14 DAY TRIAL // The mobile cloud computing market in the enterprise area is expected to boast revenues of around $5.2 billion by 2015, a recent report from ABI Research shows. According to the firm, businesses have already started to use handsets and smartphones more than before, and this will drive revenues for IT and mobile suppliers on an ascending road. At the same time, ABI Research notes that the number of business customers accessing cloud services via mobile devices is expected to reach 240 million by 2015.
Dan Shey, ABI Research practice director, says, “The immediate opportunity lies in leveraging cloud platforms to develop mobile applications, particularly mobile applications that leverage enterprise data. Directly and indirectly, Microsoft and Google are major players both influencing and enabling these developments. Mobile operators have the most to gain through offers of cloud services to the enterprise leveraging their networks, application enablement, and data centers.” Moreover, it seems that the use of cloud services will also receive a boost from the expansion of cellular connected devices beyond smartphones and laptops (MIDs, netbooks and smartbooks are included in the list).
According to Shey, “the longer term opportunity is in mobile devices accessing IT services from the cloud and paying for access on a per-use basis.” He also notes that the cloud services are starting to offer IT services access to the SMB market, and that the number of cellular connected devices that are meant for business users is also on the rise. Together, these tendencies will result in an impressive growth when it comes to enterprise mobile cloud computing services, Shay concludes.
The new “Enterprise Mobile Cloud Computing” report from ABI Research also provides “an in-depth review of cloud services used by businesses, and their application to the mobile supply chain.” The study focuses on delivering a definition of cloud services and mobile cloud computing, and dissects the drivers and inhibitors for this market area when it comes to enterprise IT and mobile supply chains. Additional details on the report can be found on the research firm's website.