Trends for mobile devices in 2009: Aricent

Mobile Devices Outlook

Trends for mobile devices in 2009: Aricent

An interesting look at some key trends likely to impact mobile devices during 2009

Thursday, December 18, 2008

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Presenting a perspective from Aricent, a global innovation, technology and outsourcing company focused exclusively on communications.

Mobile Operating System Wars Continue: The Mobile Operating Systems Wars will continue in 2009. There will remain fragmentation with multiple proprietary operating systems such as RIM’s Blackberry, Apple OS, waning Microsoft OS, Palm OS and new open source operating systems such as Android and Symbian OS. However application developers will restrict their activities to the most successful platforms, and some of these operating systems will decline throughout 2009.

User Interface Hurdles: In 2008, the introduction of iPhone OS changed the user interface expectations of consumers. In 2009, they will demand simple, easy-to-use mobile devices, with innovations such as gesture control, touch screens, location-based services and simple personalization.

Mobile Medical: Mobile devices will increasingly be used to provide remote sensing and medical diagnostics, in both developed and developing countries. Mobile phones can be integrated with microscopes to diagnose malaria in remote regions, and closer to home, wireless networks can be used to alert medical services when real-time monitoring services identify a fallen elder or dropping heart rate.

Data Mining meets Mobile Devices: In 2009, there will be a rise in new enterprise applications leveraging mobile widgets for real time event notification. Twitter for social networking will morph into the enterprise, and will lead to novel new applications such as real-time tracking of company business performance.

Streaming Video: The 2008 US elections have shown clear demand for streaming TV and video services to PCs, and seen very significant increases in usage for services such as Hulu and Netflix downloads. In 2009 there will be increased use of streaming video to mobile handheld devices.

Mobile Phones will Incorporate Projectors: Mobile phones users will no longer be restricted to small screens, in 2009 we will see the first mobile phones with build-in projectors capable of projecting images on to walls and other surfaces.

Automotive Communications: Not only will we see continued advances in the integration of download communication services in vehicles (streaming digital music, real-time information such as traffic, weather conditions and flight-delays), vehicles will also become the local hub for wireless communications, acting as the Wi-Fi access point for mobile information devices and laptops.

©CIOL Bureau