'Connected intelligence' next stage in mobile development

Andrew Gilbert: If it moves, or even it doesn't, we will connect it

All portable devices will be connected to the internet in the future, creating a new stage in the evolution of the mobile internet, according to the European president of chip manufacturer Qualcomm.

Andrew Gilbert said at the Open Mobile Summit in London this morning that, despite the industry having to " run to stay still" with the growth of data on mobile networks, this will only increase as all types of devices become connected.

"There are a huge range of benefits in a vast number of areas where connectivity will become pervasive," he said.

"For example, with wireless health monitoring a patient's data can be sent back remotely to hospitals, real-time traffic updates can improve road management, while smart metering and smart grids are already becoming popular."

The collection and transfer of data from objects will usher in a new era of data creation where users can gather data from social network groups and from any connected device and share this data with other devices, according to Gilbert.

"In essence, if it moves, or even it doesn't, we will connect it," he said.

Embedded connectivity is already set to become a requirement for all cars sold in the European Union after the European Commission selected Qualcomm chips to be installed into cars as part of the eCall system designed to enable vehicles to call the emergency services after an accident.

The growth in data on mobile networks and the use of portable internet-connected devices will also lead to a rise in peer-to-peer connectivity and greater deployment of femtocells in base stations, according to Gilbert.

Qualcomm will make its Mirasol technology available to the industry this year which can improve screen technology on mobile devices by negating issues of glare and increasing battery life by using a tenth of the power of LCD technology.

Gilbert believes that voice will ultimately be moved to IP, but that there are still good market opportunities for businesses to offer dedicated voice services, such as business-grade high-fidelity voice calls.