Innovation

This has to be one of the most amazing examples of how best to promote 3D technology without wearing silly glasses.

This article first appeared in the Guardian 08.04.10 http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2010/apr/08/iphone-advertising

Apple is taking on the might of Google in the digital advertising industry, hoping to see-off the search engine giant's attempts to build a powerful position in the burgeoning mobile advertising market.

The move, however, is unlikely to thrill Apple's mobile phone network partners, such as O2, Orange and Vodafone in the UK, as it looks set to undermine their own embryonic attempts to try and grab a slice of the mobile ad pie.

Unveiling the latest version - OS 4 - of the software for its highly successful iPhone, which finally brings multi-tasking to the device, Apple boss Steve Jobs also announced the launch of iAd.

The new mobile advertising platform is designed to allow iPhone app developers to create in-app advertising. Currently anyone who clicks on an advert in a downloadable app is bounced out of it and onto the advertiser's webpage. As a result, Apple reckons many users are put off clicking on adverts. In contrast, iAd will allow full-screen video and interactive advertising content to be served within an application. The adverts are dynamically and wirelessly delivered to the device. Crucially, Apple will sell and serve the adverts and developers will receive 60% of their iAd revenue. The videos, by the way, are of course in HTML5 and not Adobe's Flash which Apple is still waging war against.

Many thanks to Lynne Elvins at South West Design Programme (www.swdp.org.uk) for telling us about this brilliant initiative from VW.