Conference Presentation, Panel, Fireside Chat
Building the Apps Economy
- The app economy is projected to undergo structural changes regarding sustainability and longevity while continuing to accelerate user time spent on mobile platforms following the December 2011 milestone.
- Economic growth driven by data consumption and app usage is anticipated to exceed official statistics, potentially contributing an additional 0.5% to growth rates and influencing political outcomes.
- Market capitalization shifts are expected as new entrants like Gung Ho, Nexen, and DNA join the sector, with consolidation among monetization service providers predicted to occur in 2013 and 2014.
- Major computing platforms are expected to evolve from products to services where apps serve as the primary interface for commerce-related decisions, creating a workforce dynamic where jobs are concentrated in large enterprises rather than small companies.
- Significant industry transformations are forecasted for smart TVs, automobiles, healthcare, and education, with entertainment apps increasingly counted toward GDP as productivity and service.
- Application developers who control user bases and data are expected to consolidate power, exemplified by projections such as Fashion Star Boutique generating one billion unique fashion creations in the coming year.
- Technological integration trends include the potential embedding of terahertz scanners into mobile devices within a couple of years for dermatological analysis and the future development of implantable chips for monitoring blood sugar and heart response.
- Augmented reality is expected to become an inevitability driven by transparent display technologies, while functional apps like smart thermometers and educational tools aim to reach full potential despite current infrastructure and regulatory hurdles.
- Future app ecosystems will likely incorporate contextual layers, such as time and weather data, to enhance user relevance, with the power balance shifting toward those who possess data and user access.
- Privacy regulations are expected to create a complex balancing act between growth and data protection that varies by country and culture, though long-term innovation is anticipated to improve living standards despite short-term concerns.
- The FDA is expected to face challenges in establishing approval rubrics for medical apps due to a cultural focus on clinical outcomes rather than productivity or data metrics.