Mobile Apps and Big Data — Combo of the Future?

The days when mobile users were seen as the future of accessing web content are long behind us. It has been almost two years since mobile users took over PC users when it comes to Internet use. One of the results of such a huge number of people using their mobile phones all the time is the immense amount of data that is being used by mobile users.

This brings us to the other constituent of our Combo of the Future — Big Data.

What is Big Data?

The jury is still out on what exactly big data is. Namely, there is no final and true definition of the word. In essence, big data is a set of data which meets three attributes starting with “V” — volume, velocity and variety. In other words, big data is huge, the information is varied and it is obtained quickly.

The reason why big data is such a popular buzzword these days is that it has immense potential, providing better insight about pretty much everything and enabling those who have access to it to make better decisions thanks to this abundance of data.

If you want to learn more about it, you can check out this article where some extremely clever people explain how they see it.

How Big is Mobile Big Data?

We have already mentioned that mobile users produce copious amounts of data, but what proportions are we talking about? Well, according to the latest mobile data statistics from Cisco, at the end of 2015, the amount of global mobile data traffic was 3.7 exabytes per month. Just to put things into perspective, one exabyte equals a million terabytes. In other words, one billion gigabytes. Per month. In conclusion, it definitely meets the “volume” criterion.

Considering how many different actions mobile users can perform and how varied the information they share via their mobile devices is; it is safe to say that mobile data also meets the “variety” criterion. It should be pointed out that a large portion of this data involves an app of some kind. Finally, due to the constant use of (7.9 billion) mobile devices around the world, there is no doubt that mobile data is also quickly available.

What can be Learned?

The type and the amount of insights that can be obtained from mobile apps will vary depending on who the “user” is, i.e. the company (or any other type of organization) that obtains and analyzes the data.

For instance, device makers can learn a ton about how their users approach their devices, what they use them for and what new features they can include in future generations. Business analysts and marketers can gain infinite knowledge about their customers and potential customers by, for instance, simply looking at social media trends and activities.

People who develop and launch their own apps are also given an incredible look into their users and potential future users. Among other things, they can learn what features of their apps are being used the most and which are completely pointless. They can also notice problems with the functionality of their app and patterns that their users display when using their apps.

How to Use the Insights

Before these new insights can be used or even put in context, the organizations which obtain all this data (or portions of it) will have to find a way to analyze it. This is where business intelligence software solutions show their strength, as well as companies that specialize in analyzing mobile big data. Once big data is “purified” and condensed, it can be put to good use by all the different types of users.

For example, companies can use their new insights to modify certain aspects of their operation. If they have learned that their customers are leaving them for companies with better customer service or something like that, they can improve this part of their organization. Marketers can focus their efforts on specific segments of the market or increase their efforts in those segments where their product/service is still lacking traction.

Where app developers are concerned, mobile big data can improve pretty much every aspect of their work. They can include features that they previously thought were useless. They can change the design depending on user feedback and the analysis of other apps’ users. In short, they can use the data to create the ultimate app which is going to see incredible adoption rates, as well as retention rates.

Closing Word

Mobile apps, their users and big data make for a spectacular combination where everyone wins. Big data gets bigger and mobile apps get better thanks to big data. The future is now and there is no telling what will happen down the road.