Juniper Research has calculated that the revenue generated by mobile applications will treble in the next five years, from just under $10 billion in 2009 to $32 billion (£22 billion) in 2015. That figure includes the cost of buying apps ('pay-per-download'), value-added services (including subscription charges) and advertising.
The report also warns against developers favouring the iPhone and neglecting other operating systems, particularly those used in developing markets.
Dr Windsor Holden, the report's author, said "If the mobile industry wishes to introduce a model based on applications, then it must ensure that those applications are accessible by a wide range of handsets ranging from smartphones to mass market devices."