Mobile/ProductPlanning/Notes-2014-10-21

Roadmap & Funnel update

Jenn

• Roadmap

Hot items

Everyone

Goals check in

Mark & Karen

• [ON TRACK] FxMobile: Ship new Search Activity for Android in Fx35.
• [ON TRACK] FxMobile: Establish a GTM plan for project 105 v1 release, including deployment, marketing and required Cloud Services resources.
• [ON TRACK] FxMobile: Agree on joint e.me Android launcher & lock screen plan for a Beta Launch in Q1, including fulfillment of all assets and UX flows as required
• [ON TRACK] FxMobile: Add required content server metrics for tracking Suggested Sites in Fx35
• [ON TRACK] FxMobile: Land a set of client-side password improvements (for FxAccounts) in Fx36

Insights

Worth the Read

• Google has added physical key support (FIDO U2F - $6-15) to its 2-Step Verification process for Google Accounts. This extends the tokens available to end-users, and is another push into the institutional space for securing access to accounts and associated information (like Drive and Mail). The key will only work with Chrome, and augments or replaces Google's current authenticator schemes with mobile phones. There's bigger implications for this longer term, as mobile devices (can) already support/contain FIDO-compatible hardware, allowing broader promotion and adoption of two-factor authentication tied to a physical device people already carry with them pretty much everywhere.
• The Android Lollipop SDK was released late last week, and hoo-boy there's a lot of stuff in there. A new runtime, enhanced notifications - including notifications that are cloud-synchronized, enterprise management tools (including web intent synchronization), better battery life, an updateable WebView layer, Material Design, and all kinds of enhanced screen support make for an interesting read. Many of the developments in Lollipop follow developments in other Google products and services, with the end goal being many screens giving a consistent view to the stuff you care about (robust client giving you access to your stuff in the cloud).

Notes

• Apple included its own SIM in new iPads with mobile support, allowing end-users to subscribe to PAYG (or other) plans without being tied to a specific carrier. Some deals it's negotiated, and there's been some discussion around whether this is something that could disrupt the mobile subscription space if they started adding it to phones. All they have to do is get everyone to buy them unsubsidized.
• The [Nexus player went on sale on Play https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_player], and quickly sold out.
• Apple, unsurprisingly, killed analyst expectations for FYQ4 earnings. The iPhone 6 has been a revenue monster for Apple, and its focus on markets that can afford and wants its products continues to pay huge dividends.
• Don't forget about the various Chromeboxen out there. For $150-200, you can get a Chrome OS platform that hooks up to your setup a la the Mac Mini. Good for testing, good for deploying thin clients at Google-centric orgs.
• Apple will require all app submissions to support 64-bit architectures starting in February, indicating a possible turning off of 32-bit support in 64-bit archs in future releases
• Similar to iOS offering Android users howtos on switching, Android has offered a guide for iOS users looking to hop a robot
• iOS 8.1 was released this week, bringing Pay and Continuity support in, and bringing back the Camera Roll. There's been some confusion around the value Pay brings, but it'll become clearer when things like one-touch signups become more commonplace, and the US rolls out EMV cards in earnest.
• Lollipop brings the option of turning separate tabs in Chrome into switchable apps/views, showing Google is continuing to enhance site/webapp content in the browser as well as native apps and webviews.
• Gmail 5.0 reportedly supports Outlook and Yahoo! accounts, indicating Google is looking to consolidate mail in a single app

Feedback

Rob

Release:

• Smooth so far
• Some reports of Copy/Paste broken on Samsung devices [AI: Rob to investigate]
  • Roland filed a copy/paste bug for missing "Paste" button on the left after i) tap url bar ii) long press url bar (workaround seems to use far right paste icon) bug 1086933
• Decent amount of Top Sites UX feedback if you're interested

Pre-Release:

• [Beta] Fullscreen embedded Flash broken
• [Beta] General Chromecast breakage feedback
• [Beta] Menu still disappearing

Search Survey

• Results by EOW
• Went live Friday
• Good response rate so far (~725)
• Good mix of Yahoo/Google defaults
• Few users in this sample have Search Activity yet

Marketing

Arcadio

Partner review

No notes - in-meeting updates from Mark & Karen

Roundtable

[Gemma] Conducting some super quick user testing on "Mirror Tab" terminology today. I am testing the following options: Screen Mirroring||Send to Screen||Mirror Tab||Send to Device||Reflect Tab||Cast Tab||Other (please specify). Any other terms I should include? I should have some user feedback available on this by the end of the day.