I was a little disapointed that an article on mobile apps in the Supply Chain did not cite more real world examples of companies leveraging this new technology. How are they being used in logistics, manufacturing, warehousing and not just by front line personel but also by executives. It basically just spoke to the overall trend of people trading in their PC's for tablets and the corresponding increasing in the download of apps. Could you suggest a good source for me to read up on this further. I am very interested to see how companies are adapting.
I am very sure Mobile app usage continues to grow as smartphone usage grows. I generally love mobile apps rathar than browsing on the internet for some information like finding location, reaturants and reading news. Presently there are millions of mobile apps available in the market it is hard to find which app does what, sometimes internet browsing gives good results than apps. Because of many competitors and increasing usage of mobile app users the rate of mobile apps has gone bit down and it will continue.
I agree with you in this that instead of scattered and standalone apps, the centralized enterprise systems or ERPs should support the access to data via mobiles and other devices. I think all major ERP vendors such as SAP and Oracle already have mobile versions of their clients which allow the users to access the organization's enterprise systems. It becomes much easier for IT staff to handle this and also makes it a lot more secure.
I think instead of we, the mobile users worrying about how to download multiple applications from differnet vendors, let our business ERP handle it. If we keep our interface with the world through our business ERP server, the associated ERP will implement all the required interfaces so that you with your mobile could access all the business related decision support information in the required format and detail. For the personal applications like news feed, music streaming etc we are free to do our own things. The ERP vendors have much work to do here to make our jobs mobile.
You touched a critical issue(which is a major beef with most users like me too)..
"The biggest problem: Cellular service on mobile tablets lacks growth. 60 percent of tablets purchased have Wi-Fi; 40 percent have 3G. Of those consumers purchasing tablets with 3G service, only about half activate it, according to The NPD Group."
The thing is these features are nice to have ,but as they are currently priced are unaffordable for majority of Western consumers today.So these carriers have a choice,either they bring down the price they charge for these services or lose prospective customers to upstarts to figure out and seize the situation better than the goliaths in the carrier space[Who are more interested in protecting their gigantic profit margins,than in innovation or providing customers with quality products at lowest possible prices].
Nice post. I totally agree with the point that "the experience of searching the Internet on a phone is still more difficult, and an application would improve the experience " . Infact i personally like to follow the news feeds through an app rather than browsing through website. I am not sure if appstore can fully mimic the webbrowsing capabilities. One big challenge I feel is availability mutliple OS. Once the OS for mobile industry consolidates, I am sure pace of app development will pick up.
"The trend has begun to show up among consumers as they move their use of email, Internet browsing, and social networking from PCs to tablets"
Yes but ... consider my father who is about 60 years old and I can tell you he is an advance PC user , Trying to use a mobile phone to sent email , with this little keypad and if he is lucky with qwerty key pad , trying to read with this small screen ....... So yes the trend has begun , but not for all.
Well, everything is changing, getting better, but i totally agree with Laurie, its totally pointless to have to subscribe to different mobile services for various mobile devices. they're all mobile aren't they?
If a single mobile service can be implemeted on all mobile services, with ACTIVE SYNC between them, then things will make a whole lot of sense.
Yes, it is. MobApps and Saas paradigm are making life and tasks to perform (related also to supplier and procurement) more easier. Next piece of the puzzle: how many are aware of mob apps available to do something? We still need to "google" or catch rumors, so is it realistic to conceive a sort of pervasive ads to alert in advance users on apps "on demand" to process just in time?
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
Archived Dialogues
Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
While no one really can accurately predict the future, we can take guidance from another Drucker saying which is the best way to predict the future is to create it.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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