Mobility has already created new markets and business models

Perhaps to the surprise of many, the major growth drivers have been recreational use - ringtones, SMS, games and logos - where the deliverables were simple and required little integration and interoperability. But business applications, in which results and reliability, not gadgets and amusement, are paramount, are gaining ground.

We`re seeing the beginning of the age of the truly mobile, connected worker.

In the past

A few years ago a road warrior was someone with a laptop case full of cables and modem adapters, multiple dial-up accounts and a considerable degree of technical capability and patience.

Now, the integration of cellular technology, PDAs and Windows Mobile is pushing a new wave of mobility. Sales automation has been a leading application because the right software and mobile platform could add significant utility without heavy bandwidth requirements. Stock enquiries and order placement don`t require large amounts of data to be really useful.

As GPRS has become commonplace, EDGE and 3G are rolling out, and PDAs grow in processing power and memory, rapid evolution into the CRM and ERP space will follow.

Let`s make some cash

To get a net benefit from new technology it must either save money or make money. On the `save money` side we see technologies like VOIP, and the use of lower-cost bearers.

At Leaf, though, the focus is on the `make money` side. We believe an organisation creates wealth by innovating to drive growth. In the professional sphere, enhanced mobility translates into faster delivery and response turnaround; more time with customers; and more customer coverage. It`s an incidental bonus that costs are saved as well, through reduced travel and fewer errors arising from old data.

At first, PCs were sold to businesses on the basis of their saving time and money, but in time spawned completely new industries. Mobility is similarly starting to spawn new industries and markets (a trivial but financially very significant example is how ringtones have surpassed music CDs in sales value).

A hand-held device now offers, in addition to its basic PC-like functions, voice, data, e-mail, instant messaging, GPS navigation, multimedia (speech, music, video), and browsing.

Improved service delivery

In a recent US trial, doctors were given mobile devices through which they could review surgical procedures, research medication, and check patient histories, wherever they were.

A doctor on his rounds or called to an emergency did not have to return to his desk, or phone the office and get second-hand information. Having immediate on-line access meant improved service delivery, reduced risks, time saved, and ultimately greater income.

The times they are a-changin`

We can expect future applications to start exploiting the technology much further, with live TV, video conferencing and professional content delivery. The ubiquity of the smart card (the SIM) will also lend itself to a mobile purse for micro payments, opening up new business models.

If you look at the example of the doctors and combine it with these kinds of applications you see a major shift coming: now, truly, proximity to the workplace is becoming irrelevant. Companies that are quickest to exploit this will gain competitive advantage from harvesting from the widest source of intellectual property.

In the words of Bob Dylan, "The times they are a-changin"!