The number of mobile cloud computing subscribers worldwide will grow rapidly over the next five years, rising from 42.8 million subscribers in 2008, (approximately 1.1 per cent of all mobile subscribers) to just over 998 million in 2014 (nearly 19 per cent).
Mobile cloud applications move the computing power and data storage away from mobile phones and into the cloud, bringing apps and mobile computing to not just smartphone users but a much broader range of mobile subscribers.ABI Research recently released a major study of mobile Cloud computing, which the company believes is the first published report to examine this disruptive technology model in depth.
According to senior analyst Mark Beccue: “From 2008 through 2010, subscriber numbers will be driven by location-enabled services, particularly navigation and map applications.
“A total of 60 per cent of the mobile Cloud application subscribers worldwide will use an application enabled by location during these years.”
Beccue concludes by reiterating his finding that “By 2014, mobile cloud computing will become the leading mobile application development and deployment strategy, displacing today’s native and downloadable mobile applications.”