What makes mobile apps so appealing?

Given the fact that well over 1 billion mobile applications are now available through third-party marketplaces, it has become clear that apps now serve as the straw that stirs the drink that is mobile technology. Whether it's a time-wasting game or an on-the-go productivity suite, mobile users can't seem to get enough.

But what is it that makes mobile applications so appealing? Mobile apps have only achieved mainstream status in the past five years or so, but most users can't live without them.

It seems that the popularity of mobile applications boils down to the simple concept of convenience. For enterprise users, apps can provide quick and easy portals through which to access the company's network, while they give consumers all of the digital content and information they desire within a few screen taps on their tablet computer or smartphone.

In 2010, now-former Research In Motion co-CEO Jim Balsillie called mobile apps little more than glorified mobile internet bookmarks by saying “you don’t need an app for the web." However, users have effectively debunked such claims, as the popularity of apps continues to shoot skyward.