According to a report from Smith’s Point Analytics released late last year, mobile cloud services platforms are projected to grow over the next four years from $579 million to a staggering $4.4 billion in 2017.
The mobile cloud is no joke!
Of course, when you’re making projections, you can come up with any numbers you like. But this is almost a tenfold increase, and we think that since the folks over at Smith’s Point went to the trouble to compile a full report on the matter, we would offer our readers a glimpse into just how bright the future might be for the mobile cloud, and why it matters to small businesses.
First, what is the “mobile cloud?”
It’s not that different from the plain ol’ cloud, honestly.
Apps and all their wonderful functions are supported by a massive back-end network that houses their databases, facilitates their messaging functions, keeps up with user locations, and ties in to other platforms, like social networks. In short, there’s a lot of computer grunt work to be done to support the functioning of mobile apps, and the mobile cloud gets it all done in massive server rooms all over the world (that would surely give your grandfather a stroke if he saw the related utility bills).
Thus, as the market for apps grows, the market for mobile cloud services grows along with it. And, as anyone with an Internet connection knows, the mobile world, including devices, apps, mobile websites, and more, is growing at an astounding pace. If trends continue, Smith’s Analytics may well be proven right several years from now.
Why should small business owners care?
As always, we tie our observations back into how critical a time this is to “go mobile” (i.e. publish an app and make sure that your website is mobile-optimized). No matter what facet of the mobile world we view, we see increase and growth. No matter whose figures we use, we see users clamoring for more mobile solutions, and spending an increasing amount of time with device in hand. And no matter which report we read, we see a business world moving quickly (but often not quickly enough) to satisfy this demand from every angle.
So, why should small business owners care?
The world shifts a little bit more into the mobilesphere every day. If you want fresh opportunities and to connect with customers in an incredibly robust and cost-effective way, mobile is your best friend. There’s really no other way to look at it, standing where we are today.
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