Application Developers (2)

Additional examples of business functionality provided by application developers include access to the corporate e-mail systems for employees on the go, access to inventory status or price lists for mobile sales representatives, and real-time visibility into the availability of parts and customer transaction histories for service technicians in the field. There are simply too many companies in both the vertical and horizontal applications categories to list here, but suffice it to say that we have only just begun exploring all the software wireless devices will run in the near future. By the way, companies that provide enabling software, such as transaction engines that allow wireless users to securely pay for merchandise with a credit card, are described further when we examine technology enablers.

Application developers provide content that is much more complex than an up-to-the-minute weather report or the latest financial news headlines. Developers are aiming to create personalized applications that capture customer appreciation and loyalty. They must innovate early and differentiate their offerings in lock step with the rapidly evolving wireless device landscape. Applications that are included with a device at the point of sale usually have a better shot at reaching critical mass. Nevertheless, nonaffiliated application developers whose products must be purchased on the after market may develop strategic alliances—be it with device manufacturers or content aggregators—that can provide them with preferred-vendor status. Closely aligning with  a big player can improve the developer’s chances of gaining brand recognition and market share.

Taken From : Enterprise Guide to Gaining Business Value from Mobile Technologies