It’s no secret that the world is going mobile. With devices like the iPhone and Blackberry that have as much functionality as a laptop computer, workers are working from anywhere and everywhere, on the bus, on planes, from the park, etc. The question remains – where does this leave software developers in terms of licensing? Many software vendors are already developing mobile applications, but in the next few years, more and more advanced applications will be introduced. I wouldn’t doubt by next year we will be able to develop and project PowerPoint presentations from our phones. Licensing models are not designed for mobile applications and are even made more complex based on the vast mobile handset possibilities, operating systems and wireless carriers.
As more and more employees and even employers move to a more “mobile” work environment, software developers have their hands full – they not only are tasked with developing mobile applications, but they must figure out how to monetize and regulate them. My guess is the focus will be on commercial application rollouts to see what catches on and what doesn’t. Once there is a better understanding of how licensing will be used and more importantly, pirated, developers will have a better idea of how they can stop these practices from happening and control the outcome.