The next big opportunity for mobile developers is in enterprise tools, Donovan said. Business applications require different skills than consumer mobile software because components such as security, privacy and device control are basic requirement. But enterprises are now embracing personal mobile devices, he said.

"CIOs have stopped fighting the concept that someone would rather bring a $500 device that's their own into the business and use it, rather than carry it alongside a $100 device that the enterprise gave you," Donovan said.

Overall, software needs to become more standardized, in the same way that networks converged around IP (Internet Protocol) over the past decade, Donovan said. For example, software needs to talk to other software and share data now.

"The vertical stacks which were so great to rapidly stand up the Web have become insufficient to drive really rich applications," he said.

As part of this trend, AT&T strongly supports HTML5, but there is more work to be done before that next-generation Web development language can be used for rich mobile applications, Donovan said. HTML5 applications will need access to services on a device such as cameras and location, and access to information that provides context. AT&T is working with Sencha to prioritize the many elements that HTML5 applications will need, he said.