Most of the time we don’t think about all the wars being waged for our attention. Look around. TV. Radio. Newspapers. Magazines. Books.
They’ve been vying for your attention for decades. Today, there’s yet another war being waged for your attention and this one is playing out on your iPhone.
That’s right. Your iPhone, or whatever smartphone you’ve chosen, is ground zero for those who clamor for your attention; those who demand, persuade, cajole, and pray you’ll see their wares, use their wares, all so they can dump advertising before your eyeballs and track what you do while you’re doing it.
I’m not totally sure of the paranoia that has set into the management of Google, Microsoft and other tech internet giants, but it must be severe and contagious. How else do you explain Google’s need to dominate search engines, online advertising, smartphones, tablets, and mobile applications?
How else do you explain Microsoft’s need to dominate, or, at least compete, in similar industry segments?
Facebook, Twitter, and every social network wannabe lives and breathes to get your eyeball to look in their direction. The more often you view their pages, the more of a data trail you leave, and the more advertisements you view, all of which helps to enrich their already overflowing money bags.
Apple’s iPhone is where these wars rage endlessly. Over half of Google’s mobile revenue comes from Apple’s iOS devices. Microsoft is late to the mobile party and finally figured out that they cannot depend upon their previous PC partners to grow the mobile market for tablets and smartphones running Windows.
Are you on Facebook? These days it is littered with advertisements and advertising applications to take advantage of the one billion Facebook users. Facebook wants your eyeballs, too. The more time you devote to Facebook, the more you see of their ads and apps, and the more data you leave on your trail means they make more money from what you do while online.
Where does Apple fit into all this? iPhone and iPad users represent a growing battlefield between forces vying for your attention and your dollars. Apple makes a little money off iAds and apps, but your value to our favorite Mac maker is more basic. Apple makes products you want to own and use, and charges accordingly.
Maybe Apple is thinking different after all. Instead of your eyeballs and data trail, Apple just wants you to buy new toys every couple of years.