E154: Bringing OpenTelemetry to Mobile Observability

Industry Challenges

The mobile observability industry faces unique challenges, particularly in user adoption and tooling availability. Eric Futoran shares that early on, convincing potential customers of the value of mobile observability was difficult, as many product managers preferred established tools like Amplitude or Mixpanel 1. He notes that engineers often remain unaware of issues like app crashes until they become widespread, highlighting a disconnect between available tools and engineering needs 2. Eric emphasizes the importance of evolving pitches to engage both developers and business stakeholders, aiming to transform perceptions of mobile observability 3.

The heart, when you have higher data volumes, when you have everybody switching to a mobile first world, whether it's kiosks, workforce, consumers, most of our customers, like 80% of their revenue is now mobile.

--- Eric Futoran

This shift underscores the growing necessity for robust mobile observability solutions.

   

Product Highlights

Embrace's mobile observability platform stands out for its user-centric engineering approach, which bridges the gap between mobile teams and DevOps. Eric Futoran explains that the platform was designed to translate technical data into actionable insights for engineers, allowing them to identify whether issues are user-specific or widespread 4. This approach helps teams communicate effectively and prioritize problems. The platform's development involved extensive testing and adaptation to meet the specific needs of mobile engineers, emphasizing transparency and comprehensive data access 5.

We built a mobile first platform that had the instrumentation for these things, but said it in engineer speak.

--- Eric Futoran

This focus on user timelines and data integration is part of Embrace's secret sauce.

   

Market Evolution

The market for mobile observability has evolved significantly, prompting Embrace to adapt its strategy. Eric Futoran discusses how shifts in consumer behavior, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, influenced their approach, leading to a focus on consolidating buying centers and aligning with OpenTelemetry 6. He highlights the distinction between product-market fit and go-to-market fit, noting that while Embrace had a desirable product, they needed to adjust their marketing strategies to maintain growth 7.

You can have product market fit and go to market fit. So you have an amazing product that everybody wants. But if you don't have go to market fit they may not spend money on it.

--- Eric Futoran

This insight underscores the importance of strategic flexibility in navigating market dynamics.