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Posts tagged apps vs mobile websites
ZDNet: “The Mobile Web is Dead, Long Live the App”
Jan 22nd
A recent post by Matt Baxter-Reynolds over at ZDNet raised some interesting points, with the central idea being that mobile apps are triumphing/have triumphed over the mobile web.
“The Mobile Web is Dead, Long Live the App”
Many people, ourselves included, have discussed the advantages and disadvantages of developing for the mobile web versus mobile apps. Our viewpoint generally tends to favor investing in both, given that they serve different purposes, but we understand where Mr. Baxter-Reynolds is coming from.
In his post, he talks about two forces operating on the mobilesphere.
The first is that customers have come to expect excellent experiences, which they typically get with apps, but don’t necessarily get when browsing the web via mobile device. Native apps are faster, more full-featured, and generally offer a smoother experience than the mobile web. This is natural, given that native apps are developed with a specific platform in mind, while the mobile web is a one-size fits all experience. And plenty of pages aren’t mobile-optimized, leading to unreadable text, clunky interfaces, slow loading, and an all-around irritating time for many users.
The second force is the ease with which a native app can be developed. In an earlier time, developing downloadable software was more difficult, and was riddled with problems for many developers. However, as Mr. Baxter-Reynolds points out, developer tools like those offered by Apple for those creating apps for the App Store, were a gamechanger. Instead of being difficult and plagued with issues, native software now works with greater regularity than the mobile web does. Thus, his conclusion that the mobile web is “dead.”
We believe both the mobile web and mobile apps are important to any business.
While some developers will be better served by focusing in on mobile apps, from a perspective of small businesses trying to reach the maximum number of prospects, the mobile web is critical. Mobile search traffic is high and any business with a decent, mobile-optimized website can capture a portion of it, boosting walk-ins, orders, and revenue on a regular basis. Ignoring the mobile web at this point would be a very costly mistake, so readers are cautioned to understand the context that Mr. Baxter-Reynolds is speaking from.
Of course, with Bizness Apps, no one has to make these hard decisions! Our packages include easy-to-create mobile websites AND apps for both iOS and Android platforms.
No matter where the mobile world is headed, we’ve got you covered.
We Check in on the Mobile App vs Mobile Website Debate
Oct 22nd
Unless you’ve been living under a rock that blocks Wi-Fi, you’ve probably heard that the world has reached the tipping point where mobile activity is surging ahead of desktop and PC activity. And as businesses strive to move along with the trends and stay close to their target markets, many are wondering how best to approach “the mobile issue.”
Mobile strategies boil down to two main channels for connecting with your community: 1) mobile websites that are accessed via device browsers and that are written in HTML5, and 2) native apps that are downloaded to devices and written in the programming language that is specific to that device (e.g. Apple devices run the iOS operating system, while others run Android, or the Windows Phone system, for example).
Both have their advantages and disadvantages, and many outlets have analyzed them at length, arriving at various conclusions. But because there is no one-size-fits-all for every business, the debate has not resolved in favor of one strategy or another. Instead, many industry participants now recommend that businesses publish both a mobile website and an app, maximizing opportunities and leaving no user or function behind.
That said, the decision still remains one that each business must address for itself. To help guide those that are new to the mobile arena, here are the pros and cons of each channel:
Mobile App
• Users spend about 80 percent of their mobile time each day on apps, but much of this time is spent on games (about 30% of the daily total) and social platforms (about 20% of the daily total).
• Apps function more smoothly and more quickly than mobile websites.
• Apps are more robust, with access to more device features (e.g. GPS, accelerometer).
• Apps need to be written for a variety of platforms in order to be used on various devices.
Mobile Website
• Users spend only 20 percent of their mobile time in a browser.
• A mobile website can be built once and then be usable across all devices (and is therefore findable by all users worldwide).
• A mobile website is more limited in function, and typically won’t work as smoothly as an app.
Of course, with Bizness Apps, you don’t have to choose between the two. You get both a mobile app and a mobile website included in one low monthly fee!
If you’re ready to “go mobile,” click here to learn more about the web’s easiest way to build and deploy simple, beautiful mobile apps and websites.
