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The first wave of banking and fintech apps got high marks for delivering features that allowed time-crunched users to tackle important tasks. But the next wave of personal finance apps is going one giant step better by not going it alone. Driven by the realization that there is real strength in numbers, smart fintech companies are pairing, partnering and joining forces to deliver apps that offer life solutions (not point solutions) aligned with users’ lifestyles, life stages and context at the magical “mobile moment” when they reach to their fiercely personal devices for seriously helpful assistance.

Content companies under pressure experiment with new formats and technologies in search of new ways to meet consumer demand for snackable and relatable content delivered how, when and where they want it. Lewis D’Vorkin, Forbes Chief Product Officer, is pursuing a comprehensive strategy to accomplish both. I catch up with D’Vorkin to discuss how the company is reinventing the mobile app user experience with the help of new technology that removes friction, increases engagement and opens up additional opportunities for monetization.

Your app is serious business and that's why you must map out a soft launch strategy to find out if it has hit potential before you burn cash launching it to major markets. You have to test the waters (ensuring your app has what it takes to be a commercial success) before you take the plunge. To help you determine if your app and strategy are on the money I caught up with Oliver Kern, who has helped app companies ranging from indies to market giants launch and scale their mobile businesses.

Millions of mobile apps, billions of users and trillions of sensors add up to countless opportunities for brands and marketers to deliver relevant experiences and advertising — provided they can 'listen' to the data signals that indicate user intent.

The best services are ones that reduce friction and increase customer benefit, and mobile banking apps are winning on both counts. Will Jones, President, EMEA, Monitise, examines some newly-released industry insights, and concludes that banking apps, and the convenience they offer, have triggered an amazing and unexpected shift in user behavior.

From user acquisition and understanding LTV, and from tackling app discovery to taking your app global, my 330+ page guide (written in partnership with InMobi) provides you everything you need to turn your app into a serious and sustainable business. I draw from dozens of real world case studies, developer interviews, and in-depth research to help developers make the right choices at every stage of the app life-cycle.

From searching for retailers and businesses nearby to conducting commerce and transactions, we have clearly come to rely on our mobile phones to access advice and make the right decisions.

We can do more with our screens — so it follows we will also come to expect more from our screens. It’s a dependence that spells opportunity for small business …

As mobile takes a center role in our lives —becoming the device we reach for to access information, conduct transactions and manage our homes, cars and daily routine — an increasing number of serious security concerns move to the forefront. Ciaran Bradley examines this evolution and the impact on key members of the ecosystem, particularly mobile operators.

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