By
Mitesh Agarwal
India had over 950 million mobile subscriptions at the start of 2015 and even with a growth rate of mere 1%, it is set to cross the billionth mark in 2015. Imagine a billion people - workers and customers alike, connected and untethered. This connected population is enabling companies to build new business models and transform industries. Look at the boom in m-commerce, services like OlaCabs or even Facebook. 100 million of 112 million Facebook users will log in through their mobile devices by end of 2015. In other words, for many people, mobility is now the primary way to interact and get things done.
Enterprise Mobility
Mobile made in-roads into enterprise IT at such a fast pace that many were caught off-guard and most companies took a “ready, fire, aim” approach to deploying mobile technologies. These efforts tended to be tactical, coming in response to rapidly proliferating devices and applications. Increasingly, however, organizations are investing the time and resources necessary to define a mobile strategy that enables them to transform the enterprise.
It’s about user experience
Did you know that one in four mobile apps, once downloaded, is never used again? That suggests a high percentage of apps fall short of expectations. If mobile app developers can’t innovate or deploy quickly, users will simply delete the apps or stop using them. In fact when Oracle studied Millennial’s usage of apps, 70 percent respondents in India rated poor performance or speed as a deterrent to using an app.
Integration with back-end systems is critical
Beyond having a nice look and feel, we expect mobile apps to be intuitive, available, and provide the appropriate content. Apps also need the right context. If I use a website to put items in my shopping cart, I expect my mobile app to have that same shopping cart information so I can place my order whenever and wherever I’m ready to do so. This requires IT to connect the app to back-end systems.
Security – Yes, but not at the cost of user experience
With my mobile phone, there is little separation between my professional and personal life. I use it to check e-mail, text, fill out expense reports, take photos, send tweets, and play Angry Birds. I bring my own device to work, and I don't want my employer to lock down everything. As long as I can freely access my mobile device to conduct my personal activities, I don’t mind if there is added security around my corporate data and apps.
Continuous updates essential
Mobile apps are never really finished. 87 percent of enterprises update or release mobile apps every six months or less. As users, we have come to expect regular updates that provide timely new features and improvements. The ability to collect user data, analyze, fine tune, and release an update equals continuous delivery. Do some of the apps on your mobile device need to be updated? That’s what I’m talking about.
Cloud facilitates faster innovation
In today’s digital era, business departments look to innovate at their own pace, while the IT team looks at tools and features that help speed development and integration, for business. This is where the cloud intersects with mobile development to streamline back-end integration, user security, and management.
Mobility is morphing with other tech megatrends
The convergence of mobility, cloud, the Internet of Things, and big data is happening across industries. Look at healthcare, where a doctor can remotely access patient information from sensors that monitor vital signs and correlate that data with information about treatments for better diagnoses and outcomes. And, healthcare practitioners are able to interact with each other and their patients via wireless video conferencing, leveraging location-based services.
It’s time for a mobile-plus strategy
Mobile is the front-end of a digital engagement but to truly exploit its potential, mobile technology has to converge with other disruptive technologies like cloud, big data and Internet of Things. Take Today the smartphone is my phone, computer, camera, entertainment center, map, personal trainer, shopping guide, and even payment wallet. If I’m without my smartphone, I notice within minutes. Today, I didn’t realize I forgot my wallet until noon—but it wasn’t a problem. I paid for lunch with my smartphone!
Mitesh Agarwal, CTO & Vice President, Oracle India.
