The 2009 prediction report from Gartner outlines that in terms of technology innovation and integration, mobile and wireless remain an active area and will continue to mature this year.
In the report, Gartner finds that mobile telephony will defy the economic slowdown, showing minimal effects of the downturn and entrenching mobile telephony as a basic human necessity.
Key predictions of the report include that as the user interface improves to handle the inherent presence capabilities of instant messaging, mobile instant messaging will finally become the type of popular application envisioned years ago, with Microsoft and RIM becoming the main business wireless email gateways.
Also, Gartner finds that by the end of 2010, five mobile operating system platforms will make up more than 85% of the smartphone market, shrinking to three platforms by 2015.
By 2011, more than 50% of Fortune 500 companies will interact directly with their customers via mobile devices, says the report, while by 2012, 80% of the enterprise wireless email software market will be owned by RIM and Microsoft.
Finally, the report claims that by 2014, mobile IM will be used regularly by more than 50% of wireless subscribers in North America and Western Europe.