Cell phones have advanced from a brick-sized novelty status symbol to something everyone has and cannot function without.  Mobile apps for cell phones have evolved along a similar pathway.  It was only in 2008 that iTunes started the app store, popularizing the technology and leading other manufacturers to jump on the app bandwagon.  Now, for everything you do, “there’s an app for that,” and any five-year old can tell everyone all about the app store.

The purpose of a mobile app is to take content that was previously utilized online from a computer and bring it right to the user, wherever they are, allowing them to access that same information in a condensed form that fits on a screen they can hold in the palm of their hand.

Mobile apps have evolved to the point that they are probably the most used function on a cell phone.  When people sit in a waiting room or ride a train or bus, they are checking their Facebook page, reading the latest tweets, playing games or reading the news, all on one device that they can hold in one hand, often through a mobile app.

This has led to a shift in the way people do things, as even traveling relies heavily on mobile apps, as people use them for GPS.  Does anyone try to find a new restaurant anymore without the use of Yelp or a similar app?  In an unfamiliar place, those apps can help guide users to the best places to eat, allowing them to search according to their preferred criteria.

Social media has become the driving force behind the development of mobile apps, with most apps in all topics having some component that allows users to connect with each other.  The explosion of Twitter and Instagram, even as Facebook had already achieved massive popularity, are examples of how much people interact online and how open that field is to the growth of mobile app technology.

Games have capitalized on the integration of mobile apps and social media, and the most recent games make some of the original games look like Pac-Man.  Now, even old nostalgia games have improved through technology and many allow users to play against each other.

The development of mobile apps is also transforming the way online businesses run, which is even carrying over to brick and mortar stores.  An example of this is the app Amazon released in 2012, allowing users to scan items in stores, bringing the same item up on their mobile device through the Amazon app.  This process allowed users to see the price of the same item on Amazon, allowing users to comparison shop on the spot.  As Amazon often had lower prices, this app upset many merchants, notably Target, who felt that sales were lost during the holiday season as a result of this mobile app.  However, customers appreciated the technology, as it allowed them to compare prices and perhaps save money with very little effort.

Businesses both online and off are increasingly utilizing mobile apps to improve the customer shopping experience.  As the technology develops, the future will likely find the shopping experience will expand to incorporate both mobile technology and direct interaction with employees as stores try to maximize both customer service and convenience in an attempt to get customers that shop online to walk into a retail location.

Companies are analyzing mobile app usage to determine ways to improve their businesses, which will drive both the development and the market for increasingly complex and user friendly mobile apps that work across multiple devices.

As mobile apps continue to develop, it is likely that more and more aspects of everyday life will shift from over the phone or even laptop to mobile apps on a cell phone.  Things like hotel reservations, personal banking and even remote controls will go through mobile apps on personal cell phones.  The development of increasingly sophisticated technology, allowing more and more information to fit in smaller and smaller places, will make everyday tasks increasingly easy to complete on the go, allowing phones and personal tablets to become the main way people organize their daily lives.

Mobile apps are even developing to cover users that lose one of their devices.  There is no need to worry that if you lose your cell phone, your entire life will come loose, because there are already apps that connect devices to each other, allowing different devices to share information.  As the information being transmitted between devices becomes more complicated or personal, requiring more security and smoother transitions, mobile apps will grow along with people’s daily habits and allow your personal tablet to cover you if you lose your cell phone or vice versa.