At Mobile World Congress, it was quite clear that there’s a current around mobile apps. A recent Seeking Alpha article, “Will the Fickle Hand of Fashion Swing Against Mobile Apps?” pointed out T-Mobile’s advert on the London Underground, which read, “Would you like a free phone with apps for just £20 a month?” Both Apple and Google are throwing us apps, 24/7.

The writer asked whether people will really want an ongoing relationship with a handset manufacturer, and to keep adding new stuff to their device.

We think so. If companies like Apple and Google can keep the trust they’ve earned from millions and millions of smartphone owners, apps will become even more ubiquitous. The mobile phone is something most people never leave behind. We personalize our homes, cars, even our desks at the office; if given the option, we’ll personalize our phones.

There’s a fine line between gauche and geeky, and both are okay. But the bigger story here is that the phone isn’t just fashion. It’s function. And apps make our lives easier. I no longer need to purchase a GPS, or call the movie theater just to ask a question, or call that ex-client’s brother to ask which restaurant he took me to the last time I was in Nashville. I can access all the info I need just with my phone.

Most importantly, however, are the apps that aren’t just convenient, but necessary. A mobile office application that keeps you productive, even when you can’t (or don’t want to) get to your computer, has become a must-have among today’s workers.

We’re a bit biased, but we think apps are here to stay.