Context-aware apps offer customized experiences by using information about a person -- interests, schedule, social connections, and the like -- to anticipate their needs. The startup Clever Sense,
winner of this year's Fortune Brainstorm Tech Startup Idol competition, did just that with "Alfred," a mobile app with an artificial intelligence engine that recommended restaurants, cafes, bars and nightclubs. Though Clever Sense was recently
acquired by Google
(GOOG), companies like it will continue to innovate in the space. Over the next year, Gartner predicts mobile carriers and handset manufacturers may get in on the action too, providing expanded location and features like directory assistance.
NEXT: Gamification goes mainstream
