Mobile e-mail, sales-force automation tools, mapping applications, and Internet access—these are all mobile data applications and services that make business customers more efficient and improve their work quality. According to a report from ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com), Mobile Business Applications and Services, mobile data applications and services used by business customers will generate over $100 billion in worldwide revenue by 2012.
ABI principal analyst Dan Shey comments, "The industry is at the cusp of some phenomenal growth for data applications and services delivered to the handset. Although voice will still generate the bulk of revenues from business customers, mobile data services revenues will become 26 percent of APPUs by 2012, a 29-percent compound annual growth rate."
Business applications and services for the handset include communications, information access, computing, integrated information access/computing, and business process solutions. The communications category includes real-time communications and messaging. Combined revenues from all mobile business categories (including voice services) will grow from $242 billion in 2007 to $389 billion by 2012.
Information access/computing and business process solutions are relatively new categories of mobile applications and services for the business customer. These categories will experience the highest growth rates of all because they address needs specific to a business, an industry sector, or a functional area. According to Shey, "Business functions and processes require different amounts of communications, computing, and information access. Value chain players that participate in creating products with the right mix of these mobile capabilities will be riding a wave of growth for mobile solutions having CAGRs of between 80 and 90 percent."
Mobile Business Applications and Services provides a view of the global market for business customer mobile applications and services. It describes and outlines the enablers for all mobile applications and services including voice, video, and data applications. Complementing the discussion is a review of value chain players, market activity, and relevant statistics.