Several years ago, I presented at an SIIA conference on the future of mobility. At the time, I said the future of mobile would evolve in three phases: get connected, connect seamlessly and connect broadly. Connect seamlessly was about devices being able to sense which networks are available and automatically switch to the proper network for the task without any user intervention. For example, if a user is at an airport and needs to download a presentation, the connection would automatically authenticate the user to the Wi-FI network. This vision assumes that carriers would offer plans that deliver multiple connections such as WiFI and 3G under one umbrella and have the software to allow this seamlessness to occur. Connecting broadly speaks to the vast number of devices beyond phones and tablets that are being connected including cars, sensors, medical devices etc. Now I would say we are well underway with get connected and the future evolution is about connecting seamlessly, connecting broadly and connecting contextually. This will change the world of collaboration because:

• Services will become people-centric, but device and network agnostic. We’re moving from a world of one device per person to multiple devices per person. We are moving from a world of one wired connection per home to numerous wireless connections – and possibly some wired as well. The old world of telecom was based on one service per device (e.g. cellphone, laptop data card, TV) and services were based on what access network was required to deliver the service (e.g. DSL, 3G, PSTN voice). Additionally, services were classified as either business or consumer contracts and the rates varied. The future of telecom turns this model on its ear. It simplifies the morass of products by charging for the individual instead of the number of devices or types of networks they use. In the future, a person will subscribe to connectivity, content, and value-added services, such as security.
• Services, not just devices, will be mobile. Mobility will take on a new meaning as not only will devices be portable but content and services will also be portable. Individuals will use a combination of cloud storage, SaaS, cloud media and remote desktop access to store, retrieve and consume content while on the go. Two-factor authentication services will be used to verify that the person attempting to access the content and services is authorized to do so. Many of today’s services are locked to the device or to the residence. For example, if you visit a client’s office you will only have access to guest Internet access. In the future, you’ll be able to authenticate on a device anywhere and ask it to deliver your services such a unified communications, collaboration services and SaaS to you. This doesn’t mean that devices will be dumb. It just means that certain services will also become portable. You’ve seen it happen in the consumer space with devices like the Slingbox that lets a consumer send their TV programming to other devices. The next iteration of these services will require less hardware and more software.
• Services will be contextual and relevant. Part of the nature of services going forward is that they will be semantic. This semantic notion doesn’t just apply to physical products and software. It also applies to cross-channel commerce and customer service. Context aware engagement delivers relevant communications and commerce opportunities by analyzing data such as: a physical location, who’s nearby, what device you are using? What your calendar says you should be doing and whom you are doing it with. As just one example, imagine that your car could check your GPS data and calendar; figure out you are running late for a meeting and dial the person you are meeting with to try to reschedule the time.
I’m not the only one thinking this is the next wave of services. AT&T’s CTO John Donavan predicted that by 2021, we can expect three things: 1) everything will be contextual and relevant; 2) Apps will become natural companions and 3) Hardware will disintegrate and software and services will integrate. While I believe there is much work to be done, AT&T’s vision makes sense. I personally believe customers will allow businesses to use their data, if and only if, we can provide relevant services. Come visit our session on Tuesday at 1:15 Mobile: Delivering New Context and Capabilities to Applications and Collaboration (Location: Room 313) to hear more. I look forward to seeing you there.