By 2017, mobile apps will be downloaded more than 268 billion times, generating revenue of more than $77 billion (€56.2 billion) and making apps one of the most popular computing tools for users across the globe, according to latest figures from Gartner. As a result, Gartner predicts that mobile users will provide personalised data streams to more than 100 apps and services every day. "Mobile apps have become the official channel to drive content and services to consumers," said Brian Blau, research director at Gartner. "This connection to consumer services means users are constantly funnelling data through mobile apps. As users continue to adopt and interact with apps, it is their data - what they say, what they do, where they go - that is transforming the app interaction paradigm." Currently, apps often provide an opportunity for brands to reach and engage with customers in a direct way, and therefore data coming from the user is often treated as a resource. This is especially true of free apps, which in 2013 account for 92 per cent of app downloads. App users are providing troves of data and often accept advertising or data connectivity in exchange for access to the app. Gartner said that brands and businesses are already using mobile apps as a primary component of their user engagement strategies, and as the use of mobile devices, including wearable devices, expands into other areas of consumer and business activities, mobile apps will become even more significant. Report