According to US research advisory Gartner, mobile payments may be the next “big thing” for retailers. The firm expected 38 percent growth of mobile payment users last year, totaling 141 million.

While this may seem like a lot, the industry still has a long way to go and there are a number of roadblocks ahead, according to Sandy Shen, Gartner Research Director. “The biggest hurdle is the need to change user behavior by convincing consumers to pay with mobile phones instead of cash and cards,” says Shen.

Retailers can play a large role in changing user behavior. While manufacturers can produce the phones to process mobile payments and merchant service providers can set up the networks, a lack of retailer support will lead to little (if any) mobile payment adoption.

The first step for retailers is to educate themselves about the technology, the ecosystem and the opportunity mobile payments afford. Software Advice, an online company that reviews of point of sale systems for small business, hears from a lot of retailers that are curious about mobile payments. Here are the answers to some of the most important questions.

What are mobile payments?
Mobile payments are transactions that take place at the interaction of radio-frequency equipped mobile devices and payment terminals. This connection, called near field communication (NFC) is already popular in MasterCard PayPass and Visa payWave transactions.

What is the consumer-facing technology behind mobile payments?
Consumers register a personal virtual wallet (e.g., ISIS virtual wallet or Google Wallet) and access it through a mobile OS application. These devices must also have an integrated NFC chip (a list of compatible phones can be found here). When the consumer is close to an NFC-capable point of sale terminal, a connection is established, the consumer inputs a PIN code and the transaction is completed.

What do retailers need to accept mobile payments?
First, retailers have all the same requirements as they do to accept credit card payments–merchant account and gateway for payments, POS software and hardware). Specifically, retailers need a credit card machine that is capable of conducting ISO 14443 communication. These specifications are integrated in some new, high-end credit card machines. Alternatively, retailers can use a standalone NFC receiver, which is usually the cheaper option of the two.

How do mobile payments benefit consumers versus using credit cards?
The main selling point of mobile payments is its ease of use–consumers have their smartphones handy, why not process transactions with them? This is also one of the biggest debates of the benefit of mobile payments–does this really solve a problem for consumers? Added benefits of mobile payments include an either method of replacing consumer credit card accounts if a phone is stolen, as well as the future potential value-added services that mobile developers can produce.

To read further on the ecosystem of mobile payments, click here: http://blog.softwareadvice.com/articles/retail/mobile-payments-faqs-1012512/

Written by Michael Koploy, SoftwareAdvice.com

Today more than ever, companies struggle to differentiate themselves from competition.  The hottest craze in marketing to attract attention is Social Media, which deserves a well-thought plan.

Social Media is more than collecting Facebook “likes” and Twitter followers.  It’s a method of discovering and sharing news and content.  It’s a way of having your followers publish your message in their own words.

Consider the following as you begin to engage users or as you sharpen your current social strategy:

• Determine your goals and objectives.  Make them tie to your overall company goals.
• Do your homework.  What social media sites do you wish to engage with people?  A starter list includes the obvious Facebook, Twitter, GooglePlus, LinkedIn and other blogs.
• Get to Know your Social Community.  Find out what they respond to and their etiquette preferences and ease into it.
• Actively get to know your target users.  Listen to them, understand them.
• Inject humor when possible.  Learn what makes your social media members want to share what you have to say.
• Create a convincing reason to share.   You can’t expect others to share without being asked or incentivized to share.
• Ask people to spread the word.   Make it easy to share by adding buttons to easily utilize social media sites.
• Make things easy to read.   People like quick, easy-to-remember material.   Creating lists or “Top 10”-style reads keep your message brief, but valuable.
• Keep ideas fresh to your target market and don’t always use the same format.  Shake it up.
• Illustrate speaking points with photos and charts.   Make it easy for your social community to understand what you’re trying to say.

This is just the tip of the iceberg.  Every day there are new articles about how to effectively market your social media strategy.  Pay attention.  The more informed you are about planning for the social web, the more successful you will be.

For additional tips on sharpening your social media strategy, contact W3i at info@w3i.com.

Sue Ann Heck, Account Development Manager, W3i, LLC

Sue Ann has extensive experience in account management and prides herself in building quality, long-term relationships with W3i’s valued partners.

With Windows 8, Microsoft is taking a dramatic change in how users interact with Windows; centered on the Metro interface and application environment.  Here’s what I learned at the Microsoft Build Conference in Anaheim, California as Microsoft revealed the latest incarnation of Windows, namely Windows 8.

In Windows 8, Metro is a replacement for the Start Menu, and the normal desktop view of Windows.  When a user first logs into Windows 8, the first thing they see is the Metro interface with application tiles on the interface that are similar to the tiles seen on Windows Phone 7; these tiles are called “Live Tiles”.  Besides being interfaces to the specific application, they can display information relative to their function on the tile themselves.  For example, a weather app could display your current weather location, the Twitter app could show the latest tweets, and so on.

The Windows 8 Start screen in developer preview version (Build 8102.winmain_win8m3.110912-1733.92eb4451821f0730). It was released at the Build Windows event. Source: Wikipedia

Microsoft is heavily pushing the Metro interface; it appears that they want to use the current base of Windows-based systems to incorporate Metro, rather than having it limited solely to low-powered tablet-based systems.  Microsoft is betting that touch will be everywhere in a few years; much like the age of computers changed when the mouse was introduced.  They are counting on the fact that touch will have the same effect; every system, every monitor, will be touch enabled.  With that context, their promotion of Metro makes sense for the future of Windows.

Touch

Metro is really meant for a touch interface.  Touching a tile opens the application; swiping on the main interface scrolls the available tiles. Swiping from the right edge in any application brings what Microsoft terms “Charms”, which gives access to sharing, search, configuration options and the like. Swiping from the left edge switches between running applications; swiping from the bottom or top of an application will bring menu options available from that application.
The Metro interface is definitely a touch interface; with a touch-enabled screen it is “fluid and fast” as Microsoft described it many times during the conference.  At the same time, however, it turns into a second-rate interface with a mouse and keyboard; much like touch on the classic desktop is not ideal, keyboard and mouse on the Metro interface does not feel ideal.  Granted, many things may change before the release of Windows 8, however, I hope the interface translates better than it does currently.

The classic desktop is still there as a tile on the main Metro window.  All applications that currently run on Windows 7 should work fine under Windows 8; when those applications are launched they open on the classic desktop and work as you would expect them to.  The classic desktop will be available on any x86 and x64 systems; however with the new ARM platforms that Microsoft is targeting (light tablets like the iPad and Android platforms), the classic desktop is rumored to not be available; the only interaction will be through the Metro interface.

Metro Environment

The best way to describe the environment that Metro applications run in is comparing it to current offerings of iOS and Android platforms.  Metro is a closed environment, given only what the Windows Runtime (WinRT) allows.  All apps work within a sandboxed environment; apps have their own storage area and temporary file location.  Any access outside of these areas is only through the user specifically selecting files outside of those environments; the Windows registry and random file access is not allowed.  There is limited interaction between apps; the only way to “share” content between apps is through the use of Contracts defined by Microsoft.  These contracts define what each application shares with other applications, either as a source or a target of those given contracts.  For example, one app might be able to share pictures with another app, or another might be a target for search queries within the application.
Applications are fully managed, much like the application lifecycles you see in iOS and Android platforms.  When an app is visible, it’s in its running state; if the user switches to another application, the former app will go into a suspended mode shortly; taking memory but not able to process any data.  Eventually if the memory needs to be freed, Metro will stop the application; these situations should be handled.

Access to external services, such as querying web services and such are all managed through WinRT.  Metro apps can define background processes for performing tasks and keep the application responsive, but as always, these are all managed by the system.  Any normal service, running under the normal Windows desktop or web service, cannot assume that the Metro app is actually in a running state so any requests should come from the metro app in polling those services.
All device interaction with the computer is also managed with WinRT and Metro; any request to device capabilities, like the camera or accelerometer data, must first be declared in the application manifest.  Additionally, user confirmation must be given when the application tries to access the device module; the user will be given an option to approve the access when the app tries to access the device.

Windows Store

Like the other operating systems mentioned, all Metro apps are solely distributed through the Windows Store.  Like Apple’s App Store, all apps within the Windows Store must be fully approved by Microsoft, matching Microsoft’s design specifications for Metro apps, as well as functionality.  Given that many of Microsoft’s customers are enterprise installations, they did say that there will be enterprise installation methods available (likely through Active Directory or the like); however for all home and individual installations, Metro apps are only installed through the store, and cannot be side-loaded.  There is no actual installation executable (exe or msi) for Metro apps; a metro app is essentially a signed package and manifest, which the Metro environment loads; no custom installation options are available.

As much as has been said about Metro, very little was said about the Windows Store itself.  The current build of Windows 8 has a live tile for the store, but it only is a placeholder and is not currently available.  As mentioned above, all Metro applications must be approved by Microsoft; while the length of this approval process is unknown, they did say that the entire process will be transparent as to what stage of the approval an app is in, as well as detailed explanations as to why an app was rejected, and what needs to be changed to allow it to be approved.  There will be pricing options available, although the license options and Microsoft’s portion of the sale was not described.  It was mentioned that classic desktop applications may be available in the store, however, full details aren’t available.  Microsoft will likely release more information concerning the store when it’s available.

Overall Windows 8 Experience

 As it stands right now, Windows 8 and the Metro interface is pre-beta software; it is very buggy and experimental.  Windows 8 should not be run on production or every-day use systems; you will experience crashes and hangs; to anyone that has run pre-release software this should come as no surprise.  It is possible to run Windows 8 on some virtualization software, although the performance leaves much to be desired, as most VMs have a very basic video card driver, and all of Metro uses DirectX to run.  I would suggest a dedicated piece of hardware if one is available.
Microsoft plans to follow the same release cycle they had with Windows 7; there will be one Beta and on Release Candidate (RC) before the Release to Manufacturer (RTM), with the retail version of Windows 8 coming in the Fall 2012.  Many things will change between then and now, including the items listed above.

For more information about Metro applications and Windows 8 subsystems, visit the Microsoft Windows 8 development site at http://dev.windows.com, and all the videos of the keynotes and sessions from the Build conference can be found at http://www.buildwindows.com.

Joel Braun, Senior Software Developer, W3i

Joel has more than 9 years experience in software development focusing on native Windows development in C++.

I recently gave a talk to a group of marketing specialists from large corporate firms. After my talk, one of the attendees approached me and said: “I enjoyed your talk, it all sounds so exciting, but can you please tell me what exactly an app is?” Talk about a reality check.

In the ultra fast paced world of connected devices, one of the words that’s thrown around more than any other is the term “app”. So for those amongst you who are still trying to figure it out, an app typically refers to software used on a smartphone or mobile device such as the Android, iPhone, BlackBerry or iPad, as in “mobile app”. Similarly the phrase “web app” or “online app” is also used in a business setting as an abbreviation for “Web application” or “online application”. It’s a piece of software that helps you get things done, receive updates, or enjoy a little leisure time.

Now that we have that figured out, let’s fast forward to how apps are evolving almost as quickly as they appeared.

Apps, The Next Evolution

Mobile apps extend the reach and productivity of your business, but even “mobile” devices are rapidly changing shape. Take for example the I’mWatch – A sleek, thin and ergonomic watch that’s powered by the Android OS. The watch is a phone, web, music, radio, organizer, photo and video player. This new level of portability delivers new use cases for apps, as we currently know them.

“The effects of the mobile industry are making a huge impact in retail right now. Companies are looking at innovative ways to bring in new customers, deliver their messaging and maximize sales through the use of branded apps,” shares Ariel Haroush CEO of I Display, Part of the Outform Group. “The key is to deliver mobile content throughout the retail shopping experience via smart digital retail signage.” Expect to see Android OS based point of sale devices sprouting up in a fashion boutique near you.

Samsung, Sony, Toshiba and other TV Manufactures have already started launching their line of app enabled TVs. These “Smart TVs” can connect to the web through ethernet or wireless connection.  This connectivity allows the user to perform many of the functions on their television that could normally only be done on a computer or mobile device. Samsung has already gone the extra mile by launching their own dedicated App Store for TVs.

“The support for Samsung Apps – from content providers to developer partners and consumers around the world – has been tremendous,” said Eric Anderson, Vice President of Content and Product Solutions, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. “As we look ahead, Samsung sees the opportunity to expand not only the breadth and depth of apps, but also how users interact with them, making it easy to discover and enjoy content across multiple devices in the home.”

In conclusion – Get ready to re-learn everything you know about apps. The trends creeping up right around the corner are about to deliver the reality to the sci-fi we’ve been dreaming of. Developers who aren’t seriously considering the opportunities of these connected devices will be missing out.

Turning it back over to you – How do you see the evolution of apps progressing? Let us know in the comments or reach out to us on Twitter @W3i and @OrenTodoros

Online Security Starts With You

This year was a very interesting year when it comes to computer security breaches. It seems like every week a new organization is hacked. You are probably aware of the Sony PSN hack that brought Sony’s PlayStation Network down for almost a month. Not only were millions of people’s personal details stolen, but Sony also took a hit in both reputation and revenue. A lot of the bigger attacks this year have come from groups like LulzSec and Anonymous. Their motives are not always understood as they sometimes claim to do it just for fun but at the same time indications point towards retaliation or just simply demonstrating how insecure the world of computers really is.

Preventing Online Fraud Begins with You

Personal Experience

Regardless of an attacker’s motives, it causes many people and companies time and money. It seems like I’m getting a new debit card every 6-12 months because somehow the number is stolen. I don’t even use this card online, only at local shops and stores. However, many people and systems have the opportunity to view my card number along the way. The cashier can easily read the numbers or have a personal scanning device nearby to swipe my number, which is why we see more and more stores requiring customers to swipe their own cards. Then once it’s swiped into the computer system it has to be authorized, possibly stored, and transmitted to a main server. Assuming everyone along the way is doing their job, this data should be encrypted and protected but that’s a big assumption. Most major card issuers require organizations to follow the PCI Compliance rules so there is some reassurance; but even if data is encrypted, it means it can be decrypted and viewed by a human at some point. Fortunately, a lot of card issuers have policies against fraud protection and will not force you to have to pay for fraudulent charges to your card.

Security, Not Just for Geeks

I recently attended the OWASP AppSec conference in Minneapolis, MN. This was a very interesting conference as I’ve been concerned about system and application security more and more lately. I didn’t so much learn about how to prevent attacks or how to do penetration tests as most of the tracks I went to were meant to build an awareness of various things hackers are doing–the tools they use, the exploits they find and the way they manipulate not only machines but humans.

I was familiar with the concepts of Social Engineering, but it became more apparent at this conference that this is becoming a common attack vector as the industry is getting better at locking the doors to their systems. Hackers are tricking employees to visit malicious websites or run infected applications that then allow the attacker directly into their internal network. It’s apparent that security is not just about closing network ports and writing secure applications, but also about teaching every employee throughout the whole organization about security. It’s everyone’s job, not just the geeks.

Making Security a Reality

I feel Information Systems (IS) needs to be the advocates of security within an organization. I feel it’s their responsibility to not only secure the infrastructure as best they can but to also teach employees about best practices and things to watch out for. IS should be defining policies and then training employees on those policies. Every IS department should appoint someone to be the security advocate. This person doesn’t necessarily need to do all of the actual work, but is actively thinking about security. Depending on the size of your organization you don’t need to dedicate all of one person’s time to this. But someone needs to spend part of their time thinking about security from multiple angles. They should be going to conferences like OWASP AppSec and helping build these policies and guidelines and giving direction.

Last year I took it upon myself to develop guidelines to improve W3i’s security. Since I presumed I wasn’t the first one to have this
concern I spent time looking around on the web for some existing guidance or information. This was the first time I had heard about OWASP and their Top 10 Project. They provided a list of Top 10 application security issues that are commonly seen in software. This list is intended to give you a starting point to build your own internal guidance for your department. Each organization has its own security needs and so certain issues may not apply or rank as high to an organization. It’s up to your Security Advocate to figure out what it is that must be protected and how to go about doing so. Again, the Security Advocate needs to go beyond IS and look at bringing awareness to the whole organization. Potential threats can be resolved by simply building awareness within the organization and establishing training for new hires.

Bringing it Home

Security breaches were a hot topic this year, and I don’t see it getting any better in the near future. There will always be vulnerabilities and someone wanting to exploit them. This is not to say that we should stop using technology or spend all day worrying about it. We should work together to build awareness by developing strategies within our organizations to educate each other. Allocating someone as a Security Advocate will help your organization make sure that your organization isn’t letting security fall to the wayside.

Jeff Smoley, Software Architect, W3i, LLC
Jeff ensures that the W3i development team produces quality solutions and maintainable code. With more than 11 years of software development experience, Jeff also sees that W3i follows security best practices.

I’ll be the first to admit that Adobe’s announcement about ending development for the mobile Flash plugin was unexpected.  It caused an uproar from the Adobe community and an equal amount of applause from the “Jobs was right” clan.  However, I think the blogosphere chose to focus on the news about the Flash browser plugin and left out the part that matters most for mobile application developers: Adobe is still fully committed to cross platform mobile Flex apps running on AIR.  Combining this commitment with the recent work that they have done.  I feel the Flex development platform is a legitimate option for cross platform mobile apps.

There are some big changes in AIR 3/Flex 4.6 that remove some of the challenges that haunt mobile developers using other cross platform tools.  The most important is support for Native Extensions. Native extensions are basically ActionScript libraries that  are implemented in native code.  It allows a developer to do anything on the device that is possible with the native development tools and leverage that functionality in the Flex app.  What this means for developers is no more waiting for the Flex SDK to support these special features.  So why go this route if it requires native code development skills?  In my opinion, it is much easier to construct an elegant user interface using Flex.  Therefore, this part can be shared and then only the device-specific parts need to be implemented natively.  In addition, many of the most common feature requests are relatively simple to implement such as access to the notification system, the phone vibration mechanism, or the gyroscope.  Finally, native extensions can be packaged separately and, therefore, third party implementations can be used for common features.

Source: Adobe Developer Connection/ Flex Developer Center, What's new in Flex 4.6 SDK and Flash Builder 4.6

Adobe also added a few mobile-optimized components in the latest release.  They are the SplitViewNavigator (for tablets), alloutButton, SpinnerList, DateSpinner, ToggleSwitch, and StageText, which exposed the native text control on each  platform.  I haven’t gotten around to using these as much as I have native extensions, but they certainly look like very useful components.  There are also many “gap-filling” improvements to the non-user interface classes.  A full list can be found here.  Adobe is also claiming some performance improvements which are always an issue with cross platform solutions.  Personally, I have found it to be okay, but not great.

Lastly, I think the tooling and packaging changes are worth noting.  I’ve been using the pre-release version of FlashBuilder 4.6 (due out later this month).  For one, it is excellent at consuming native extension packages.  However, it does not currently support building a native extension package on its own.  This is a pretty poor experience unless there is an existing extension available. On the other hand, it is very easy to create an ANT build file for creating them. FlashBuilder also now includes  support for unit testing and network monitoring for mobile projects, although I have not used those features.  The other notable is the new Captive Runtime support for Android.  Basically, this allows developers to ship AIR with the app package.  The downside is increasing the resulting .apk file size by at least eight megabytes.  It does eliminate the necessary user step which is downloading the AIR runtime app from the Android Market.

Although Adobe has signaled the end of the mobile browser Flash plugin, they have put considerable effort into making their  cross-platform mobile app development offering useful.  They vowed to keep making it better, and that’s good enough for me.

Derek Bromenshenkel, Senior Software Developer, W3i – Derek uses his wide variety of software development experience, spanning more than 5 years, to create value for W3i, its partners and app users.

Apps World Europe is returning to London Olympia on 29-30 November for two days of discussion and insight around multi-platform apps, with some of the leading brands and individuals from around the industry gathering to examine the latest industry trends, and the impact they will have on us.

This year’s event includes three separate conference tracks, covering a broad spectrum of the industry’s most burning issues; operator and developer revenue streams, publishing strategies, mobile and tablet app marketing, handset innovation, branding and the rise of the TV app.

Oren Todoros will be attending Apps World London on behalf of W3i.  If you’re developing a mobile app for either Android or iPhone, this is a perfect opportunity for you to talk to us and discuss your marketing strategy.

To put things in perspective, 16 of the top 25 grossing US iPhone apps have partnered with W3i to maximize their app’s reach and increase revenue.

Ian Johnson, Apps World founder, said: “We feel like this has been a real watershed year in terms of companies recognizing the value and scope of what apps represent to their future business activities. The interest in apps has broadened to include marketing professionals across all industries. The opportunity for talented developers to connect with large multinational brands is a facet of the show we take very seriously, that’s why we’re offering the developer streams for free.”

Attending Apps World London? Let us know in the comments or reach out to us via Twitter @W3i or @OrenTodoros – The drink’s on us!

HTML5:Everyone’s either talking about it, writing about or experiencing it. But who’s really using it and how?

With this post, that’s exactly what I wanted to determine.  The result as you’ll find out, is that HTML5 is at the brink of creating a shift in the way we discover, interact and share the content we love, but still has a long way to go.

HTML5-Changing the Way We Live?

In a nutshell, HTML5 is the natural evolution of HTML, the backbone of all things web. HTML4, the previous iteration of the language, debuted in 1997 and was updated, tweaked and revamped to keep up with all the changes in the web and mobile, not to mention users.

One of the biggest pro’s of HTML5 for developers is the freedom to deploy once and have their app available everywhere. From a consumers’ viewpoint, buying something once with the freedom to use it on multiple platforms is a major plus.

The HTML5 standard supports video, offline reading, touch and gestures – all functions that, until recently, were available for mobile devices on native apps. That being said, when it comes to mobile apps, native development currently wins out over HTML5, especially when trying to deliver apps that take advantage of some of the smartphone’s advanced functionality such as access to the camera.

The HTML5 Mobile App Store Landscape

Currently, the simplest way to distribute HTML5 apps is via the web, which end-users can then connect to via a hyperlink to their mobile device. This, of course, eliminates the need to go through Apple’s lengthy and somewhat confusing approval process. Alternatively, there are HTML5 app stores cropping up that are ready to make an impact in this new market. Very much like the app store, third party developers can list and sell their HTML5 mobile app modules and components in the stores, usually with the usual 70-30 revenue split.

Appcelerator just announced their new marketplace at the company’s Codestrong Developer Conference. The HTML5 app store includes mobile app modules, templates, design elements, cloud extensions and other components for the Appcelerator developer community to use.

OpenAppMkt, launched in 2010, is a web app that can be accessed from openappmkt.com. Installing it is super simple if you’ve ever added an item to you device’s home screen. You can browse through it like you would the App Store or Android market. Most of the apps are free, however, like with most good things in life, the best things cost a little money.

Openspacestore, which was recently launched at TechCrunch Disrupt, recognizes the type of website–gaming, entertainment, news, travel or other and notifies the user in real-time that new apps are available for download. A perfect example of this is a visitor going to TMZ.com and being notified of the top gaming and entertainment apps such as DailyHoroscope and Angry Birds. Another example is visitors going to CNN.com and being alerted of of CNN’s free app web app, as well as other breaking headline apps like NYTimes, Fox News, Good Morning America and others.

 In Conclusion - Future updates to HTML5 (or will it be HTML6?) will surely deliver the freedom to access the mobile devices’ advanced functionality such as storage, in-app notifications, camera access, use of the GPS and so on.  The truth is that most of this is already achievable by utilizing services such as PhoneGap. At the end of the day, it all comes down  to one thing; great apps deliver a rich, user-friendly experience, regardless of what technology is implemented.

How do you see HTML5 evolving? Share your thoughts in the comments or reach out to us via Twitter @W3i and @OrenTodoros.

Oren Todoros, Consultant, W3i, LLC
Oren has more than 9 years experience in online marketing and is now specializing in app marketing.

The app industry is proving to be a rapidly expanding playground for app developers and end-users alike. With new development tools constantly on the rise and no lack of innovation in sight, I thought it would be a good time to look a short distance ahead at what the next wave of app trends may actually be.

1 – New Categories

Due to the highly sophisticated awareness capacity of mobile devices, we’re bound to see advances in categories such as augmented reality, user generated content and location based apps. App users are already adapting to these new features by utilizing them for anything from receiving coupons to finding out more about attendees at events. Now it’s just a matter of time until the app stores create categories for these evolving niches.

2 – Monetization Apps

Not surprisingly younger users are much more receptive to ads in mobile apps. According to a recent Nielsen report, 58 percent said that they “always” or “sometimes look at ads.” Men are much more receptive to mobile ads than women. In addition, mobile users prefer to view mobile ads within an app rather than via search results. However, those who viewed a mobile ad most often use a search engine to find out more information. Only eight-percent purchased the advertised product/service immediately. One important note to keep in mind is that as our consumption of mobile content grows, ad-based apps may become more transparent. Developers will ultimately have to resort to more creative ways to monetize their apps.

3 – Mobile Web Apps

Web apps are making a big impact. In fact, many of them can be just as good as native apps. Content publishers such as FT.com have recently gone the route creating an HTML5 app. The two main reasons for publishers to prefer HTML5 is due to eliminating the sometimes lengthy review process and rolling out on to multiple platforms at once. HTML5 ensures that end-users are always on the latest version of the web-app. Web-app stores such as OpenAppMkt.com are already setting up shop and paving the way for more web-apps to come.

4 – Better Camera Apps

Instagram, Hipstamatic and PicPlz are just a few of the apps that have set the pace for how taking mobile images impact our everyday lives. Going forward, there’s no doubt that the way we capture and share precious moments will radically change. An interesting observation is that the iPhone 4 camera is one of the top 5 preferred cameras in the Flickr community.

The funny thing is that as this trend progresses, we’re seeing more and more of a backwards effect, where retro and vintage filters are coming into play.  Go figure.

5 – Apps as Work Tools

The lifestyle impact of the iPad 2 is unquestionable. End-users are just now starting to understand how to work productively with tablet devices. There is still plenty of room to dominate the tablet industry with productivity tools.

From essential accessories such as external keyboards and video adapters, to better presentation apps and cloud document sharing, we’re sure to see the tablet based productivity niche go way up.

Turning it back to you – What are your app predictions for the near future? And what would you most like to see become a reality? Share your thoughts in the comments below or reach out to us on Twitter @W3i

Oren Todoros, CEO of AppsMarketing.mobi
Oren  is an advisor in the mobile app industry, working with W3i as well as the CEO of AppsMarketing.mobi which works with independent developers and large scale development firms.