In 2007, Apple launched the iPhone, effectively the first smartphone. With its touch-screen interface and ability to run lightweight apps, the iPhone revolutionized the mobile phone market. The arrival of the iPad tablet in 2010 increased the potential of mobile apps significantly, simply by offering a larger touch-screen.

In the wake of the iPhone and iPad has come a deluge of mobile devices, with Google’s Android operating system emerging as a serious competitor to Apple’s iOS technology. In addition to smartphones and tablets, the app paradigm is increasingly being used to enhance and connect all types of devices – from TVs to gaming systems to vehicles to utilities meters and beyond.