iPhone 6 could reboot mobile ads

Despite an increase in mobile usage around the world, brands have yet to figure out a way to effectively market to the newer, more technologically savvy consumer on smartphones and tablets. According to a recent study from eMarketer, spending on mobile media advertising will increase 82.3 percent in 2014. But despite this growth, the research provider states that brands still don't devote the necessary time or financial resources that are equivalent to its rapid consumer adoption, making it a far less effective advertising option than it has the potential to be. However, these will potentially change given the launch of iPhone 6. The rollout of these new models on September 19 may be the tipping point marketers need to move to richer mobile display ads. After all, Apple owns 42 percent of the market and 51 percent of mobile impressions are served on iOS devices.

Larger displays mean broader canvases
Introducing larger displays is one of the rare instances of Apple playing catch-up in an industry it otherwise dominates. In the years since the iPhone’s launch, the Android ecosystem has eaten away at Apple’s market share. Larger smartphones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S5, with its 5.1-inch display, are at least partly to credit.

With their new Retina HD displays, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are putting more pixels in front of consumers. And, the new A8 chip allows advertisers to produce more elaborate, more immersive experiences for mobile display. This means shorter load times for ads that include rich media like video and better responsiveness for in-ad mobile features.


Devices are defining new viewing standards
Eighteen years ago, the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) rolled out its first set of “voluntary guidelines” for web-based advertising. In the nearly two decades since, these standards have often failed to keep pace with the technology that relies on them. With the new iPhone, we can no longer depend on old specs to define the consumer’s viewing. Technology is driving innovation.

When half of any market pushes the limits of current standards — as Apple is doing with these new technologies — advertisers should take note. It’s more important than ever to produce unified, consistent cross-device consumer experiences.