Prepare for the year of the handset, as manufacturers become iPhone wannabes

Applications boom too

In ten year's time, we'll all spend much more on our mobile than our desktop

If this year was all about apps, the next 12 months will be year of the handset. The success of the iPhone will inspire manufacturers to focus on features, design and the elusive cool factor. Expect a revolution, with more competitive and level playing field, writes Ilja Laurs, founder of GetJar

Meanwhile, social, dating and casual gaming apps will surge in popularity: These are the applications that will generate the biggest consumer demand next year. As long as they can run across different platforms and devices. The single platform approach can undoubtedly generate revenues but, as more and more consumers jump on the app bandwagon, the apps that span a variety of platforms will prevail.
The battle of the app stores will culminate in a dramatic change to the market over the next 12-18 months – and least 90 per cent of app stores will fail.
Global mobile billing will become critical. Several $10M-a-year mobile app businesses will appear in 2010 as the apps market gathers momentum, but only if they offer cross-platform apps. Billing processes and agreements will improve more in 2011 and 2012, stimulating the app economy and creating a $100 million businesses.
But ultimately growth and survival of the apps business hinges on synchronised, global mobile billing. This is essential to ensure consumers can buy their content quickly and easily.
Will mobile apps be bigger than the internet? Yes, but not until 2020.
In 10 years the time consumers spend on mobile apps will be way bigger than the desktop. It is just getting started now and will evolve. Already, over half of GetJar users spend more time on the mobile web than via their desktop PC and this is a growing trend.