2012-2015 mobile application development: an overview
Mobile technologies have currently penetrated into almost all spheres of our life including communication, business, shopping, entertainment, etc. According to The International Telecommunication Union estimates published on February, 2013 there are 6.8 billions of mobile subscribers in the world that equals 96% of the world population. Mobile industry is one of the fastest-growing nowadays and this tendency is expected to increase in the future. In this article we present a short overview of mobile industry in 2012-2015 including major experts’ predictions.
Smartphones replace ordinary mobile devices
Smartphone sales grew rapidly in 2012, with shipments reaching 712.6 million devices. This represents a 44.1% increase compared to 2011, according to International Data Corporation (IDC). As of October 2012, Strategy Analytics reported that over 1 billion people use mobile devices worldwide, a milestone reached in just 16 years.
The most popular operating systems are Android and Apple iOS. Ericsson predicts that the number of smartphone users will hit 3.3 billion by 2018. Smartphones have surpassed ordinary mobile devices due to their multiple functions, which attract consumers.
Today, a smartphone is not just a phone. It also serves as a digital camera, music player, book collection, and gaming station.
Smartphones are widely used for mobile shopping
Both retailers and consumers are leveraging new technology to improve selling and shopping experiences. Vendors now offer access to their retail sites and online shops via mobile devices. This allows consumers to quickly research and compare different offers while on the go.
Consumers are increasingly using their smartphones for mobile payments and online shopping. Experts expect this trend to continue, with m-Commerce in the US projected to reach $31 billion by 2015, growing annually by 55%.
Mobile content consumption increase
The popularity of touch interfaces on smartphones and tablets has transformed how people use mobile devices. No longer limited to communication, these devices are now widely used for content consumption.
For instance, the U.S. Digital Video Benchmark 2012 Review reported a dramatic 300% increase in mobile video views in 2012. Mobile video now accounts for 10.4% of total video consumption, up from just 3% in 2011. The number of apps available in the iOS App Store and Google Play store is nearing 2,000,000.
According to Outbrain, a leading content recommendation service, most mobile content consumed in the USA between January and April 2013 was accessed via iPhone and Android devices. Given the content-optimized design and touch interface, the consumption of music, video, and mobile games is expected to grow rapidly in 2014.
HTML5 VS native mobile web application development
HTML5 currently lacks the infrastructure to fully replace native mobile applications. However, discussions about its potential have recently increased. HTML5 can seamlessly operate across popular mobile platforms such as Android, iOS, and Windows Phone. It also works well with major web browsers, including Safari, Mozilla, IE, Opera, and Chrome.
Developing mobile applications with HTML5 is more cost-effective. It eliminates the need to create separate apps for different platforms like Apple and Android. This approach is also convenient for web developers, as they are already familiar with HTML, JavaScript, and CSS.
Despite some inconsistencies in HTML5 feature support across mobile browsers, experts predict wider adoption as the tablet market grows. We are beginning to see this trend: Mozilla plans to build a mobile OS called Firefox OS based entirely on HTML5. Similarly, Ubuntu Touch, the mobile OS by Ubuntu, supports running HTML5 apps outside the browser as an alternative to native apps.
Summing up
The mobile industry is experiencing rapid growth and expansion. More consumers and businesses are becoming involved every day. Smartphones and tablets are widely used worldwide. Alongside this, mobile content production and consumption are on the rise.
People use mobile devices for various purposes. These include online shopping, personal entertainment, and handling different business and everyday needs.
Experts predict that this trend will continue. The strong growth seen in 2012 is expected to persist and even increase by 2015. This will bring even more innovative uses of mobile devices into our lives.
