According to a recent eMarketer article based on a report from DM2PRO and Quattro Wireless, apps for social networks in addition to mobile apps are under consideration by more marketers than ever before. Among those marketers who already had an app in 2009, Facebook was the leading platform.

Spending on social apps, however, will stagnate even though more marketers have already developed the applications.

Fewer than one-half of marketers created either a mobile or social app in 2009, but most plan to invest in a mobile app this year. The iPhone is the platform of choice, followed by Android.

There’s some solid reasoning behind the choice to move more resources to mobile. According to Scott Monty “The strategy: [is to] create more opportunity for engagement with customers. On social networks, we’ll see a greater opportunity for reach, targeting and sharing, but with mobile there’s more creative control and the ability to have a message stick with the recipient longer.”

The top one-third of marketers using mobile apps planned to up their investments by 75% or more. The reasons:

• increase in mobile use by target audience
• increased standardization in mobile
• better tools to build mobile apps
• and notably: the ability to create flashed based cross-platform apps.

Summary: during 2010 we are going to see interesting cross-platform app based campaigns leveraging each of  the distinct characteristics of social and mobile.