IDC: Mobile Middleware Hit Milestone in 2004, Will Continue To Increase In 2005-2009 Forecast Period

IDC has issued a new report that finds in 2004 and 2005, the mobile middleware market "has now cracked the half billion-dollar mark and witnessed a mobile middleware vendor breaching $100 million in revenue. IDC currently forecasts this market to increase to $1.4 billion in 2009, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.0%."

Stephen D. Drake at IDC said, "Organizations today are no longer in the early education stage but are rolling out real mobile deployments and are recognizing the strategic advantages of deploying such solutions."

IDC defines mobile middleware as consisting of a "software platform that includes server and/or client software that either extends the reach of existing IP or other mission-critical applications, or offers the ability to develop new applications for mobile users leveraging a variety of wireless devices. Mobile middleware may include the platform, front-end applications, and development tools as sold in a single offering. Mobile middleware software vendors offer their platforms to enterprise customers, wireless operators, device manufacturers, or other channel partners."