Thrutu’s Predictions/Hopes for Mobile in 2012

If you’ve read any blogs, tweets or those ol’ newspapers so far this year, you’ve noticed one message is already dominating 2012’s tech news – Mobile Rules. If CES was any predictor, this is definitely a year that will popularize many major advances in mobile networks and technologies. It’s an exciting time to be a mobile app company, and we at Thrutu are excited to be on the front lines and helping pioneer the charge towards a more mobile, interactive and user-friendly future. Here are some of our predictions (and hopes!) for mobile in 2012…

Better 4G – CES was a hotbed for 4G LTE phones and tablets. Three of the four major carriers launched mobile devices that operate on this network. We were happy to see that Verizon announced three 4G LTE enabled phones which allow simultaneous use of data and voice – an issue that has been a major disadvantage for Verizon phones in the past. The ability to make a phone call and use data at the same time is important for the next stages of innovation in the mobile industry, and we staunchly hope this trend continues.

Near-field communications – NFC is a wireless capability that enables mobile phones to collect or share data with other NFC enabled devices within a short range. This technology is most anticipated for its potential for making contactless mobile payments – think Google Wallet. You can already make payments with the PayPal for Thrutu button, but NFC technology would fast-forward us into an interactive, mobile-centric world. Besides mobile payments, NFC could enable many other cool capabilities like tapping a product in the grocery store to find price comparisons or exchanging business cards between phones.

Location services – This area of mobile began to make a mark last year, but we expect to see much more location-based technology pop up in 2012. Location-based advertising and search recommendations are going to get more accurate, more creative and more sophisticated. This is a trend that we’re excited to be at the forefront of as one of the first apps to have real-time location sharing with the Thrutu Location button.

Gamification – The addictive habit of badge-earning and levelling-up that Foursquare brought to the mainstream several years ago is about to finally hit its stride. Gamification saw significant upturn in 2011 as more companies, including non-mobile tech firms, sought to place a “game layer” atop their services, making everyday activities far more fun. Strong user reception has indicated it should be one of the hottest trends in mobile this year. Are you planning to play more of these games in 2012?

New iPhone – The iPhone 4S introduced last fall is best known for one new feature – Siri. We at Thrutu can’t help speculating about what the next iteration will bring (and when it might arrive). Rumors are already swirling about the “iPhone 5,” and some hotly anticipated features are a redesigned antennae system and maybe even the removal of the home button to allow for a larger, more interactive screen – all the better for interactively sharing with Thrutu.

1 Million+ downloads of Thrutu? – Bring it on! This is the year for many new mobile technologies to explode into the mainstream, and Thrutu has a head start. As smartphones get smarter, Thrutu’s instant data sharing capabilities are becoming ever more relevant to users’ needs for their mobile devices. Yes, we’re partial, but Thrutu is poised to help define the future of mobile innovation.

What are your mobile predictions for 2012? We want to hear them! Leave a comment below, or find us on Facebook or Twitter.

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