Just how big is the mobile application industry? Bigger than you might expect.

But along with the enormous opportunities for app developers who have some 10 billion mobile devices around the world to target, there are enormous challenges at hand when it comes to punching through the competition.

So how can a developer and his or her apps stand out? It’s a process that begins by understanding trends and the overall direction of the mobile app industry.

To help facilitate that understanding, a new infographic produced by the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s online masters in management information systems, is a must view for every dev looking ahead to the future by first capitalizing on lessons learned from the past.