Cloud computing is enabling Mobility to grow by increasing speed and quality. The Cloud is Cheaper, Better and Faster than the old Client/Server model. As the cloud network grows and develops, innovation, better design and the use of rich media will increase. This will demand an increase of the power of devices. We, as a people, have already begun to adopt this technology into our everyday lives. Desktop PC users will be far and few between.
Companies that are struggling at implementing this new Mobility concept may be facing a common obstacle. They are lumping it in with IT. Mobility should be it's own department, perhaps led by a Chief Mobility Officer and completely independent of IT and it's leadership. This is because Mobility must deal w/ multiple departments. IT is just one of them. Providing employees with company standard devices may also be a bad decision. The future may lead to companies giving employees a stipend to get the mobile device they want. That way, they are comfortable with the device and use it freely and more often. This would also reduce costs since the devices will not be controlled by the IT dept.
There are risks however. Currently, 60 million phones are lost or stolen per year. 99% of cell phone data is not backed up and Passwords and Remote Wipe are not a fail safe.* Dealing with security of the devices is may prove difficult. However, storing content on the Cloud may be solution for data backup. Perhaps all data will eventually be stored and streamed from the Cloud, making the device itself worthless to common thief. That is, of course, if the Cloud can be secured.
*Bender Consulting
