Citrix' Receiver virtualization client "runs on just about everything," including Android smartphones, Wolf says.

Citrix is also rumored to be repackaging its products and services to make it easier for customers to use its virtualization, remote-access and cloud services to offer in the short term the kind of virtual work-device for which VMware views the LG deal as a proof of concept.

The industry is still two years or more away from wide-scale adoption of any kind of BYOD enablement or the common use of virtual clients as the norm, Wolf says.

Companies like VMware and LG have to start putting together their technology, partnerships with carriers and use cases for customers now, however.

Users who want to operate much or most of the time from smartphones or very small mobile devices will probably remain a niche, but one big enough that any IT department will have to serve them, if only to avoid snubbing or reducing the productivity of employees in the field.