In a previous article I mentioned the Companion App. Basically a Companion App is one that extends the reach of an existing brand, even a brand that could be a TV/Film or a non-mobile system.

I have stated my opinion before that if you are a brand, then you have got to have a app store presence with a mobile app. This is mostly due to consumer expectations or even internal pressure to keep ahead of your immediate competition. That presence in turn reflects on your company and the perceived way you do business with the mobile majority whether they be internal worker (Information Worker), external consumers or partners.

Beyond that I predict an increase of companion apps this year, apps that are more interactive than some that have gone before. For example how about an app that is in total Synchronisation with a TV show that can either feed the program with live feedback from the app user or allow the app user to see more detailed and context aware information inline with the shows running order. Another prediction is within the category of Retail Apps, that know the store you are entering through LBS (Location Based Services) and can guide you with pinpoint precision to the aisle and shelf that you require.

Of the Companion Apps already in existence, such as Airlines Apps,  that allow you to show your current and future bookings and present your boarding cards on device, I predict that we will see more integration with existing internal services, enhancing our quality of interaction, brand satisfaction and ultimately brand 'stickiness'.

You may like to check out an interesting article by Jennifer Van Grove of Venturebeat.com on "How Starbucks is turning itself into a tech company"

NOTE

I wrote the above the week before 11 June and after listening to the WWDC 2012 Keynote and taking an initial look at Passbook for iOS6, I'm thinking that my thoughts on the way Mobile Companion Apps are evolving, is spot on. Passbook will place all things such as Airline Boarding Passes etc etc in one secure place.

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