The fundamental business model at the heart of the U.S. mobile industry is largely the same as it has been: Consumers pay for monthly buckets of voice minutes and data usage, signing lengthy contracts in exchange for buying a high-tech phone for a pittance. But 2013 may bring real disruption to the industry for the first time since Apple introduced the iPhone and iTunes App Store. Upstart carriers are embracing noncellular technologies to provide cut-rate services, third-party developers are gaining traction with cheap (or free) alternatives to SMS, and a major U.S. operator is preparing to drop handset subsidies. Next year could be the most important, eventful year we’ve seen in mobile in a long time.
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