IBM has expanded its MobileFirst application development portfolio with the addition of 18 new studios around the world to help businesses maximise the value of mobility.
The new offerings include a range of tools designed to help developers create and manage mobile apps and a new version of IBM Worklight that focuses on user experience optimisation. Pre-configured, industry ready apps also take centre stage.
"For a mobile app innovator, what you can do in a day, week, a month, because of the API economy is astonishing," according to Jerry Cuomo, CTO of IBM WebSphere.
"You can invent something that changes the world in a very short space of time. Years ago, it was amazing the things you had to have in your head in order to build an enterprise application. Now, we've lightened the load."
Jim Deters, co-founder and CEO of Galvanize, added: "Yes, now you pay by the drink - you pay only for what you're using."
The idea behind IBM's MobileFirst initiative is to respond to the growing demand from consumers and enterprise users who expect applications to work whenever and wherever regardless of device. This latest announcement from IBM aims to make it easier for organisations large and small to expedite the design, delivery and deployment of mobile apps so that benefits are maximised and risks such as data leakage are minimised.
"As mobile apps become a primary touch point with clients, the stakes run high to delight consumers. At the same time, the cost of a poorly designedapp can significantly impact both the brand and bottom line," said Marie Wieck, general manager, IBM MobileFirst.
"IBM's mobile platform, apps and studios are designed to help businesses accelerate the adoption of a mobile strategy for business growth."
