The meteoric rise of the smartphone and tablet PC is changing the way the young communicate, educate and entertain themselves. A new generation are using thumbs, not forefingers, to interact with the world around them, and as mobile apps herald a new dawn for software creators the opportunities for engaging with children are seemingly endless.

In late 2007 a revolution began. Apple launched the iPhone and the apps market we know today was born. Whenever a new technology gate-crashes the media mix old rules have to be discarded and new challenges overcome in order to create successful and unique products, and when designing for Children real care and attention must be taken as they are a demanding and hard to please audience.

Today there are all manner of apps for children, spanning a range of categories from games, to reading, to education. Apps are always at users fingertips and can be downloaded at a moments notice. They also represent excellent value when compared to traditional children’s media including console games and printed publications.

As well as benefits to consumers, the low cost barriers to publishing applications have also sparked big opportunities for small and independent authors and developers who have been quick to market.

Whilst nobody can deny the success of apps on the smartphone, it is arguably the introduction of tablet computers and in particular the iPad that has been the most disruptive technology in the children’s app space.

When it launched over a year ago, many questioned the need for such device. After all it was more expensive than a netbook, lacked useful features such as a keyboard, and was heavier to carry around than a smartphone.

The skeptics that predicated failure were soon to be proved wrong, with over 25million iPads sold and predications that by the end of the year 50 million will be in circulation.

So why has the iPad been such a game changer for apps for children?

Firstly, people use tablets in a different context to smartphones. The device is seen as being less personal, with people more willing to share the device around, making it more family-orientated. Parents are far happier to allow their children to play with their device for longer periods of time. For those children lucky enough to have their own device this may be their first, and only computer.

Secondly the screen is considerably larger than its smartphone cousins, providing a more immersive experience for the younger users. Furthermore the display ratio is that of a typical book page making it a natural form factor for reading, spurring the publication of 100’s of interactive book apps. Interactive books differ from e-books in that they feature a richer multimedia experience, often with sound, hidden features and games. Frequently they’ll fall into the “edutainment” category having a learning aspect or theme running throughout the application. It is this immersive experience that is enabling books to take back some of the time children are spending in front of the TV as they find them equally entertaining.

Whilst the opportunities applications present are many, there are also a number of challenges facing both would be app publishers and the consumers downloading them.

The low barriers to app production and deployment have created a wide diversity in quality in the various market places. Parents need to screen the applications they download for their child thoroughly to ensure suitability, including use of proper language and age appropriateness.

Interactive book producers have similar problems. Unlike traditional book publishers there are no clearinghouse’s, catalogues and ISBN numbers don’t exist, and consumers have no librarians or sales staff to consult before purchase. With ways to find quality apps still narrow and in flux, bloggers and review sites are filling the gap and need to be courted by publishers in order to ensure downloads.

Competition for user downloads is fierce. Customers expect great applications and games at the lowest prices, and with over 500,000 apps in the Apple store, there are plenty of great quality apps across every category. Pricing apps correctly is also a challenge. Consumer perception of application value is skewed down due to the volume of free apps available and as a result publishers are struggling to sell new children’s book in the app store for the same price as they’re printed counterparts. On top of this expectations for interactive books continue to climb exponentially higher as consumers demand more animations and interactivity. Some predict this will create a long term problem for both traditional and digital publishers alike, as the more children play and become familiar with applications, the more they expect from new ones. This can mean a far shorter shelf life for applications as fast moving competition can make any offering rapidly old and obsolete. In comparison some printed books such as Spot the Dog have remained unchanged since the 1980’s and are still selling strong.

Combine all this together and it’s hard to imagine how a return on investment can be made.

Where does the future lie?

Huge competition in the marketplace has meant that those finding success today are doing so through a business model that focuses on quick hits and large volume sales. Releasing smaller apps early and at a low price offers quick insight into download numbers and user reaction, acting as a platform for further updates and revenue experimentation.

This type of business model tends to suit large corporations who own established brands, have multiple channels for marketing and the capital to invest in the development of advanced titles. Entertainment brands such as Disney and Nickelodeon have teamed up with smaller development partners in order to begin building a presence on the mobile screen, and publishers such as Penguin are building internal teams to bring apps to the children’s space.

Over the coming years it’s likely increased competition will put pressure on smaller developers and further convergence will occur as bigger players buy out smaller ones. This will limit the diversity of apps available but is likely to lead to higher standards of application quality.

As tablet and smartphone penetration continues to rise more and more parents will download applications and share the experience with their children. Games, stories and edutainment apps will become increasingly popular, and designers, developers and publishers will have to continue to experiment with content and business models to ensure that they see a return on investment while consistently raising the bar in face of increasing competition.

By sam.clark