The transformation of the mobile phone from a voice communications device to a multimedia device integrating voice, video and data has revolutionized businesses and lifestyles. The smartphone market in India continues to show steady growth, with consumers opting for a rich array of features such as Web browsing and video streaming offered by these devices.

Mobile application platforms play an important role in enabling the use of Web 2.0 applications on mobile phones without compromising on the experience that users have on PCs.

According to analyst firm Gartner, the number of smart phones across the world will grow from 297 million units in 2010 to 792 million units by 2013. Gartner also forecasts that smart phones will comprise 38 percent of total mobile devises available in the market by 2013 (Source: Mobile Devices, Worldwide, 2008-2015, 1Q11 Update, Gartner Research, March 2011).

The growing popularity of smartphones and multimedia devices can be attributed to the versatility promised by these devices. Several enterprise smartphones and consumer multimedia feature phones have recently been launched, and mobile service companies are offering services built around them to their clients. Adding to it, the ease in usage and security features, continue to help make smartphones the best choice as next-generation communication devices, for both the consumers and business enterprises.

Among other technical components, semiconductor companies support mobile technologies with processors that help add many versatile applications into mobile devices. For instance, the OMAP processors from Texas Instruments (TI) enable OEMs to include future generation applications and processing power to cater to a wide range of devices that span beyond communications – from computing and multi-display capabilities to always-on Web browsing and more. With higher degrees of performance at lower power levels, TI’s OMAP 4 processors, for example, enable mobile device manufacturers to address applications needed for feature-rich handsets, while also providing head room and programmability to support applications that are yet to be imagined.