MOBILE APPS – The Next Gold Rush! – for Smartphones and Tablet PC’s

In 1848 gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill triggering a major change in California’s landscape. This discovery changed the course of California and created a significant build-up of wealth. It has been referred to as the “first world-class gold rush.”

Moving forward another 150 plus years we now see another event, which may rival the first gold rush, in its impact on society and the build-up of wealth.

This event is the migration-to-mobile, which is taking the form of new wireless devices, smartphones and software applications (Apps).

The power of of these new handheld electronic devices has increased by ten-fold in the last ten years while the cost of these devices has continued to decrease by as much as 50-80%. We are now impacted by these devices in every facet of our lives from how we communicate to what entertains us. The migration-to- mobile continues to evolve with devices that were not even thought possible a few years ago. These new devices are now readily available and can occupy a space often times the size of a cigarette pack.

The most significant example of this is the modern cellular smartphone. Today’s smartphones provide consumers total mobility and the freedom to reconfigure these new mobile devices to do whatever you wish them to do. Software Apps are what makes these devices reconfigurable and they typically cost between – each.

Apps can allow your smartphone to locate a good restaurant, act as a compass, function as a electronic level or ruler, or entertain us with countless games. These are just a few of the hundreds of thousands of applications currently available in the marketplace. A good App can sell tens of thousands of units (downloads) in just a matter of a few weeks.

So who’s making the big money in this migration-to-mobile economy? The smartphone manufactures, cell phone carriers, hardware suppliers, and of course the developers of those great App’s are cashing in as well.

Like the gold rush that changed the face of California in the mid 1800′s the migration-to-mobile will continue to change our lives and create new wealth in the decade to come. The trend cannot be altered, so my advice is to try to hang on and enjoy your new found mobility.