THINK AGAIN FEATURE
“THERE IS SUSTAINING I NNOVATI O N.
Somebody like Playtech or Microgaming spending lots of money on improving what they’ve already got, is like Kodak introducing 35mm film E Charles Cohen, CEO, Probability
with the operating system,” he explains, with Mirza adding: “Fragmentation is still a major problem for everyone in terms of time, costs and strategy.”
HTML5 vs. native apps
One of the key dilemmas those looking to innovate in mobile now face is whether to focus on HTML5 – browser-based – or native application development. Some are of the opinion that increasing use of HTML5 will see apps gradually phased out, as developers can make improvements and tweaks to mobile browser products, but are forced to release updates, or even totally new variants of apps in “ M O B I L E I S STILL order to make changes. FOLLOWING DESKTOP. Palmer, however, sees this as being too Innovation cannot truly happen until we simplistic a de?nition: “An app is a precision adopt a mobile-first mentality” tool developed expressly for the core punters so it can provide stronger revenue growth. With E Shaz Mirza, head of regards to games, aside from sportsbook, you mobile, GTECH G2 really get a stronger user experience on apps than you do on HTML5, with graphically rich games, and without issues with connectivity and data usage that will be a problem on mobile browsers,” he explains. So where next for mobile? While operators may It can be argued that in this period, before the arrival of consider there to be a lot of potential, mobile developers the iOS and Android platforms, companies faced a huge see massive gaps, which need to be urgently addressed in challenge in the array of different operating systems, order to continue the channel’s growth. Mobile has to be with Mirza estimating that there were approximately distinguished as a separate channel in order to improve. No 5,000 phone variants to support. However, Cohen adds one has successfully ‘portalised’ mobile in the same manner that little has changed: “When Android and iOS came as desktop and therefore many mobile experiences are out, we thought things would become a lot simpler, but disconnected from one another, and tablet gaming products unfortunately not. It’s actually worse in some ways, as on the whole tend to be larger versions of their smartphone the problems are not as easy to track down and spot, and counterparts – ‘stretched’ versions of the apps – while mobile the number of new phones coming onto the market is banking remains limited, and mobile payment solutions are increasing again. far too expensive for many companies. “What’s happening, particularly with Android, is that With operators having ?nally begun to embrace the handsets that are being released are the same, so the potential mobile offers, the rise of the sector has only they are looking for new ways to differentiate, cramming just begun. in more pixels onto the screen and messing around
Q&A
CHARLIE PALMER, PARTNER, FU SHENG INTERACTIVE
who was then managing director of At the Races, a consortium formed by Arena, Sky and Channel 4, providing a dedicated horse racing betting service. At this point we had a choice of developing apps for personal digital assistants (PDAs, such as a Palm Pilot) or mass market handsets, and it was the decision to develop for the mass market that helped us launch Mfuse. eGR: Where can mobile go next? What’s going to drive future innovation? CP: Mobile will be key to social’s continuing growth as there is huge potential for massive growth on the platform, and HTML5 and native apps both have their roles to play in this. You can create a broader product on HTML5 and update and improve it as needed, whereas with apps you will need to re-release it to do anything new. However, an app is a precision tool developed expressly for the core punters, so it can provide stronger revenue growth. Social will also drive massive growth on mobile with more players being acquired via the channel, while there is also huge opportunity in mobile-driven markets like India and China. With Fu Sheng we are brokering gaming technology, working with large companies to bring their products into the Chinese market.
eGaming Review (eGR): How did Mfuse get started? Charlie Palmer (CP): We worked closely with Openbet – then known as Orbis – on the WAP-based ?xed odds platform, and on making one of their key clients’ API more suitable for mobile. We started a couple of years before Mobenga, developing products for the original handsets, when only one Nokia phone could support Java applications. The real starting point for Mfuse was when I started working with Ian Hogg,
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