It is estimated that over $18 billion apps will be downloaded in 2011, up 114.5 percent from 2010 and will rise to $31 billion in 2012, according to Gartner, Inc.
In a report it said that consumerization was now the primary driver of the mobile universe, and CIOs must be ready to embrace a range of more-flexible approaches to their mobile strategy.
“At least four new mobile management styles will emerge as leaders because different groups of staff will demand different approaches,” it added.
Gartner analysts discussed the future of corporate mobility and the impact that it will have on the CIO’s mobile strategy at Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2011, taking place through 10 November.
“The landscape of devices and user needs is changing,” said Carolina Milanesi, research vice president at Gartner. “CIOs are facing mass-mobility, and it is expected to grow rapidly.”
Gartner predicts sales of smart-phones to end users will reach 461.5 million in 2011 and rise to 645 million in 2012. In 2011, sales of smart-phones will overtake shipments of PCs (364 million). Combined sales of smart-phones and tablets will be 44 percent bigger than the PC market in 2011. More of these devices will find their way into enterprises as employees entering the organization will expect to be allowed to use them.
Consumerization, app stores and mobile ecosystems are causing a proliferation of new applications and services in the enterprise. Employees increasingly seek to take full advantage of better browsers and innovative applications from app stores.
“This array of mobile devices and applications leads to changes in society. Employees are behaving more like consumers, demanding a wider choice of devices, exploiting consumer devices and applications from app stores, and adopting new strategies such as ‘bring your own’ (BYO) IT, where employees use personally-owned tablets and smartphones for work. As a result, the distinctions between a person’s role as an employee and as a consumer are more blurred than ever,” the report said.
“CIOs need to explore new ways to provide, fund, and manage mobile devices to allow employees more choice and support BYO programs,” said Nick Jones, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner.
“CIOs must be ready for the BYO programs sooner than they realize,” said Jones. “BYO is a principle that most organizations will adopt and organizations must prepare for this change.”
At the same time, global businesses should be prepared to support at least three smart-phone platforms by 2012, and some will expect to support four or even five. The decision will vary depending on the geography and whether the applications are business to employee (B2E) or business to consumer (B2C).
Gartner estimates that Android will remain the No. 1 platform for several years, and Apple’s iOS will take the No. 2 position in 2012 until 2014. If the Nokia/Microsoft alliance executes well, Windows Phone should grow to take the No. 2 position by 2015 displacing iOS. RIM will move to No. 4 position in 2013.
“Regardless of your current approach, the reality is that consumerisation is here to stay and will have an enormous impact on the management of corporate mobility for many years to come,” said Milanesi.