with it RealityKit, which adds support for applying video textures and materials to AR experiences. For example, developers will be able to place a virtual television on a wall, complete with realistic attributes, including light emission, texture roughness, and even audio. Consequentially, AR developers can develop even more immersive and realistic experiences for their users.

CONCLUSION

iOS and Android are competing for supremacy when it comes to AR development. While the two companies’ goals and research overlap, Apple has a major leg up on Google in its massive base of high-end devices and its ability to imbue them with the necessary structure sensors like TrueDepth and LiDAR.

ARKit has been the biggest AR development platform since it hit the market in 2017. ARKit 4 provides the technical capabilities tools for innovators and creative thinkers to build a new world of virtual integration.

Five Mobile Ad Platforms You Need to Know in 2021

August 24, 2020Gaming & Monetization StrategiesAd, AdMob, facebook, Google, InMobi, Interstitital, Mobile, Platform, TapJoy, Tool, Unity, User, videoadmin

For most mobile app developers, the majority of revenue comes from advertising. We have written in the past about the prevalence of the Freemium model and what tactics maximize both the retention and profits of mobile games. Another major decision every app developer faces is what mobile advertising platform to choose.

Mobile advertising represents 72% of all U.S. digital ad spending. Publishers have a variety of ad platforms to choose from, each with individual pros and cons. Here are the top mobile advertising platforms to consider for 2021:

Google AdMob

Acquired by Google in 2010, Google AdMob is the most popular mobile advertising network. AdMob integrates high-performing ad formats, native ads, banner ads, video, and interstitial ads into mobile apps.

AdMob shows over 40 billion mobile ads per month and is the biggest player in the mobile ad space. Some users criticize the platform for featuring revenues on the lower side of the chart; however, the platform also offers robust analytics to help publishers glean insights into ad performance.

Facebook Ads

Facebook’s Audience Network leverages the social media platform’s massive userbase toward offering publishers an ad network designed for user engagement and growth. Like AdMob, Facebook Ads offers a variety of ad types, including native, interstitial, banner, in-stream video, and rewarded video ads.

With over 1 billion users, Facebook has utilized their massive resources to build out their ad network. Facebook Ads provide state-of-the-art tools, support, and valuable insights to grow ad revenue. Facebook Ads sets itself apart by offering a highly focused level of targeting. Facebook collects a vast amount of data from its users, thus Facebook Ads enables app publishers to target based on a variety of factors (interests, behaviors, demographics and more) with a level of granularity deeper than any other platform.

InMobi

InMobi offers a different way of targeting users, which they have coined “Appographic targeting”. “Appographic targeting” analyzes the user’s existing and previous applications rather than traditional demographics. If a user is known to book flights via an app, then related ads, such as that of hotels and tourism will be shown.

The InMobi Mediation platform enables publishers to maximize their ad earnings with unified auction solutions and header bidding for mobile apps.

TapJoy

TapJoy has received increased consideration from mobile game developers since the platform integrates with in-app purchases. Studies show that mobile players will engage with advertisements if offered a reward. TapJoy has capitalized on this by introducing incentivized downloading, which provides mobile gamers with virtual currency through completing real world actions. For example, a user can earn virtual currency in the game they are playing by downloading a related game in the app store.

TapJoy provides premium content to over 20,000 games and works with major companies like Amazon, Adidas, Epic Games, and Gillette.

Unity Ads

Unity, the popular mobile app development platform, launched Unity Ads in 2014. Since then, it’s become one of the premier mobile ad networks for mobile games. Unity Ads supports iOS and Android mobile platforms and offers a variety of ad formats. One of the major features is the ability to advertise In-App Purchases displayed in videos (both rewarded and unrewarded) to players.

On a targeting level, Unity Ads allows publishers to focus on players that are most likely to be interested in playing specific games based on their downloads and gameplay habits. Many of the leading mobile game companies use Unity to build their app and Unity Ads as their ad platform.

CONCLUSION

These are not the only mobile ad networks, but for app publishers looking to stay current, they are the premier platforms to research. Other platforms like media.net, Chartboost, Snapchat Ads, Twitter Ads, and AppLovin also merit consideration.

When it comes to advertising, every app and app publisher has different needs. Since advertising plays a massive role in generating revenue, mobile app developers set themselves up for success when they do the research, and can find what ad platforms are best suited to their product.

Maximize Profits with the Top Freemium Tactics of 2020

April 23, 2020Android Development, Gaming & Monetization Strategies, iOS DevelopmentAds, App, Data, Developer, Freemium, Game, Gaming, In-App Purchases, Licensing, Loot Boxes, Mobile, Monetization, Outstream, Retention, Rewarded, videoadmin

The global gaming market is estimated at $152 billion, with 45% derived from mobile games. The mobile game market is constantly evolving, new tactics and even platforms, like Apple Arcade, are being introduced. As a mobile game developer, being dynamic and staying up on the latest trends is of the utmost importance. Staying on top of these trends will help make a more engaging and profitable mobile game.

Keeping this in mind, below are the top freemium tactics of 2020:

RETENTION IS (STILL) KING

Mobile game developers must remember that freemium games begin and end with a good retention strategy that keeps users engaged.

Daily Tasks: Set-up daily tasks that pass the Starbucks Test. One of them can be opening the app on a daily basis. These should be fairly simple to complete and offer a reward, encouraging users to integrate gameplay into their daily lives.

Rewards Pack on User Birthdays: Give users some kind of bonus on their birthday to enrich their personal relationship with the game.

Challenge Dormant Users: After 3 days, give users a special, temporary challenge to reengage them with the app. Temporary promotions can be an effective way to instill a sense of urgency in the call-to-action and trigger users to open the app.

Promotion Before Subscription/Free Trial Ends: Tempt the user to sign-up or to extend their subscription by offering a temporary promotion 24-48 hours before their free trial/subscription ends.

When it comes to measuring retention, check out the model retention rates below from The Tool (Performance-Based Mobile ASO):

Day 1 Retention – 40%
Day 7 Retention – 20%
Day 28 Retention – 10%

Retention can also be tracked hourly instead of daily where Day 1 Retention will be the percentage of users who returned within 24-48 hours from the install. Here’s how it might look in analytics systems such as devtodev (via The Tool):

OUTSTREAM VIDEO ADS

Outstream Video is a new type of video ad unit, referred to sometimes as “native video”, designed for targeting mobile users.

Outstream Video ads do not require placement within a Youtube video. They play with the sound off on mobile screens when more than 70% of the ad is visible. The user can tap the ad to turn the sound on and restart the video from the beginning, or they can continue scrolling. When less than 70% of the ad is visible, the video pauses.

Advertisers such as the Hong Kong tourism board have had great success using Outstream Video ads, delivering 30% incremental reach with a 40% lower cost per completed video and 85% lower CPM.

REWARDED ADS PAY OFF

When it comes to monetizing a mobile game through advertising, rewarded ads remain at the top of the food chain. A recent survey of app publishers asked what their most successful monetization method was. Rewarded Video Ads won with 75% of the vote.

By offering users some kind of in-game reward, such as an extra life, a bonus item, or a new avatar, app developers can improve UI and engagement while encouraging ad views without bothering the user. Rewarded ads remain the ad unit with the highest earning potential.

LOOT BOXES

A loot box is a randomized box of in-game prizes. Users pay for an in-app purchase, but there is no guarantee of whether it will contain gold or pennies, the user has to make the decision to purchase in exchange a random reward. While this tactic is somewhat controversial in Europe where Belgium and the Netherlands have cracked down and labeled it gambling, it remains a popular tactic. Loot boxes are particularly effective for Whales, wealthy mobile game users who will readily pay to improve their performance in the game.

SELL YOUR DATA

The collection and sale of data is a massive industry. If your app offers the technical means to collect user-generated data such as geolocation, it may be worth it to acquire user consent to license that data.

Applications like Waze & Foursquare receive community-generated data from their users and effectively leverage it to monetize their applications. Waze licenses data to businesses placing location-based ads, whereas Foursquare licenses point of interest geolocation data to Google & Apple for their first party GPS apps Apple Maps & Google Maps.

CONCLUSION

It is important to keep in mind that monetization is the icing on the cake—without an engaging game that hooks users, there will be nothing to monetize. However, making key decisions in the development process with the monetization strategy in mind will *literally* pay off in the long run.

Check out our previous blogs on Mobile Game Monetization for an overview of the fundamentals.

5 Trendy Web Design Techniques to Modernize Your Website

February 24, 2015Web DesignAesthetics, Brand, Business, Commerce, Company, Design, flat, Flat Design, Market, minimal, modern, modernize, Parallax, Product, sleek, storytelling, Techniques, Trends, video, Web, Web Design, Websiteadmin

In the age of digital commerce, it’s vital to have a spiffy website. Even if a business does sell its products online, the first impression customers have of a brand often stems from the website. A messy website brings to mind a messy product. In this post, we will examine how 2015’s upcoming web design trends present ways in which to improve websites to make them look modern.

1. Nail Your Landing Page

The landing page is the first impression a visitor has of a website, thus it’s a great opportunity to dazzle the viewer. Many websites have landing pages which are not only physically big, with imagery and design taking up most of the screen, but also large in metaphorical scale. Check out the website of Born Group, a creative media company with an extremely ambitious landing page.

Born sells something intangible—creative services. Their product is the ability to provoke emotion. As a creative agency, it’s vital for them to establish that they produce emotionally riveting content. The image of the ape is not only beautifully photographed, it’s powerful. If a prospective customer were on the verge of hiring Born Group, they would indubitably be swayed in the right direction from the moment they hit the landing page.

2. Video Rules

For some companies, going for a message as big as Born would come off as overly self-involved. Born has an intangible product and sells B2B (Business-to-Business). They need to sell an idea and if they bring in a single project, it will pay for a big-budget investment in their site.

For smaller companies with tangible products, it’s important to put the product itself front-and-center. One way of doing this is to embed a video on the landing page of your site. For example, check out the salivating video on the landing page of Dunwell Donuts, a vegan Brooklyn donut shop.

The video succeeds on nearly every level. It makes the viewer crave donuts, artfully portrays the product, and tells the story of the founders of the business in an extremely intimate manner.

3. Tell Your Story

The primary accomplishment of the Dunwell video is in the arena of storytelling. The Dunwell video tells the story of the company brand in an intimate way. By the end of the video, the viewer feels like they have a good sense of who runs Dunwell Donuts and what donuts mean to them.

A video is a cost-effective way of telling the personal story of a brand. Storytelling is a powerful medium because it creates an emotional connection between the viewer and the subject when executed effectively. For a business (especially a small business), this translates directly to brand loyalty. We’ve detailed other ways in which one can tell the personal story of a brand in our Parallax Scrolling article.

4. Flat Design

Minimal web design is in. Apple’s design technique, flat design, is defined as “a style of interface design which removes any stylistic choices that give the illusion of three-dimensions (such as drop shadows, gradients, textures, or other tools that add depth) and is focused on a minimalist use of simple elements, typography and flat colors.”

Flat design is visually sleek and virtually inexpensive way of displaying one’s brand in a modern way. Check out some of the best flat design websites on the internet here.

5. KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)

A really well-designed landing page with minimal content looks much better than a lot of redundant, visually lacking pages. For an alternate approach to the donut vertical, check out the site for Elsie’s Donut Shop. It’s flat, minimal, sleek and to the point, stressing the products.

With the internet working more and more as a gatekeeper for customers to select which businesses they choose to solicit, modern aesthetics have a direct impact on business. Equipping a business with a sleek, modernized website puts them in the best position to excel in the marketplace.

Mystic Media is a web design and application development company based in Salt Lake City, Utah. For more information, click here or contact us by phone at 801.994.6815.