The analysts over at Gartner put their mobile tech thinking caps on today and listed eight technologies to watch for the next two years. We’ve pointed to a few of these in the recent months; I still think Location-Based Services (#3 below) will gain much traction this year. Here’s their listing, although I don’t know if it’s in a particular order:
- Bluetooth 3.0
- Mobile User Interfaces
- Location Sensing
- 802.11n
- Display Technologies
- Mobile Web and Widgets
- Cellular Broadband
- Near Field Communications
I can see why the first three items are on the list. Bluetooth 3.0 should offer faster speeds (up to 480Mbps) while using lower power consumption when idle: a win-win for mobile devices. Mobile UIs have been on our radar for a few years and are one of the many keys to a successful mobile product. Location sensing is already adding value in devices and services, but I’m thinking we’re only at the tip of that iceberg.
Seeing 802.11n surprised me a little on this list. Yes the spec is still unofficial at this date, but the technology is fairly commonplace today. I do agree with Gartner that it will be the Wi-Fi standard for a long time coming. We’re already seeing new display technologies take root with pico-projectors and OLED screens but there’s a way to go there. eInk and foldable displays add in to this one as well.
The Mobile Web is also worth watching, but I’d add end-user cloud computing to that perspective as well. Cellular broadband might be old news to regular readers or folks that have used 3G for the past four years, but it is worth watching. Here in the U.S. we have a planned move from EV-DO to LTE that might start as early as this year. Networks supporting HSPA still have speed gain potential as well. Near Field Communications is worth paying attention to, but as Gartner points out, don’t expect to see any traction until next year at best. I do think my American Express with an RFID tag is pretty cool now, though. ;)
Interestingly, Gartner omits any mention of WiMAX, even in the Cellular Broadband area. I can’t say that I’m surprised. While I want to see a national WiMAX offering here, it’s taking far too long to expand geographically and there isn’t yet enough capital to see it through. That’s a tough recipie to swallow in a time of economic woes.
Think anything is missing from the list or disagree with anything on it?
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