全通翻譯/翻譯社

Rise of the Apps

Facebook’s US$1 billion acquisition of Instagram in April showed just how far application software development has come since calendars and calculators were considered cutting-edge. The photo-sharing app was becoming a social network in its own right and, thus, a threat to Mark Zuckerberg’s empire. 

The surge in smartphone and tablet usage has laid the ground for the rise of the app, to such an extent that apps like Angry Birds have been spun off into all kinds of merchandise. What has fueled the obsession with apps? At the user end, the medium plays a large part in the appeal. With their intuitive and user-friendly touchscreens, smartphones and tablets provide an engaging interface which appeals to users of all ages. Because the devices are compact and convenient, they can be used almost anywhere. 

With a 2011 survey showing that 41 percent of smartphone owners use their phones for online purchases, businesses have woken up to the benefits of apps. As well as speed and accessibility, there is the sheer volume of information that can be made available to consumers. According to stats from the Massachusetts-based marketing firm Yankee Group, advantages of apps include reduced sales calls costs of 25 percent and a decrease of 24 percent in administrative expenses. There is also a 28-percent increase in time available for face-to-face sales and a 23-percent shortening of the sales cycle. 

APP 商機風起雲湧

臉書在四月以十億美元併購 Instagram 之舉顯示應用程式軟體開發上的長足進展——想當年，光是月曆與計算機的應用程式就已被視為尖端科技了。Instagram 這套相片分享應用程式憑藉一己之力成為一個社群網絡，因此也對馬克‧扎克伯格的帝國構成了威脅。

智慧型手機與平板電腦使用的激增為應用程式的興盛奠定了基礎，憤怒鳥等應用程式甚至已衍生出各式各樣的商品。是什麼激起大眾對應用程式的著迷？在使用者端，媒介對於應用程式的吸引力扮演著重大角色。直覺式且便利使用者的觸控螢幕讓智慧型手機與平板電腦提供引人入勝的介面來吸引各年齡層的使用者。由於這類裝置小巧又便利，幾乎在什麼地方都可以使用。

二○一一年的一項調查顯示，41% 的智慧型手機持有者會利用手機在網上購物，企業因而意識到應用程式的利益。除了速度與便利性之外，還可藉此將大量資訊提供給消費者。洋基集團這家麻州行銷公司的統計數據顯示，應用程式帶來的優點包括推銷電話費減少25%，行政開支也減少 24%。面對面推銷的時間也因此增加 28%，銷售週期則是縮短了 23%。

資料來源：biz 互動英語電子報