Cloud computing to transform mobile app landscape: Study

By Jordan Crook

July 8, 2009

Mobile apps are not for everyone

A recent study from ABI Research shows that Cloud computing will change the face of the mobile application world by 2014.

Cloud computing is the new approach to mobile application that uses the mobile Web to support application performance instead of handset processing power and storage taking the brunt of the work. Because of this, mobile applications will travel down the line of device types from smartphones to entry-level phones, expectedly becoming even more popular generating a projected $20 billion in revenue by 2014.

"The key finding is that there is a model in place right now for mobile applications: to lean on native and downloadable apps that depend on the processing power and storage of a mobile device," said Mark Beccue, senior analyst-consumer mobility at ABI Research, Tampa, FL.

"That will change," he said. "We'll move into a model where most of process power and storage effort will move onto the cloud. These sophisticated apps where smartphones live will move down so that a lot of people have access to sophisticated applications."

The study cites that the beginning of the mobile applications craze started with introduction of the Apple iPhone and the Apple App Store.

Since this introduction, developers are venturing into application development and thriving while application stores are popping up from most major carriers.

However, the hindering force in the explosion of consumer awareness in the mobile application world is that most applications require a smartphone quality mobile device with robust computing power.

This drastically affects each applications market potential as apps are normally confined to a single store, for a single phone.

"The challenge has been frustrating for app developers because, at this point, we have six to eight mobile operating systems in the US, so a developer has to make a business case for developing an application that will work on only one of these," Mr. Beccue said.

"Either that, or make eight different versions of the application, varying software each time," he said. "That's really hung people up because they cant make the case. Web-based applications lift you out of that.

"It doesn't matter what operating system you have, you can use it regardless because it's based on the Web. The challenge now is to open up that system."

ABI also cited other challenges with cloud computing, chief of which is shoddy network availability.

Since cloud-based applications are Web-dependent, they fail to work once the network connection is lost. ABI found solutions to these challenges though.

HTML 5, a new programming language, can perform data caching on the handset so that the application will continue working until signal is restored.

By basing applications on the Web, many more developers can partake in the application field.

With more application developers actively creating apps, and the trickle of app availability making its way down the line of device types, many more people will have many more applications.

"Think of it this way, since there are going to be a lot more apps for a lot more people, it probably opens up more channels to mobile marketers," Mr. Beccue said. "It's a much deeper and broader audience.

"Because there are more apps, there will be more people drifting towards mobile Internet on their phone," he said. "At the very least, mobile marketers will have more tools. Cloud computing will broaden the access for sophisticated marketing and thinking.