We are proud to introduce the Mediafly Interactives Platform. Interactives are a feature of our iOS, Android, and Windows 8 device apps (and soon, our web Viewer platform) that enables easy, secure development and deployment of content-focused custom themes and interactive presentations within our customers’ apps.
The concept of native + web hybrid mobile apps is not a new one. It dates back to the start of the modern smartphone era. As native apps flourished, building for more than one platform resulted in a linear scaling of cost and complexity. Lots of frameworks have been built to attempt to solve this complex problem: Cordova/Phonegap, Appcelerator, Sencha, Xamarin Studio, Embarcadero FireMonkey, and many more. Many of them have deep tie-ins to the API of various devices, and power hundreds (and in some cases, thousands) of apps. They are wonderful ways to build simple, cross-platform apps with very basic ties to data.
When creating apps that are focused on content delivery – apps that are used for critical sales meetings, executive review on a plane, training for thousands of users, and more – these native + web platforms fall short on several fronts:
- They are not content focused. Creating an app that renders presentations, PowerPoint, whitepapers, video and interactive content requires a backend that can optimize those files to be perfect on every device.
- Updating content requires complex engineering. Want to change that PDF, document or video? Most apps have this content baked in, and require an expensive app update + resubmission cycle. And if you are trying to build this capability in? The app has to handle version control, online/offline synchronization, poor/flaky network connections, and storage limitations. And if you don’t provide 100% accuracy or availability of updates, your users will simply cease using your app.
- Where’s the security? App development teams that wish to reach enterprise-grade security have to build all the security features themselves: deep online/offline content encryption, secure key storage and exchange, authorization methods, and more.
- Reporting requires work. To know how users interact with the application and specific content, you either have to build a custom tracking and backend reporting mechanism, or rely on a simplistic page view-focused model like Google Analytics or Flurry that does a poor job of providing content-focused app analytics.
For content-focused hybrid apps, the Mediafly Interactives framework solves these issues.
Features
The Mediafly Interactives framework was built from the ground-up to solve these thorny issues and support an increasingly complex app ecosystem.
Modern Web Technology
“Interactives” are built on standard web technology — HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images — with a thin JavaScript shell that enables a two-way conversation between the app and your Interactive. This allows companies to create Interactives with internal development teams or external consultants, without requiring knowledge of Object-C, Android’s flavor of Java, or C++.
Cross Platform
Customers build Interactives once, and they can quickly and easily deploy them to all mobile platforms (iOS, Android, and Windows 8) using Mediafly’s content management system, Airship.
Interactives on iOS
Interactives on Windows
Interactives on Android
Secure Technology Stack
Mediafly’s cloud platform and native applications are built with industry-leading security standards and encryption. Mediafly is regularly being tested by global banks, TV/feature film studios, and industry-leading third party auditors. Interactives are built on top of this secure core. This ensures that developers who are creating Interactives automatically benefit from the full set of security capabilities without having to become security experts themselves.
Deployed Simply
Interactives are deployed just like any other document or video you wish to send to the app. Interactives are a standard item within the Airship content management system. Simply package up the Interactive and upload it into the Mediafly Airship content management system.
Updates are just as easy. Simply create and package up your update, and replace the existing Interactive in Airship with the new Interactive. Your users will immediately receive the new version.
Ready for Content, Ready for You
Mediafly is optimized to make content compelling and useful. Each app on iOS, Android, and Windows 8:
- Fully supports offline use so users don’t have to worry if content will be there for them
- Intelligently handles content synchronization so users don’t have to worry if they are using the latest and greatest
- Ties deeply to the Mediafly Airship content management system to make it easy for users to manage content across teams
- Optimizes all popular content types: video, audio, PDF, Microsoft Office documents (PowerPoint, Word, Excel), images, and more
Deep Reporting
Builders of enterprise content mobility apps need to have effective tracking and reporting. Who accessed what and when? How far into the piece of content did they go? From where in the world did they access the content? Mediafly answers all of those questions, out of the box, with our detailed reporting features.
What can I do with Mediafly Interactives framework?
Interactives give companies a canvas they have never had before to create compelling mobile experiences easily and cost-effectively. Here are a few of the common themes we are seeing:
- Themes and Navigation: New, innovative ways to explore and find company content and match to tight brand guidelines. Cards, grids, floating 3D cubes, and whatever else you are looking for
- Rich presentations: Presentations that go way above boring PowerPoint or PDFs by providing rich interactivity, non-linear navigation, and so much more. Great for interactive Selling Stories, field service questionnaires, and more
- Interactive charts: Customize values and axes, filter data, break charts out with pinch/zoom, and tie data between charts easily
- Online/offline forms: Collect information in the field in the heat of the moment – whether online or offline – and post that information back to HQ once they have connectivity
- Create connections between data: Enter data in one view, and present it in several others without dealing with the messy issues of synchronization, data integrity, or offline/online status.
How can I learn more?
Read the Developer Documentation.
Study the examples and try them in your trial account.
The Mediafly Interactives framework is new, and we are investing heavily in the technology. If you have feedback, ideas or questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Jason Shah is currently the Chief Technology Officer at Mediafly. He oversees the product management and engineering teams to define, prioritize, and build great SaaS solutions that help companies engage with their customers, employees and partners. In addition, Jason guides product marketing, product engineering, and Mediafly’s vision. You can see his other blog posts here.
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