Mobile app use to grow 90 percent per year through 2016

Apps appear to be the future of web browsing. According to recent research, the beginning of that future is fast approaching.

ABI Research's latest study on mobile applications accessed on tablet computers and smartphones predicts a 90 percent compound annual growth rate through the next five years. By 2016, more than 830 million users will be actively accessing mobile apps, ABI Research said.

The constant influx of new devices to the market is driving this shift in web browsing, according to Dan Shey, enterprise practice director at ABI Research.

“Mobile suppliers are providing the critical enablers boosting app adoption," Shey said.

As the still young tablet market continues to grow, Shey expects mobile developers to further expand the range of applications designed for consumers.

“There is no reason why most businesses could not offer [business to consumer] smartphone or tablet apps to their customers, regardless of business size," Shey said. "The challenge for mobile suppliers will be to promote and facilitate application development for all businesses with the opportunity to generate greater app service and management revenues.”

The media tablet market, which emerged suddenly with the introduction of Apple's iPad last April, is expected to grow from 19 million sales in 2010 to 172.4 million in 2014, according to separate research from the NBD Group.