Tablets and hybrid apps soar, PC sales dip: The IT trends you need to be across

The surge in mobile-based working provides great opportunities for start-ups, but looks likely to catch many businesses off guard.

New research from Gartner has identified three key mobile trends that start-ups should be aware of.

The tech research company released a wide-ranging report that made three key predictions:

• By 2013, the first $50 smartphone will appear in emerging countries

• By 2014, Apple will be as accepted by enterprise IT as Microsoft

• By 2016, over 50% of mobile apps deployed will be hybrid

In a statement, Gartner said that Apple technology will become increasingly common in small business’ IT armoury.

“Apple’s acceptance by enterprises has been driven by consumerisation. It is rare for Apple support (even for iOS) to be originated by IT,” it said.

“This will continue as OS X better leverages similarities with iOS and as consumer interest in Macs continues to grow.”

“Microsoft’s mobile offerings (Windows Phone and Windows 8) are new, but are gaining and will continue to achieve some acceptance from enterprises, largely due to the relationship that Microsoft has built with them and the management capabilities they provide.”

“However, Microsoft’s offerings have not been the beneficiaries of consumerisation.”

“Consumerisation is driven first by consumer demand, and then by the demand of those consumers to bring that technology into the workplace. Apple continues to benefit from this phenomenon, while Microsoft does not.”

Firms deploying mobile technology to staff are also set to benefit, Gartner said.

“The increasingly mobile workforce and the improving computing and communications capability of mobile devices (such as smartphones and tablets) have driven enterprises to develop applications that run on these devices.”

“These applications offer the benefits of improved productivity and more accurate business information, giving mobilized enterprises advantages in the market.”

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