3 top trends in the mobile industry to watch

The world of mobile – including smartphones, tablets and the huge choice of apps available for those devices – has left little untouched with its revolutionary impact. Whether you check social media, shop online, check local bus or train times or watch video, you likely do it on a mobile device. Here we look at the 3 top mobile phone trends for 2017.

So, what further changes can we expect for the mobile industry this year? We don’t have a crystal ball, but here are our educated guesses – made with the assistance of experts from the American mobile computing company Syntonic – about the trends that will emerge.

1. More mobile video… but also more ads on the back of it

If you regularly watch YouTube videos on your device, you will already be well aware of one of the biggest drawbacks of doing so: the adverts that often air before you can watch your chosen video.

It could, however, be considered a necessary evil for keeping the site free to use. In fact, this year, you could see even more of those adverts playing as video becomes more often watched on mobile.

Noting the “fervent pace” of mobile video consumption growth, Syntonic experts have made some interesting predictions as quoted by BizReport. They believe that “alternative content-centric business models will arise to bolster the economics of video delivery.”

They added: “2017 will be notable for the exploration of ad-supported mobile video services, including everything from user-generated content to premium entertainment and short-form music videos”. So, prepare to keep hitting ‘skip’ on those adverts…

2. The emergence of services providing “Over-the-Top” mobile content

Of course, if you really don’t like seeing mobile video content interrupted by adverts, you could choose to pay for that content and so lift the necessity of the company having to bring in revenue through advertising. Paid-for mobile video services could rise in popularity this year.

The Syntonic experts have recalled the “failed decade” of the 2000s, where costly device hardware and customer support, plus other factors, hampered major content brands’ success as Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs). However, growing mobile access and production of user-generated content has loosened cable operators’ control over big screen programming.

Therefore, through use of existing cellular data platforms, “content providers and cable providers can now offer their content and programming directly to the end user’s smartphone.”

3. Consumer devices also becoming formidable business devices

Remember when many people had particular devices strictly for home use and separate devices for business purposes? Okay, you probably don’t. Such days are increasingly fading from people’s memories as more mobile devices become suitable for both consumption and production.

Software updates have played a big part in this transformation. Apple recently formed a partnership with Cisco enabling the latter’s corporate apps to be more readily usable on iPhones. PCMag has drawn attention to various benefits of being able to use Cisco apps via the native iOS 10 interface.

When a businessperson opts to additionally buy an 0800 number from Capital Telecom, they can more easily, when on the move, chat to customers.

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