Worldwide mobile device sales to consumers exceeded 1.6 billion units in 2010, a 31.8 percent increase from 2009, with smartphones leading the way, according to Gartner Inc.

What are the key trends with mobile applications and what will Apple, Google, Microsoft, Research In Motion and others do that will affect brands in their marketing and commerce?

Sony Ericsson has tapped NeoMedia Technologies Inc., a mobile bar code scanning service provider, to have the bar code reading technology preloaded on its mobile devices.

Scanbuy Inc.’s mobile bar code application ScanLife is being preloaded on Sony Ericsson camera-enabled mobile devices.