Apps becoming increasingly important in the future? Why, don't we have the web?
That is true, but the mobile phones of the future will become indispensable in daily life. Ten years ago, people used mobile phones to text and make calls; nowadays, internet on the phone is a huge plus. In 2010, it is the apps that make the difference. They are small programs that you can download on your mobile.
In 2008, Apple launched an app store for the first time: the App Store. In the App Store, you can find more than 150.000 apps for your iPhone. Don't have an iPhone, but an Android device or Nokia? No problem, then you can go to the Android Market or the Ovi Store.
Microsoft also has its own store called Windows Marketplace, where users can go for the latest programs. Apple's competitors are fully engaged in the battle for market share; however, Apple is the undisputed market leader in the field of apps. Apple's apps are intended only for users with an iPhone. Google therefore hopes that more and more developers will choose Android. Microsoft is launching a new operating system next year due to disappointing results.
I have not yet answered the question of why apps will become increasingly important in the future.
With the advent of smartphones and iPads – such as the iPad – a shift has taken place from the open web to closed platforms in the form of apps. Nowadays, the internet is used more as a transport channel and less for browsing. Apps are also becoming increasingly popular because they often work faster and better. The user no longer needs to search for information; the information comes to them.
Most companies will also likely have an app soon. An app is particularly well-suited for distributing commercial content. An example of this is the media industry, which gives users the opportunity to try the 'light' version of an app. By doing so, they try to encourage people to purchase the paid version.
In the mobile phones of the future, applications will play an increasingly large role. It is expected that there will be as many as 10 million apps for mobile phones in 2020 and that these will be just as important in daily life as the internet is today.