On Jan. 8, 2010, I interview Ryan Turner of Bizmosis.com.
Lev: What have you learned from Apple?
Ryan: “Bizmosis Server side platforms are built upon the Microsoft Platform. We are registered partners and have non-disclosure agreement with both Microsoft and Apple. We’re walking the fence between the war for mobile platforms.
“The one thing I’ve learned to expect from Apple and Steve Jobs in particular since he came back as CEO, is that he’s an smart shrewd businessman. He wants control. He will not relinquish control to anybody, whether it be a cell phone carrier, or a hardware manufacturer. The reason? He has unmatched user experience. His product, he controls every aspect of it. Any other manufacturer would be hard-pressed to match him.
“His software, his hardware, his vendors, they all play by his rules or they don’t play at all.
“Now, take Android. It’s a great platform. It’s free. It offers a way for a lot of players to get into the smart phone business with no licensing costs. The downside of the same operating system tweaked to work on many different devices and nobody has control over the thing. The carriers will get into the business and build their software on to the devices so they’ll be congruent and no one will have the attention to detail that Steve Jobs can muster up.
“Even the sexiest of Windows-based laptops, the manufacturer of the hardware is not the guy writing the operating system. You still have to worry about drivers. The finish, the usability, the performance does not compare. Apple products perform better because they write their own drivers and ensure that everything works well together.
“Apple controls their own pricing. They are at least 30% higher than anybody else on the same device. But you will have all these Apple fan boys who will buy anything new with ‘Apple’ on it. People will buy this new Mac Tablet. They’re pre-ordered. Why? Because they’ve come to expect that fit and finish, that polish, that sex appeal that Steve Jobs puts into every device.”
Lev: “What are you working on for the iPhone?”
Ryan: “We’ve just launched an application called ‘IdolsNow.’ It covers all of the American Idol contestants.. We’ve got premium exclusive content with live interviews and videos that will only be found on IdolsNow. Candid Camera type of stuff. We’re in past Idols living rooms. Or on stage after all the fans have left. Or in a club, off to the side, asking them questions.
“Fred Bronson, a music journalist legend, travels around interviewing past Idol contestants for us. This is stuff you can’t get anywhere else.
“The application is free to use. It aggregates all the content about past Idols. Then it is just 99c to access to the exclusive content. We’ll keep adding to the content every week.
“Our claim to fame is our application, ‘iTranslate: Ultimate’. You just type in, 'Where is the bathroom?' You select Spanish and you hit 'Go.' And it reads back to you aloud the phrase in Spanish and email’s you a copy of it.
“We’ve got missionaries overseas spreading the gospel with it. We’ve got nurses in the ER trying to communicate with people using the software.
“We have over six million uses now, over six million translations.
“That’s what pays the bills now and let’s us do all these other crazy applications and ventures.
“We have some applications that will move over to Android shortly. Android doesn’t have a huge market now but we think it will. It’s accelerating. The penetration is low but it will build a following. I’m real nerdy so I liked Android, but I appreciate the fit and finish of iPhone.”
Lev: “What are some of the advantages of Android?”
Ryan: “It’s a lot more open than the iPhone. You never hear of anybody trying to jail-break their Android. You’re really nerdy if you go there. Everybody wants to jail-break their iPhones because it gives them the ability to tether their device and get internet to your laptop through your cell phone or install a bunch of pirated applications.
“We have two versions of Scene Seeker – one for New York and one for Los Angeles. It allows you to locate famous film locations. If you live in New York and you download the application, you can see all the movies filmed around Central Park. There’s been over 300. If you’re bored and want something to do and feel like walking around the city, it’s a great way to relive some of your favorite movies.”
Lev: “How long have you guys been making iPhone apps?”
Ryan: “Two years. We started out early.”
“In the world market, the iPhone is not huge, but here in the States it’s great.”
Lev: “Why?”
Ryan: “We pay a premium for cool. We’re a wealthy nation. We have a pretentious population. They have an iPhone and they throw it on the table at Starbucks in plain view. It’s a status symbol.
“The vast majority of iPhone application developers are from the U.S. and a lot of the apps cater to the U.S. We don’t have Scene Seeker Moscow.
“Nokia has the world’s biggest market share. They just slid to 76% worldwide. They are the Wallmart of cellphones. They pulled out of the States because U.S. regulations made it difficult for them. We don’t standardize.
“Nokia has some of the best devices by far. We don’t get them here in the States, or they are very difficult to get, and very expensive, and they’re not carrier-subsidized. When you are in Europe, you can get carrier-subsidized Nokia phones.”
Lev: “What kind of applications might you have in the pipeline?”
Ryan: “We’re generally very secretive but we’re doing one now, there’s no competition, called ‘BizTravel.’ We’re partnering with best-selling author Jason Rich. The New York city application is going into Apple review in the next couple of weeks. This is for the true business traveler, not someone going for a vacation. This is for someone who wants to save money but wants to do it right. Someone who does not have the time to use Yelp or social networking sites to test out a restaurant. They might be bringing a client and they want a professional journalist who has been to the restaurant, checked it out, spoken to the management, and will even recommend dishes at the restaurant.
“This is an application that will tell you – don’t stay here. There’s only one outlet to use and it is on the other side, away from the desk. You can’t get any work done here.
“This application will tell you details, such as that the Wifi is $25 a night and is incredibly slow and problematic. This guy has stayed there. He has six cities. We will launch with New York.
“The application will have a full directory of places he recommends in case you have a dental emergency or a dry-cleaning emergency. You essentially have your own business traveler concierge.”
Luke: “When will this launch?”
Ryan: “Over the next several weeks, as soon as we get through the review with Apple."
