LAS VEGAS - A Forrester executive at the CTIA 2013: Mobile Marketplace conference said that the future of mobile development is about more than just adapting to smaller screens, different programming languages and new operating systems.

During the ?Future of Mobile Development? session, analysts from Forrester explored the changes application developers need to understand if they want to build modern applications that deliver contextual customer experiences. The executives also discussed how organizations can prepare for and benefit from the evolution of modern applications over the next five years.

?Mobile phones have accelerated the reach of information and services more than any innovation,? said Julie Ask, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester.

?Mobile platforms will be the catalyst for the next generation of connect experiences,? she said. ?We?re really at the very beginning stages of these connected experiences ? in some cases your phone will be the hub.?

Contextual experiences
According to Ms. Ask, analytics wrapped around contextual data will power next-generation applications.

It is important that marketers measure their success and see how they are doing in mobile, as well as what works and what does not.

Furthermore, contextual use of time will prioritize homepage content.

?Adoption of mobile phones has exploded globally and will continue to do so,? Ms. Ask said.

Changing the ecosystem
Mobile will transform business models in many ways, per Forrester.

The medium will offer deeper consumer engagement, evolve into real-time interaction that, alter pricing models and up-end existing cost structures.

Additionally, intelligence added to location will dictate consumer experiences on mobile.

Per Forrester, mobile phones offer unprecedented connectivity and computing power to billions of users.

According to Ms. Ask, Mobile phones will have a profound impact on democratizing access to a wealth of services.

Steps to take
Business leaders and developers must shift their focus together to drive mobile engagement and awareness.

Marketers need to approach mobile services by thinking mobile-first and focusing on convenience.

Companies must think mobile-first with context and deliver relevancy and simplify tasks.

Simplicity is also key. When it comes to mobile, keeping everything simple is essential.

In addition, it is important that marketers use feedback to rapidly evolve their mobile services.

?The mobile shift is definitely here,? said Jeffrey Hammond, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester. ?It?s happening."