Eight predictions for the year ahead. Hopefully, after reading through our list, you'll have some ideas of what to watch for in 2014 so that you too can stay ahead of the curve...

2. 2013 has come to an end. As we usher in the new year, we wanted
to share eight predictions for the year ahead. Hopefully, after
reading through our list, you’ll have some ideas of what to watch
for in 2014 so that you too can stay ahead of the curve…

3. The rise of “agency of record” type relationships
between mobile solutions providers & enterprise clients1

4. In the same way that brands began partnering with
advertising agencies for all of their advertising needs,
so too will enterprise firms begin partnering with
mobile solutions providers to handle all of their
mobility strategy, development, implementation and
execution. No app developers have the depth of
expertise to fill this role nor do advertising agencies
have the technical chops to develop and execute on
the mobile stage. And, as the mobile space becomes
even more complex and convoluted, enterprise firms
will look to vertically integrated, holistic solutions
providers to act as their “mobile agencies of record”
more and more as the year progresses.

5. The proliferation of Mobile Device Management
(MDM) service companies2

6. With nearly 70 percent of all enterprise
employees embracing BYOD policies within
their companies, services like MDM should
continue to see more use in concert with
that trend. Furthermore, as the cost per
managed device shrinks and the concern
over security grows, MDM providers will
continue to pick up business throughout
2014 (and with good reason).
Which brings me to my next point…

7. Wearable technology
moves beyond first
adopters, but maybe not
from the brands you think
3

8. While Google glass has been a media darling in
2013, the likelihood that it makes serious inroads
to the mass consumer audience in 2014 is still
pretty slim.
Samsung released their wearable piece of
hardware with the Galaxy Gear to beat Apple to
the punch on wearable watches. The rumor mill
has continued to churn in regards to Apple
releasing a watch of their own, and that very well
may occur in 2014. However, we think Apple,
Samsung and Google won’t be the only
companies turning out wearable tech products
with mass appeal in 2014.
We predict that wearable technology will continue
to grow in the consciousness of consumers, but it
may not be Google, Apple or Samsung that bring
you the next big thing.

9. An increased impetus on design as more companies
understand it’s role in adoption (we’re looking at you, Android)4

10. Apple clearly understands the importance of
design and user experience by making iOS7
one of their largest releases for 2013.
Companies are finally getting hip to the fact
that more usable and “cooler” app designs
and operating systems equate to greater
consumer adoption. While Android has
done a great job of opening its OS to
multiple developers and hardware
manufacturers, they still trail behind Apple
and Windows in user experience. Look for
app developers and OS manufacturers alike
to place a renewed emphasis on design and
usability moving forward in 2014

11. Learning algorithms will be at the heart
of some of the bigger apps in 20145

12. Apps that can learn from their users and
customize their respective user experiences
accordingly will get serious play in 2014 (like
Pandora and Zite in years past). But, this will
not be confined to content curation — many
apps will begin to use algorithms like this to
make user experiences the best they can
possibly be. Apps that can learn and adapt
to their users will be far more valuable than
those that cannot. Watch for more apps that
include these features moving forward.

13. Windows phone will continue to cement
itself as a solid third OS option behind
Apple and Google
6

14. While the Windows operating system is still under
five percent of market share compared to
Android and iOS, we predict it will continue to
pick up share in 2014. With its seamless user
interface and engaging user experience, it only
makes sense that people searching for
something beyond the either/or choice between
the Galaxy and iPhone product lines would
gravitate toward the Nokia Lumia and Windows
Phone. Furthermore, with Microsoft’s rich
enterprise history, many of the enterprise
functionalities desired in the corporate world
come baked into Windows Phone, therefore
enjoying more robust functionality and support.

15. Internet content consumption will further shift
toward streaming video as broadband speeds
and wireless throughput continue to improve7

16. Cisco predicts that nearly 70 percent of all
consumer Internet traffic will be video by
2017, which is up from the 53 percent figure
calculated last November. This medium is
simply too large of profit vertical to ignore.
Whether it’s figuring out how to better
present your company through video, hosting
relevant webinars or online how-to videos
that relate to your product or service offering,
or simply improving your online video
advertising, developing a strategy within this
vertical will be crucial to continued digital
growth and profit generation.

17. Cloud services will continue to grow at a healthy clip, and
the price point per GB of memory will continue to drop8

18. In 2011, seven percent of personal data was
stored within a cloud service of some kind. By
2016, Gartner predicts that number will rise to
36 percent. With an influx of connected devices
and a desire to maintain access to personal
files across all of them, consumers are more
open and enthusiastic about storing files in
the cloud. This trend might grow even faster as
more companies have entered the storage war
(Dropbox is now joined by Box, Google,
Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, you name it). These
companies are fighting over huge IT contracts
and that will eventually filter down into a lower
cost per GB for all consumers. Watch for the
migration to the cloud to speed up in 2014.

19. Apps That Make Business Sense
About Us
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of the only enterprise-specific mobile firms in the country, no other mobile app provider can compete with
our ability to help our clients build, deploy, and ultimately turn their mobile strategies into real business
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