Dont leave your apps unloved

Why do we let so many apps sit idle once downloaded? Could our smartphones help us get more from the app experience and the world around us?

You may have noticed were in the midst of an app revolution. An astonishing 29 billion apps will be downloaded in 2011, rising from just 9 billion apps in 2010. But once downloaded, the novelty can quickly wear off. Perhaps because apps are inexpensive enough to be disposable, we find ourselves downloading them almost in a process of trial and error. And so, unused apps languish on our phones, ignored and unloved. Unlike popular games such as Angry Birds, the average app is used only once. And of the apps we download, only 1% get used regularly.

The right app at the right time

So, whats the best way of getting us to make better use of our apps? Its a question that Cliff Simpkins, Senior Product Manager for the Windows Phone Developer Experience, has been addressing with his team and one of his answers is App Connect, a new feature for Nokia with Windows Phone.

App Connect enables us to present relevant apps to people in the most useful context explains Simpkins. If youre listening to a song (for a lyrics look-up app), taking a picture (for a visual effects app), or making a Bing search (for a movie review app), App Connect can suggest relevant apps at the time you might need it. It means that the ideal apps are regularly suggested, sometimes ones you might not even have considered. If you own these apps already, you can open them straight away. If not, you can quickly install them from the Marketplace. The best thing about App Connect is youre more likely to find the right app in the first place.

Youll also see this strong mutual bond between apps and the web in Visual Search, a Nokia with Windows Phone feature which uses your phones camera as the starting point for a web search. Take a picture of the barcode on the back of a book, and Visual Search can take you straight to the book on Amazons Kindle app.

Catching the eye

Apps are only as good as the phone theyre sitting on. Battery life, clarity of display and tactile operation are all important factors which improve our app experience immeasurably. An operating system thats instinctive to use can help the app and the phone work together in perfect harmony. In other words, if somethings a pleasure to use, well keep coming back to use it. And thats the exact thinking behind Live Tiles, a cornerstone of Nokia with Windows Phone. Live Tiles sit on your home screen and bring you real-time information in an interactive way. The tiles flip to reveal the latest updates, news or just give you a gentle nudge that youve not played an app like Angry Birds for a while.

Live Tiles provide developers with great ways to engage people directly from the start screen says Simpkins. Instead of staring at a grid of icons, we can show relevant information at a glance, bringing you back to the apps. Groupon, whove recently launched a new app for Nokia with Windows Phone, is just one company who are making use of Live Tiles. Its a fantastic feature for us. We can display two-sided, animated offers on the home screen, showing the most relevant deals nearest to you that allow you to click directly through to the app says Andreas Lieber, Director of Business Development for Mobile at Groupon. Its right there when you turn on your phone catching your eye, but without being obnoxious.

Three steps to redemption

Never go bored after work or turn up at a birthday empty-handed again. Groupon is making the most of Nokia with Windows Phone features to let you know when great deals are happening near you.

Live Tiles bring us immediate, updated information that can keep us in the loop in all kinds of ways, from snapping up bargains to hooking up with friends. "With Groupon Now! for Nokia with Windows Phone, people can see real-time deals of the day customised to their interests based on what's around them says Reno Marioni, Director of Business Development and Global Social Partnerships at Nokia. Foursquare users can pin their location to the home screen, so they can quickly and easily check in to a venue. Live Tiles stop apps being left forgotten, bringing things to your attention without you having to delve deeply into your phone.

An app is for life your life

The world of apps can be confusing. So many apps compete for our attention without always making it clear what they really do. Nokia with Windows Phone makes a concerted effort to cut through that. In a world where the large majority of downloaded apps are only launched once, the integrated app experience that Nokia with Windows Phone provides is a real game changer both for users and developers observes Simpkins.

Nokia with Windows Phone integrates apps directly into the way we use our smartphones with greater intelligence and proactivity. By linking apps to how you find things online, it makes it easier for you to find the right apps, while Live Tiles brings apps back to your attention when you might need them. It all helps you to get the most out of your smartphone with less chance that youll leave your apps forgotten and unloved.