The second half of this year should be marked by a number of carrier deals that includes mobile widgets. Mobile widget are small portable pieces of code or applications that provide bite sized pieces of information or functionality.
I think three factors will make 2009 an important year for widget platform vendors.
1) The success of the Palm Pre and its operating system, which is based on widget like technology, will put pressure on handset vendors to respond.
2) Carriers have had plenty of time to evaluate solutions and formulate their strategies and will move into implementing solutions.
3) Standards are being consolidated, reducing fragmentation risk and uncertainty.
In an interview last week Jon von Tetzchner, the CEO of Opera, said a large browsing deal with a US carrier is imminent providing further evidence that the market is about to pop. Although he did not specifically mention widgets, Opera's widget solution is powered by the browser so it is highly possible that the deal may include widgets. Jon also indicated that the solution would be white labeled which is similar to the widget deal that Opera completed with Vodafone last year. Once Opera closes this deal competitors will undoubtedly follow suit.
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