As enterprises mobile enable their applications, they are providing variety of mobile devices to their workforce who can access these applications from anywhere. Such proliferation of devices come with certain associated risks.

• Device loss or theft: Physical loss of the device is the first risk which leads to productivity and loss of sensitive data.
• Unauthorized network penetration: Since mobile devices provide a variety of network connectivity options like Bluetooth/Wi Fi, they are easy targets of malicious attacks. Attackers who gain access to a mobile device may be able to impersonate a legitimate user and gain access to the corporate network.
• Intercepted or corrupted data:  With so many business transactions taking place over mobile devices, there is always concern that critical data could be intercepted along the path through the Internet cloud, via tapped phone lines or intercepted microwave transmissions.
• Malicious software: Though traditional desktop malwares like viruses, Trojan horses, and worms are not yet that significant in mobile devices, there is a growing consensus among security experts that mobile devices will be targeted.
• Unsupported or unsigned applications: Older applications that are no longer supported, while they may still work, are dangerous because they may be vulnerable to attack by new viruses. If an unsigned application is installed on a device, it could make changes to a device that would jeopardize its security.

Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) is a paradigm for organizing and utilizing distributed capabilities that may be under the control of different ownership domains. It enables applications to work across different platforms.

In SOA based solution, web services are consumed by the frontend for fetching and updating data in the backend enterprise systems. SOA does not solve all the issues faced in the mobile environment but it simplifies the way mobile solutions are designed and developed. The loose coupling of SOA elements simplifies the re-use of existing services, allows abstracting implementation details, and eases the composition of mobile devices.

We are seeing SOA in action across different layers of a typical mobile application.

• On the Device Layer, where the applications can rely on features provided by the operating system or by others applications. iPhone and Android promotes such kind of integration. As an example, an application does not have to contain the “take a picture” functionality, but can just use the “take a picture” service provided by the operating system (OS), which deals with the built-in camera.

• On the Business Layer, the middleware used between the mobile devices and the servers may also use services. It is typically the case inside Enterprise Service Buses (ESB) or data mediation middleware.

• On the Service Layer, SOA has already demonstrated its utility. By relying on decoupled (local or remote) components, enterprise applications won in term of modularity, maintainability and clarity.

In the logistics business, one of the key differentiators is the ability to keep customers notified about the status of their shipments in real time.

With mobile logistics solutions, one can track and manage on-time performance of deliveries in process and improve routing efficiencies for its Expedited Services customers. A key enabler is the ability to scan barcodes, providing more information transparency at all phases of the delivery cycle.

The application allows drivers to receive scheduled stops for a route as well as to receive unscheduled stops during the course of a day. Each stop provides account, company, address and pickup instruction information and enables the field force staff/driver to scan packages as they are picked up or to provide comments if no packages are available for pickup

The application allows field force staff/ driver to scan packages as they are delivered and collect status, recipient name, signature, and comments for each stop. The collected information is provided to the central system for proof-of-delivery and package tracking purposes.

This Proof-of-Delivery Mobile Application provides seamless user experience, validating information, receiving dispatches, recording pick-ups, receiving alerts or notifications, and customer confirmation. The information collected in the field is integrated with billing, dispatch, and the customer service portal. Now, information is accurate and actionable for other employees and customers.

By 2014, Banking and stock trading from mobile phones will become part of the daily routine of nearly 2.2 billion consumers worldwide says a study from Insight Research Corp (IRC).  According to IRC, mobile financial applications together will generate nearly $124 billion for application developers and cell phone companies providing access to their applications. Banking services can be accessed through text messaging, the mobile Web and mobile applications.  Mobile application users typically constitute a big chunk of mobile banking users—40 percent are iPhone or iPod touch users, according to Celent, a research firm. There are still lot many who use SMS and mobile web to access the services. From the early days of checking account balances, initiating account transfers and bill payments, mobile banking  has moved on. One of the recent trends in mobile banking is mobile remote deposit capture. This functionality allows bank customers to deposit the cheque using their mobile phones. All they need to do is take a picture of the front and back of a cheque to make the deposit.

Banks and financial institutions have been successful with basic services like notifications and status updates, but more opportunities lie in providing complete control of accounts from the mobile device, enabling every transaction that one could perform via the Internet or at a branch in person.

Plan your vacation without looking at your business calendar. Mobile applications make enterprise applications available anywhere you go.

Payroll applications available on mobile devices make it possible to run payroll from anywhere. With businesses looking for flexibility and agility in their business processes, mobile applications are becoming one of the tools in accomplishing them.

Some of the common features across Mobile Payroll applications are:

• Ability to run payroll for both salaried and contractual employees
• Access to Employee Master Data
• Supports multiple payment methods like direct deposit, cheque etc.,
• Past payroll history for individual employees
• Email Notifications
• Pay stubs through Emails

Some of mobile Payroll applications also have the ability to incorporate the state and federal tax regulations so that errors on account of different tax structures can be avoided, compare take home amounts in different payroll situations for the employees and also compare take home amounts in different geographic locations.