The Yankee Group has released its latest report, titled The Mobile App Gold Rush Speeds Up, which found that the price of smartphone apps has risen since last year. It also discovered that AT&T customers download the most apps, and a few other compelling tidbits about the smartphone application market. Read the full story here.

Research2guidance, a market researcher, says the worldwide smartphone application market will grow from $1.94 billion in 2009 to $15.65 billion by 2013. Its driven by smartphone growth. They estimate smartphone users will increase globally from about 100 million last year to 970 million by the end of 2013.

The worldwide number of consumers using smartphone applications will grow from 102 Million (2009) to 974 Million in 2013. Currently, only 10% of Fortune 2000 companies are targeting their customers with a smartphone application. Click here for more.

It's only a matter of time before employees want to use their smartphones for everything. So CIOs need to start thinking about smartphone apps as part of their enterprise application strategy.

[ youtube video link for mobile viewing ] At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona last week RIM brought forth the notion of "Super Apps" to the smartphone world. It wasn't that RIM introduced any new apps here, but defined what makes a smartphone application great and cited some examples of existing BlackBerry apps that fit that description: Poynt, eBay for BlackBerry, 7Digital Music ...

My, how things change in a year. Verizon Wireless last week announced what is believed to be an exclusive joint smartphone application with Skype that will be free starting next month and available to certain smartphone users who already subscribe to a Verizon voice and data plan. It's a remarkable about-face, considering that during last year's CTIA show, someone stood up during a ...

Cable channel Turner Classic Movies announced the introduction of a premium mobile application promising smartphone users a complete programming schedule alongside hundreds of movie clips, trailers and network promos, all presented in their original aspect ratios. According to TCM, the app will include movie schedules extending up to two months in advance, personalized for each viewer's respe...

First Auto Show iPhone App to Be Unveiled in New York. NEW YORK -- Marking the first-ever smartphone application for an auto show, the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) will launch its new app prior to the Show in April. The interactive, informational, easy to use and free application will include a wide range of functions to enhance the auto show experience and will be available for... [

San Francisco - Flurry, a provider of smartphone application analytics and monetization platforms, announced on Tuesday that it has raised $7 million in its second round of financing, led by InterWest Partners.read more

Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo called on smartphone application developers to turn their attention to emerging countries.