With the rapid advancement of mobile computing over the past few years, consumers are expecting more out of their mobile devices than ever before. Previously, we were content to use mobile devices as a collaboration tool for voice communication, SMS messaging, and Email/ Calendar, while leaving the heavier lifting of web browsing and enterprise computing to our PC devices. With new operating systems specifically designed for mobile computing, continued miniaturization of powerful processors, and new mobile form factors like tablet computers, mobile devices are rapidly reaching parity with their PC Desktop counterparts.

In early 2010, Gartner predicted "By 2013, mobile phones will overtake PCs as the most common Web access device worldwide. According to Gartner's PC installed base forecast, the total number of PCs in use will reach 1.78 billion units in 2013. By 2013, the combined installed base of smartphones and browser-equipped enhanced phones will exceed 1.82 billion units and will be greater than the installed base for PCs thereafter."1

Mobile devices are providing consumers with a level of connectivity (to friends, co-workers, communities of interest, and data) that has never been achieved by PC desktops. Mobile computing processors are now practically on par with many PC Desktop/Laptop systems currently in use, utilizing dual-core processors and up to 1 gigabyte of memory. In addition, mobile devices are delivering features never obtained on a PC, such as instant-on operating systems, extreme portability, low cost, and always-on Internet connectivity. Consumers are reacting to this surge in mobile innovation with an unprecedented boom in mobile device sales. IDC reported growth in mobile devices from 2009 to 2010 increased by 55% with more than 269.6 million devices shipped.2

Corporate IT organizations must be prepared to rethink their existing strategies for delivering technology solutions to now consider this mobile revolution. It is no longer adequate to assume employees, partners, and customers will be bound to a PC when accessing your corporate applications. Corporate applications today must be accessible from virtually any device or platform, while still providing the same level of security and functionality in today's PC devices.