The following is an article from the NJ Entrepreneur about the new market for mobile device application development. It’s interesting to consider the increasing role mobile devices play for companies to engage and connect with their customers and employees. And how much more people use them professionally and for personal enjoyment.
I upgraded to the new iPhone this summer and have just scratched the surface for apps I can use as business tools. Not to mention the games the teens in my life have managed to load up on my phone. At least I can now organize all my apps by categories. 
Mobile Device Apps—The Entrepreneurial Gold Rush
So much of entrepreneurship is about identifying solutions to problems that also offer the prospect of making money. Such is the case following the founding of Apple’s mobile device App Store in July 2008. Since its launch an entrepreneurial gold rush has occurred with the development of approximately 225,000 third party applications for iPhones, iPod Touches and iPads, resulting in over 5 billion downloads. …
…Universities such as NJIT have also seen opportunities associated with the rapid growth of mobile device technology. Since its first app class in January 2009, NJIT has instructed over 100 individuals on iPhone app development. Certified iPhone OS Instructor Tim Kellers has been on the front line in an industry that offers money making opportunities to technically experienced individuals, as well as those who have had little or no prior training. Offered both in class or on line, participants can build an app in as little as the 6 to 8 weeks of each course’s schedule.
Read the full article…