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A new study from ABI Research (News - Alert) has revealed that ‘cloud computing’ will completely transform the way mobile applications are being developed, acquired, and used. ‘Cloud computing’ will dramatically reduce the requirement of advanced handsets for running mobile applications, according to the study.

The new architecture based on software running in the cloud will make the current mobile application model obsolete by 2014. ABI Research has predicted that the ‘cloud computing’ model will soon catch up and by the end of 2014 it will be delivering annual revenues to the tune of $20 billion

“Mobile application developers today face the challenge of multiple mobile operating systems,” said Senior Analyst Mark Beccue. “Either they must write for just one OS, or create many versions of the same application. More sophisticated apps require significant processing power and memory in the handset. Using Web development, applications can run on servers instead of locally, so handset requirements can be greatly reduced and developers can create just one version of an application. This trend is in its infancy today, but ABI Research believes that eventually it will become the prevailing model for mobile applications.”

However, notes ABI Research, intermittent network availability could pose a big challenge for the adoption of the ‘cloud computing’ model. A cloud-based application stops working if you lose your connection. New programming languages such as HTML 5 could come to the rescue as they can enable data caching on the handset, allowing work to continue until cellular signal is restored.

“Cloud computing will bring unprecedented sophistication to mobile applications,” Beccue notes. “To mention just a few examples, business users will benefit from collaboration and data sharing apps. Personal users will gain from remote access apps allowing them to monitor home security systems, PCs or DVRs, and from social networking mashups that let them share photos and video or incorporate their phone address books and calendars.”

ABI Research’s study titled “Mobile Cloud Computing” talks about the mobile applications that will lead the growth, the key technologies, players and initiatives involved. Also included are Forecasts of subscribers and revenue by region and application category using mobile cloud applications.

TMCnet recently published a report on SugarCRM’s (News - Alert) views on Cloud Computing.

ABI Research is a foremost market research firm investigating the impact of emerging technologies on global consumer and business markets.