The launch of the iPhone (News - Alert) Apps store has created a virtual cottage industry for developers looking to make their platforms the next big thing.

 

In fact, recent research from In-Stat (News - Alert) expects more than 100 million apps store compatible mobile phones will spring from multiple manufacturers and will be shipping within five years.

 

“With greater capabilities in both running native applications and viewing ‘real Internet’ Web sites, smartphones have increased usage and user expectations for mobile content,” said David Chamberlain, In-Stat analyst.

 

Because the ubiquitous Apple (News - Alert) iPhone essentially ushered in a sea change in the mobile space - with hardware implications as well as "real Web" browsing capabilities - the introduction of the device has changed the way people use their phones and opened several new opportunities for marketers, according to In-Stat.

 

The study, “The App Store is Born: Smartphones Enable New Marketing and Advertising Opportunities Worldwide”,  essentially focuses on quantifying the potential reach for mobile advertising on the advanced browsers used by smartphones, as well as chronicles an all new category called application marketing.

 

“Along with the expanding handset base, users are downloading more applications. Reach for marketing applications is growing rapidly and those applications can provide prolonged engagement with the user and keep the advertiser’s brand in focus.”

 

The study suggests that smartphones with “strong app store orientation” will reach 30 percent of the global smartphone market by 2013, coming close to 100 million units.

 

As of now, iPhone users are the primary visitors to Apple’s apps store, representing a much larger portion than Blackberry, Palm OS or Windows Mobile phone users.

 

The idea of aplication marketing, like all new advertising media, lacks consistent, accepted analytics many advertisers are accustomed to, the study says.

 

As TMCnet previouslyreported, the launch of the iTunes App Store for the iPhone, along and similar online storefronts for BlackBerrys and other mobile phones, has ushered in an era where there is seemingly an apps for anything.

 

TMC (News - Alert) tracks and reviews apps and iPhone news here.