IT and Society: By 2015 mobile and cloud computing are predicted to become the most in-demand platforms

Information technology professionals predict that mobile and cloud computing will emerge as the most in-demand platforms for software application development and IT delivery over the next five years, according to a new IBM survey.

The 2010 IBM Tech Trends Survey, conducted online by IBM developerWorks, provides insight into the most significant enterprise technology and industry trends based on responses from 2,000 IT developers and specialists across 87 countries.  

According to the survey, more than half of all IT professionals – 55 percent — expect mobile software application development for devices such as iPhone and Android, and even tablet PCs like iPad and PlayBook, will surpass application development on all other traditional computing platforms by 2015.

With the proliferation of these mobile devices, industry analysts are predicting mobile applications sales will undergo massive growth over the next three years, with estimates of mobile application revenues expanding from $6.2 billion this year to nearly $30 billion by 2013

IBM has also launched the first developerWorks mobile application for the Apple iPhone, providing developers around the world with mobile access to build skills and network with colleagues using the professional social networking platform, My developerWorks, built on IBM Lotus Connections.