Stage models of middleware platforms and applications: Transitions in the mobile application landscape

The mobile application development is drastically changing its technical landscape. The author discusses the two major aspects: mobile middle platforms and application stores. Emerging players including Apple and Google pose a challenge toward the existing bundled application model. The author discusses the current technology landscape for middleware and third-party software development ecosystem. The author proposes two stage models for application development and middleware platform development. These two stage models are aligned and provide the stage-awareness for the mobile software development. The author provides some lessons learned from the Japanese mobile business development for the open platform competition for mobile content.