Technology: Gartner Identifies 10 Consumer Mobile Applications to Watch in 2012

Mobile apps themselves will not only generate revenue ($15.9 billion in expected end-user spending in 2012) but will also drive hardware sales, advertising spending and technology innovation in the mobile space, says Gartner.

Gartner also expects brand companies to increasingly shift their marketing budget to the mobile channel, and experiment with cutting-edge apps to capture marketing and sales opportunities.