Mobile Apps: Mobile Applications. A Convenient Technology Tool To Stay Or Just A Phase In Decline?

 Mobile apps. The popularity of mobile applications is staggering. But, I find myself thinking are these mobile applications a convenient technology tool that will be around for years to come or is this just a tech phase that is in its decline. At this point, it is really hard to tell. One would think, with more than 400,000 apps created last year alone, that apps are here to stay. But, I can’t say that anyone could have predicted the life of the compact disc in the music industry. Digital is in. People are flocking by the masses from the tangible tools that they’ve known all of their lives to their digital counterparts in the form of mobile applications.

In 2011 there were nearly 1 billion mobile app subscriptions (http://mobithinking.com/mobile-marketing-tools/latest-mobile-stats/a#subscribers) The sales of smart phones and tablets/readers are growing at a dizzying rate. An estimated 34.4% of mobile users in the United States accessed an application on their smart phone in the last quarter of 2011. By the end of 2011, Apple led the way in the mobile app market with more than 300,000 applications. The Android smart phones have 25,000 apps and growing. Recent studies have found that nearly 25% of all applications downloaded are opened and rarely used more than once. Those 25% are usually uninstalled or never used again.

The most popular mobile applications (in the United States) across all mobile devices and service providers are Facebook and GoogleMaps. Rounding off the top three, a possible surprise until you think about it, is The Weather Channel.

It does not look like the mobile application market is going to die out any time soon. As long as there are mobile devices there will be mobile applications.

In recent weeks I have seen a few mobile apps that have impressed me with their implementation and use with current tools. More specifically, cameras and the tools that photographers and film-makers use for their projects. Radian is a new device that allows anyone with a camera to create calculated time lapse videos segments. The creators of the Radian device have included an app that allows users to connect the Radian to their phone, set up the configuration of the shot, and be done. Simple. Creative. Brilliant.
In other news, I read an article on Inc.com that explained the troubles of the mobile game app creator Zynga. The article talks about it's beginnings and factors that have lead to its current state.  

Mobile applications have become a part of most of our lives. Whether you use them to check the weather or if they are a vital part of your every day life at home or work, applications can be tools used to help creative people stay creative. Check out the article on technology and innovation to learn more about creative technologies and where those technologies may lead us in the future.