Mobile Data Implementations to Slow in 2008

Growth in revenue for mobile business applications will be close to 50% between 2006 and 2007, and then slow to 44% from 2007 to 2008, reports In-Stat. These strong growth projections are good news for the wireless industry, but may be lower than some may be planning on based upon the literal reading of end-user survey data, the high-tech market research firm says. That's because there is a widening gap between what decision-makers expect that they will do and what they actually implement.

"As business users approach saturation for horizontal mobile data applications, most of the growth potential remains for vertical market applications," says Bill Hughes, In-Stat analyst. "These require more planning and time to implement. The result is that many within the wireless industry may have overoptimistic forecasts."

Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

• The penetration of at least one mobile data application among firms increased from 75% to 94% in 2007.
• Smartphone use among US business users increased 34% between 2006 and 2007.
• Four horizontal applications, wireless email, wireless Internet access, wireless instant messaging, and personal information management (PIM), have the highest penetration because they are easier to implement than the vertical market applications.

Posted to the site on 15th January 2008