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4G World’s Focus Evolves:It’s Now Apps Over TechnologyAt previous 4G World events,much of the discussionfocused on core networkingtechnologies, spectrum, cell sitesand backhaul. At 4G World 2011in Chicago, attention shifted beyondjust the technologies thatmake 4G a reality and focusedmuch more on what impact 4Gis having on the user experience,particularly with regard tomobile applications, M2M, cloudcomputing and mHealth. Essentially,the industry is becomingless concerned with 4G as atechnology, and more concernedabout what 4G enables andwhat truly drives 4G adoption.During the “4G Powers Opportunityfor Cloud and Mobility”track, one of the more activediscussions occurred duringthe “Mobile Cloud Applications”panel, when an audiencemember posed the question: Ismobile cloud just hype or is itreally the way of the future formobile applications?The reality is that mobile cloudright now comprises both hypeand substance. The real frustrationwith mobile cloud is thatthe term does a severe disserviceto the cloud. Given that cloudcomputing is about virtual infrastructureand making networkbasedor Web-based applicationsand services available fromanywhere, why do we need amobile cloud? Isn’t cloud computingby definition mobile?The truth is in most ways it is.We use a term like mobile cloudsimply to highlight the challengesthe variety of mobile devices,form factors and OSs bring toapplication development. We atYankee Group believe there isnothing wrong with the industrymaking a mobile distinction, butit needs to be done carefullyso it does not take away fromthe real debates and innovationareas. In this case, the discussionshouldn’t be about a specialcloud segment called “mobilecloud.” Instead, it needs to beabout leveraging cloud as a platformto gain greater scale and amore consistent user experiencewhen mobilizing and developingapplications.Cloud Versus Native Is the RealDebateThe real issue is: When is it bestto use a cloud-based mobileapplication versus a native applicationresiding on the device?Historically, developers wroteapplications aimed at a specificdevice and OS. This process canbe cumbersome and it becomesmore challenging as more devicesSandra Palumbo - Yankee Groupand OS variations emerge. Inan ideal world, cloud-based orWeb-based applications shouldeliminate these differences, butensuring optimal applicationperformance and a consistentuser experience can be a challengein the current ecosystem.Enterprise IT staffs are especiallychallenged because they aretasked with figuring out how tomake custom enterprise customapplications available to mobileand remote workers on a varietyof devices.There will likely always bepeople that prefer native applications,and there will always befans of cloud-based applications.What the industry really shouldconsider, however, and what wasraised in the 4G World discussion,is that a mix of cloud andnative applications are in factthe best strategy.With a mixed approach,devices are not bogged downby a multitude of processingheavyapplications, and usersaren’t always required tohave a network connectionto access their content andapplications. Instead, the marketends up with devices and OSsoptimized to support both typesof applications—cloud andnative—providing the greatestoverall benefit and experience tothe user.Orascom Telecom reports financialresults for Q3Egypt: Orascom Telecomhas posted a net lossof $975m for the thirdquarter, compared with aprofit a year earlier, whenit reported a one-off gainfrom its Egyptian mobilebusiness, Reuters hasreported. The telecoms firmblamed part of the declineon a strengthening of theEgyptian pound against theCanadian dollar which ledto a foreign exchange losson a loan to its Canadianbusiness. Net incomebefore minorities was$10m, down from $934m inthe third quarter of 2010,it said.December 2011www.teletimesinternational.com23