On Tap For Mobile Communications In 2011?

What will the new year bring? Less of a focus on 4G services, browser based application stores, and at least one industry stalwart exiting the market were predictions from inCode, Ericsson's professional services division.The division made ten predictions for 2011. InCode thinks that carriers wasted a lot of time and money touting their movement to 4G networks; consumers have no idea what the shift means to them. Consequently, carriers would be better served by shifting their marketing messages to the quality of the user experience.

Application stores were another area of emphasis recently. Outside of Apple and Google, smartphone suppliers have had little luck in developing a following for their stores. With the emergence of cloud and HTML5-based applications, a new opportunity has emerged: browser-based mobile applications. Consequently, InCode expects operators, OEMs, and handset manufacturers to launch such stores.

In the last 18 months, competition has heated up, and vendors delivered bevy of new devices. But not all will be successful With component shortages expected to continue and demand still uncertain because of the economy, the professional services division predicts that at least one former OEM stalwart brand will not make it through the new year. So not everyone is looking forward to the next 12 months.