Enterprise mobile app market set to rise

The more companies rely on an enterprise mobility program, the more they recognize the benefits of equipping employees with robust mobile applications that provide easy access to both the company network and data.

Through mobile apps, smartphone and tablet users can enjoy a working environment very similar to the one they have at their desk even if they're in a coffee shop on the road or sitting in an airport terminal. Whether they are developed by an in-house software team or purchased from a third-party marketplace, apps have certainly gained a higher standing within numerous companies in recent years.

And it appears as though mobile apps will hold their place within companies' software deployments for years to come, judging by the latest study from Insight Research. The firm recently predicted that enterprise mobile apps will account for $150 billion globally by 2017.

The main app types driving this growth will be used for voice over internet protocol calling, email, messaging, conferencing and collaboration and mobile sales force automation, according to the report.

"Mobility solutions are dominating enterprise IT development programs, as companies rush to support their expanding mobile workforce," said Fran Caulfield, Insight's research director.

These days, more employees than ever are leveraging smartphones and tablets on a daily basis, whether the devices are personally owned or supplied by the company. As this trend persists, it's only natural that increased use of mobile software will follow.

That being the case, experts agree that such organizations would be wise to deploy mobile application management solutions to track and benchmark their use. Such tools will allow IT administrators to ensure that the mobile apps the company has either purchased or developed are being leveraged appropriately and effectively.

Of course, companies will also have to keep up with the changing needs of their mobile workforce.

"While the proliferation of smartphones and tablets in the enterprise has improved employee productivity, mobility has also increased the complexity of managing solutions. More features, higher bandwidth, and lower latency are table stakes, and only the application developers and service providers that can surpass meet these demands will prosper," Caulfield added.

In practicing mobile applications management, many companies have chosen to deploy an in-house app storefront as a means to push software out to users' devices. According to an IT Business Edge report published last month, companies have too much to risk to not control the apps employees are downloading and using.