Snappli Blog

The latest on all things Snappli. Check out our tips, news, and what's happening over at Snappli HQ.

7 Tips for Keeping Your iPhone Safe & Secure

The personal information we carry around on our smartphones is just as powerful as the information stored on our computers. Actually, it’s becoming increasingly more powerful.

iPhone Security

The trend in enterprise today is towards BYOD (bring your own device), meaning you use your own personal device for work. So if you’re a smartphone user, you’re not just carrying your own personal data in the palm of your hand, but the confidential data of your company as well.

What do we know about security? The team that brings you Snappli, previously founded and managed ScanSafe, a global market leading company that pioneered cloud-based web security, with 1000s of customers in the banking, defense, and oil industry verticals to name a few. It was acquired in 2009 by Cisco, the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet.

You may have heard the tips below before but now it’s more important than ever to heed them and keep your iPhone safe and secure.

1. Password protect your phone

This is probably the easiest security measure to implement and the best roadblock to theft. If nothing else, it’ll buy you some time to get to a computer and wipe your iPhone. Set the auto-locking feature so that your phone automatically locks after a short period of inactivity.

2. Install remote wipe software

Apps like Find My iPhone let you locate your device on a map and remotely erase everything on it. The last thing you want is someone accessing your emails, social media accounts and photos. If you don’t set a password (as suggested in tip 1) then a thief can disable all of your features to locate your phone in 3 minutes flat.

3. Avoid storing passwords and other personal info

Keeping your bank details and passwords on your phone, for instance in the Notes app, leaves you vulnerable to identity theft and fraud – especially if your phone doesn’t have auto lock enabled. Keep those sorts of details in your steel security safe, which is hidden behind the photo of your great grandfather in the drawing room of your country house – or somewhere else super secure.

4. Be wary of and wary on wireless networks

If you’re using your smartphone on a public Wi-Fi network, attackers could eavesdrop on that network possibly get ‘hold of your usernames and passwords.

Since you can switch between wireless and 3g/4g, you could unknowingly download malware on your mobile network and then infect your corporate Wi-Fi network.

5. Use caution when accessing social media links

You’d be amazed how easy it is to be conned into clicking on a malicious link. When someone Tweets you “OMG I can’t believe how funny you look in this picture”, even if it’s from a friend, clicketh not.

6. Update to the latest firmware

Firmware updates often include patches and security updates so make sure you download it asap.

7. Add security to your iPhone

“But I’ve just installed the latest firmware update” I hear you saying. Great! Added security will give you peace of mind. Snappli’s got security features built in.

Apple Maps Usage Update

We want to say thank you to all of our users for your interest in the research we conducted on the popularity of Apple Maps. We also want to add some more detail on how we compiled the results and provide some more insight into the debate.

We were keen to provide visibility into actual usage rather than anecdotal evidence. To that end, we were looking to see if we could detect any anonymized traffic from the Apple Maps app on any given day. We were not looking at the total amount of data used by the app. Our goal was to measure popularity, not how data hungry the app was, nor the impact of vector graphics.

Some of you have asked us whether we accounted for variability in traffic over days of the week – the answer is yes, we made the effort to look at usage for the five days before and the five days after a day zero (with day zero being the day each user updated to iOS6).

It’s worth noting too that data does not contain personally identifiable information. Moreover, all of our reports are based on aggregated data across the whole sample size, which helps achieve even higher compression and acceleration rates for our users, so they can save money and enjoy better smartphone performance.

We’d love to hear more of your thoughts and comments. We would especially like to hear from you guys about any other hard data that’s out there which adds to the debate and increases insight.

In the meantime, check out these Forbes articles, both posted today:

iOS 6 Maps Make Me Feel Like I live on Pluto

If Steve Jobs Were Alive, He Would Fire Tim Cook

Thanks again for all your support.

- The Snappli Team

Snappli Network Decides Apple Maps Can Get Lost

After the initial uptake of Apple Maps, which replaced Google Maps with the iOS6 update, usage of the app quickly plummeted on the Snappli network.

Take a look at the stats:

  • 64% of Snappli users have migrated to iOS 6 within the last few weeks (UK and US)
  • Before the upgrade to iOS 6, 25% of Snappli users were viewing Google Maps at least once a day
  • Once they moved to iOS 6, that immediately went to 35% of users using Apple Maps
  • However,  over the next 5 days that drops down to 4%
  • Summary: before iOS 6 1 in 4 people were using Google maps at least once a day. After iOS 6: 1 in 25 using Apple maps and falling.

Which 3rd party map app are you using instead? Tell us in the comments section or Tweet us.

Read more:

Do iOS 6 users stick with Apple Maps? Snappli reckons it knows… The Guardian

Just 4% of iOS 6 users still using Apple Maps after 5 days Venture Beat

After fast uptake, Apple Maps use plunges to 1 in 25 iOS owners Gigaom

Snappli Gets a Top Score at GigaOM Mobilize Launchpad

We had a great time at the GigaOM Mobilize event yesterday. Along with 10 other start-ups, we pitched Snappli to the GigaOM Launchpad audience and judges Rob Coneybeer, managing director of Shasta Ventures, Vab Goel, general partner at Norwest Venture Partners, and Tim Lee, partner at Sequoia Capital. Snappli got top marks for innovation and tied with Thirst for the best score from the judges.

The event continues today and you can watch a live stream of the conference here.

GigaOM Mobilize 2012

Snappli’s Josh Gosliner on stage with GigaOM’s Kevin C. Tofel

 

iphone5

Finding the Best Deal on an iPhone 5 Plan

This week, Apple announced that more than two million iPhone 5s were pre-ordered within the first 24 hours of availability, double the previous record held by iPhone 4S.

We mentioned in our previous post how iPhone 5 owners using the 4G LTE network will use double the amount of mobile data, so choosing the right mobile plan is now more essential than ever.

Finding the best deal on your iPhone 5 plan comes down to what compromises you’re willing to make. Of the network carriers we researched, Cricket offers the cheapest iPhone 5 plan, however you’ll have to wait a week longer than everyone else to get it, and pay up front the full price of the iPhone 5. Their LTE network isn’t great but you’re not tied into a lengthy contract which is appealing. Alternatively, Verizon has the best LTE network but a shared plan is required unless you’re willing to go for a pricey workaround. Sprint is the only network provider to still offer a truly unlimited data plan.

Getting to grips with the many iPhone 5 plan options from mobile network providers can be quite an undertaking. We’ve put together the below table to help you on your way to choosing the best iPhone 5 plan for you.

Sprint AT&T Verizon Cricket
LTE Network Fair Good Excellent Poor
Unlimited Data Yes No1 No2 Yes3
Simultaneous Voice and Data No Yes No No
Availability September 21st September 21st September 21st September 28th
Cost Per Month $79.99 – Unlimited $110 – Shared $100 – Shared $55

1 Unlimited available but not with FaceTime and throttled after 5GB
2 shared plan required
3 capped at 2.5GB

Read More:
Sprint

AT&T

Verizon

Cricket

Watch Those Overages: 4G Could Cost You More in Data

iPhone 5 4G LTE

Today at 10am PST, Apple will launch its highly anticipated iPhone 5 and iOS6. A study by AYM research suggests that 75% of current iPhone owners plan on getting an upgrade in the next year. So will we all be paying dearly for our desire to have the latest and greatest in technology?

4G LTE users (both iPhone and iPad) beware, you will hit your mobile data cap a lot sooner then you would on the old 3G network. The fact is, 4G LTE phones use around 2 times more data than a 3G phone, and overages can cost up to $10 per extra gigabyte.

Smartphone owners in the U.S. were recently surveyed and results showed that people without LTE phones averaged 500 megabytes of data per month in 2012. In contrast, the average data use for an LTE subscriber was 1.2 gigabytes per month.

So proceed with caution when you’re enjoying mobile internet on your shiny new iPhone 5 and be sure to install the Snappli app. Like a personal trainer for your phone, Snappli strips out the excess data fat – which means your 4G data plan can go much further.

Read more:

Video Speed Trap Lurks in New iPad

Where’s the Promised Savings from 4G LTE

*image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Video Demo – Installing the Snappli App

Here’s a quick video demo to get you acquainted with how to install Snappli. The video covers:

  • Installing the APN Profile
  • Setting your preferred compression level
  • Tracking roaming savings with Snappli
  • Viewing savings and speed acceleration
  • Drill-down into reporting

 

 

Snappli Welcomes Tier 1 VCs and Super Angels

We’re delighted to welcome on board VC firms Greylock Partners and Index Ventures, plus leading angels Alex Zubillaga, Simon Murdoch, and Klaus Hommels.

These highly respected investors will provide Snappli with expert support as well as further cash investment to help accelerate Snappli’s growth.

“We see a very large global opportunity in mobile data compression and optimization. Snappli’s technology and approach is disruptive, and the founding team has a proven track record innovating and building a market leader,” said Greylock Partners’ Asheem Chandna.

The investors have an impressive portfolio of investments among them including Spotify, Facebook, Instagram and Tango.

GigaOM recognizes Snappli as one of the most promising start-ups of 2012

GigaOM, the leading independent voice on emerging technologies and the disruption of media, has analyzed the mobile market and the numerous companies in the sector and selected Snappli as one of the next generation of companies that will shape the mobile world of tomorrow.

We’re happy to be recognized by GigaOM for our efforts to make the mobile web faster, cheaper, and safer for everyone!

Snappli will be doing a live presentation at GigaOM’s Mobilize event taking place in San Francisco on Sept. 20-21. Are you going? Tweet us at@snappliapp, we’d like to meet you there!

Olympic Searches

Mobile Devices Finish Miles Ahead of Desktops for Olympics-related Search

Google has released some stats showing that searches performed on Smartphones and Tablets during the Olympics far surpassed those done on desktop computers.

During the first 2 days of the games, 47% of US and 46% of UK total Olympics-related searches occurred on smartphones and tablets.

Google references Paul McCartney’s performance during the Opening Ceremony, showing that the volume of searches on Smartphones and Tablets significantly surpassed those performed on a Desktop.

Google’s data supports the coming of age of mobile Internet as well as the growing trend in people using multiple devices simultaneously. While watching the Opening Ceremony, one might simultaneously search out more info on their Smartphone and Tablet.

Do you use multiple devices simultaneously and if so, what do you use them for?

Read more:

Going for Mobile Gold: 10x increase in Olympics mobile searches globally

← Older Entries
© 2013 Snappli Blog