Average iPhone, iPad & iPod Has $100 of Paid Content On It

Noteworthy article on AppleInsider.com yesterday (AppleInsider | iOS 'stickiness' grows as average Apple user has $100 in content per device): the average iOS device (iPhone + iPad + iPod) has roughly $100 of paid content on it. That number represents all content downloadable through iTunes: applications, music, movies and books. More impressively, the average has risen to ~$100 from ~$80 in the last year - and that is as 75m new iOS devices came onto the network.

Not only is the average high and ramping significantly - it suggests a very high switching cost. To leave Apple, you are losing $100 of paid content and - in many cases - are unable to even replace that content on other networks / OS's because of limited inventory.

This is strengthened by Apple's new iCloud - which allows users to easily transfer content (apps, music, videos, etc) from device to device. This previously was a very painful activity... and, at times, it actually deterred me from buying some content. That is solved with iOS5 and I find myself buying more content because it is instantly accessible on all of my devices.

Apple, iPod Touch Shake Up Yahoo Games Homepage

A few months ago, Nintendo and YouTube literally shook up the digital ad world with their Experiece the Wii ad/video. It's awesome. 4,500,000 video views aren't too shabby either. Today, Apple did something similar by running their iPod Touch ad on Yahoo Games front-door. It's the same ad that has been running on television for quite some time... but it behaves much like the Wii video: changing the rest of Yahoo's page as the iPod shifts, tilts, and so forth.

I love these ads - far more entertaining and interactive than traditional banner units. Again - the Wii video was viewed 4.5 million times and was discussed, shared and analyzed on countless blogs / sources.

The real questions are: - how difficult is it to produce these sorts of units and integrate them into the publisher's site? - consequently, how scalable does this become? - and what sorts of CPM lifts do they provide. If Yahoo typically fetches $5 CPMs for that size unit, is this $10? $20? $50?

More at MacRumors - including the video

Apple Delivers 3 E-Commerce Emails in 2 Hours... Seriously?!

In the span of two hours, I received three emails from Apple to the same email address: A little overboard? Verging on spam? Three unanswered emails from anyone within two hours is overkill... let alone from a merchant.

Honestly I find this more than annoying: I think it's particularly audacious during a time of economic pain - asking me to "give employees and clients" the gift of an iPod? Then following up with a $229 Apple HD TV ad? And finally a promotion for new movies that I should watch on the newly purchased iPods and Apple TV.

- Give the gift employees and clients want to get. - Announcing HD TV shows on Apple TV. - New Video Spotlight: Indiana Jones, South Park, War, Inc., Dane Cook, and more

The only thing that would aggravate me more would is an email commemorating a Tampa Bay Rays World Series appearance - like when they sent me a "Celebrate the New York Giants Super Bowl Victory" email....