Coffee lovers, rejoice! Smartphone users can now pay for their cups of joe at Dunkin’ Donuts via a new mobile app. A new study reveals that tablet sales will balloon in the next four years, while other industry research suggests that mobile ads are viewed most favorably on iPhones. And, in advance of the fast-approaching Sept. 12 iPhone 5 announcement, Apple fans are voicing their “wish lists” for the new device.

While “America Runs on Dunkin’,” consumers can now run the brand’s new mobile app on their smartphones. The donut and coffee retailer debuted its app for iPhone, iPod Touch and Android devices, allowing breakfast fans everywhere to connect and engage with the brand, pay for their coffee virtually, score promotions and interact with Dunkin’ social communities. In a MediaPost interview, John Costello, Dunkin’ Brands’ chief marketing and innovation officer, said Dunkin’ built the cross-functional app to develop deeper relationships with its customers. The free app is now available in the Apple App Store and the Google Play store.

In tablet news, annual sales are expected to surge to 450 million by 2016. While tablets may never completely replace personal desktop computers, they are supplementing larger-screen experiences, Business Insider reports. According to BI Intelligence, there are several drivers to this anticipated tablet explosion – average sales prices are dropping, increased penetration in existing markets, disruptive technologies, and multiple emerging markets ripe for the tablet opportunity. Tablet costs have dropped substantially in the past year – the iPad, for example, is down more than 11 percent from its 2011 price tag – making it more affordable for the masses. Tablets also provide myriads of apps and content such as music, movies, TV shows and magazines, allowing for greater media consumption.

Consumers are exposed to hundreds – maybe even thousands – of ads each day, and as advertisers struggle to optimize app visibility, they’re increasingly turning to Apple’s iPhone. According to a new survey from the Online Publishers Association, iPhone users are more favorable to mobile ads than those on Android. Industry experts, however, advise advertisers to take this research with a grain of salt, saying they shouldn’t be swayed to one platform or another. “This places Android and iOS as equal peers and, given these ads are typically delivered inside apps or through the Web, it is likely advertisers will treat both dominant platforms equally,” technology analyst Rob Enderle said to CIO.

And with the calendar quickly racing toward the rumored Sept. 12 iPhone 5 and iOS 6 reveal, Apple enthusiasts are voicing their desired “wish lists” of features. In particular, gaming enthusiasts are hoping for a bigger screen (the single most important way to enhance the gaming experience,) more gigabytes for more storage, haptic technology, improved graphics technology and support for an external controller, reports MODOJO.

It’s no surprise that mobile apps have played a role in U.S. job creation and economic growth over the past few years – consumers everywhere have an insatiable appetite for buying the newest smartphones and downloading the hottest new apps. Now, new industry research reveals just how large the mobile app industry has become here in America. We’ll explore this, along with some important new updates from the Mobile Marketing Association and the latest round of Apple rumors, in this week’s Fiksu Feed.

The Next Web’s Jon Russell reports that the mobile app industry has created nearly half a million jobs in America. A recently released study commissioned by TechNet shows that in the last five years alone, more than 466,000 new jobs have been created across the U.S. mobile app industry. The data shows that California is the leading state for app-related jobs, while New York is listed as the top metro area – however jobs are well spread across the entire country. Russell writes, “The [mobile app] industry is also bringing economic benefits and the report concludes that last year, it produced $20 billion in revenue, with Apple’s App Store alone registered as having 124,475 active publishers adding content to it.”

On Thursday, the Mobile Marketing Association released an updated version of its Universal Mobile Ad Package, making it easier for companies to create, buy and sell mobile ads for smartphones and tablets. FierceMobileContent’s Sue Marek reports that ad networks and publishers will have until the end of April to become compliant with these new guidelines, which were developed with heavy industry and public input. To view the full guidelines, check out MMA Universal Mobile Ad Package (registration is required).

A new surge of Apple rumors has the industry buzzing. CNET’s Lance Whitney reports that Apple’s iOS 5.1 update may come as soon as March 9. Mashable’s Peter Pachal writes that the iPhone 5 may be gearing up for production this summer – sporting a four-inch or larger screen. And finally, John Paczkowski of All Things D writes that Apple will launch its next iPad in March during a special event in San Francisco. Though speculation abounds, take these rumors with a grain of salt, warns CNET’s Whitney. Given Apple’s super-secretive nature, only time will tell if these latest predictions are fact or fiction.