With hundreds of new iPhone applications appearing every day, and with a cut-throat economy of third-party developers all competing for the top spot, how are these apps builders to stay ahead of the pack? The answer may just lie in crowdsourcing.

The mobile apps marketplace will top a staggering 25 billion downloads by 2015, according to new research by Juniper Research. To put that in further perspective: the estimate is that smart phone sales will reach 1 billion annually by the same period. That’s an impressive number of downloads per handset user.

Earlier this year, a survey of corporate social media strategy showed Twitter was undeniably the channel of choice among the world’s largest companies. And, as we’ve been seeing, the corporate Twitter strategy, for the most part, begins and ends with customer service/outreach. Twitter has become the front line customer service hub for companies to calm customers’ nerves, keep them informed and engaged. But, we wonder, can’t that also be achieved on Facebook and YouTube?

Still think Foursquare is just a silly fad for wired extroverts with too much time on their hands? Starbucks is one marketer who sees it differently, eyeing serious sales potential from the location-based social gaming app, announcing this week it will create a U.S.-wide loyalty program for the mayors of Foursquare.

If you’ve ever spent any time in Seoul or Tokyo you’ll have no doubt seen the locals flashing their mobiles to hunt around for last-minute shopping bargains, the details of which were beamed to their screens as they stood feet from the retailer, or using the handset to pay for anything from a carton of milk to cab fare. And this was years before the iPhone and the resulting apps economy explosion. Now, in 2010, is it possible the West is finally catching up?

Google launched in the U.S. earlier this year its own iPhone killer, the Nexus One Android. The launch plan centered on a bold step: selling the handset direct via its online shop.

Remember Google’s Nexus One? It’s set for European release on April 30th. Will it be met with praise, or will it suffer the fate of its American brother?

In yesterday’s post we talked about how Facebook’s Open Graph was going to revolutionize online shopping and advertising online by adding the social touch. But it appears Open Graph is just the tip of the …

Capitalizing on all the iPad buzz this week, Apple wasted no time in introducing its iAd advertising platform. Slashgear attended yesterday’s unveiling in Cupertino and comes back with this short video explanation.

Say goodbye to T&A at the Apple App Store. Apple has decided not to make the same mistake Adam did and will forgo the earning potential of scantily clad ladies.
This decision should give Google’s Android …