Mobile Web or Mobile Apps?
Having been in the mobile space for a number of years, I’m often asked by prospective customers whether they should develop a mobile website or create a downloadable application that runs on the handsets. The short answer is, it depends on what your trying to accomplish.
Developing for the Mobile Web
Web development on mobile phones has long suffered from a very rigid platform and the inability for mobile browsers to keep up with current web technologies. This is slowly changing, partially due to the recent spikes in Smartphone handset sales. With many handset manufacturers attempting to clone the iPhone’s usability and appeal, a larger focus has been placed on the content on mobile phones, which in turn, requires better software to render this content. For example, both the iPhone and Blackberry Bold browsers can view HTML pages and process JavaScript. Technologies such as Flash have been rumored to be coming in the near term, but it will take some time before its supported on a large number of devices.
The “Pros” for Developing Mobile Web Applications
- The cost of supporting a mobile web application is relatively cheap in comparison to a downloadable application
- Accordingly, the speed at which a mobile website can be created is relatively quick
- If you have an existing high traffic web destination, developing a mobile version makes sense as your site already has a brand attached to it and a loyal following
- Higher-end devices are beginning to support existing desktop browser capabilities thus making the delta between your mobile and desktop browser experience smaller
- Deployment of a mobile website is quite simple
- The mobile web allows you to develop on a single platform and target the broadest set of launched across all handsets
The “Cons” for Developing Mobile Web Applications
- Currently, mobile websites are unable to take advantage of device specific features
- Ex: For the same reasons you can’t use a website to burn a CD, you cannot use a mobile website to access your phone’s contact list
- This is why high traffic sites such as Facebook will create both a mobile website and downloadable application
- Relatively speaking, interfaces on mobile websites are quite poor and clunky resulting in a less than desirable user experience
- Currently, support for AJAX and DHTML technologies is quite limited
- Despite developing for a single platform, developers must take into account mobile device idiosyncrasies across different handsets, firmware versions and operators
- Users must be connected at all times… there is no concept of an “offline mode”
- With the increase in mobile handset vendors, there has also been an increase in browser fragmentation
- On the web, typically developers are focused on Firefox, Opera, Internet Explorer and Safari
- In the mobile space, there are 10+ relevant browsers and many more in development
- Mobile website owners must rely heavily on 3rd party sources such as Device Atlas to understand device characteristics
Developing Mobile Applications
Similar to the mobile web, the native capabilities of handsets have improved and so have the associated SDKs. If you’re watching how Apple markets the iPhone, its all about letting users know that their device is more than just a phone. Specifically, they showcase applications created for the handset that leverage it’s unique capabilities. In general, Apple has done a fantastic job of making users feel comfortable in downloading content to their handsets. It’s not only helped them, but it’s opened up the floodgates across other platforms.
The “Pros” for Developing Mobile Applications
- Mobile applications can interact directly with the device obtaining useful information such as location, contact lists, accelerometer functions, etc. This is critical for a “mobile” application
- Having the ability to control exactly what is displayed on screen allows for customized (and optimized), rich user interfaces directly on the device
- User interactions can also be directly controlled via the possible inputs (touch, voice, keyboard, etc)
- In your mobile application, you are able to store reasonable amounts of data directly on the handset in a secure manner as opposed to storing everything on a remote server (slow!)
- Performance can typically be optimized for each handset and platform
- Mobile (Smartphone) development platforms are improving quite rapidly
- Developers can create a consistent look and feel throughout their application
- Measurement in terms of how users interact with an application is possible
The “Cons” for Developing Mobile Applications
- Unless proper design measures are taken, upkeep and continued portability of your application is difficult to maintain. This happens to be something we specialize in
- There are 5-6 relevant mobile application development platforms to choose from, and understand which ones best suit your needs can be confusing
- Within these platforms, additional fragmentation exists at a per device, firmware and operator level
- Typically, developing rich mobile applications is more costly than creating a mobile website
- Mobile applications may require porting to additional platforms and this takes up front consideration
- A single, publicly available source for data across all mobile handset characteristics and attributes as they relate to the individual SDKs does not exist
- Testing can be time consuming and costly as mobile applications must be tested on the physical handset
- One needs to understand the various carrier requirements if an “on deck” strategy is preferred
In conclusion, it very much depends on your organization’s goals with regards to the mobile application. If it’s simply an extension of your mobile website, is heavily content focused and does not require an interactive user experience, then the mobile web may be a better choice. If one requires access to device functionality such as location or the contact list and have an appropriate development and porting strategy formed (either internally, or through a partner) that will help minimize the effects of device fragmentation, then developing a mobile application makes sense.
Nice Site layout for your blog. I am looking forward to reading more from you.
Tom Humes
This is a terrific piece and especially for novices (which is most of us) when it comes to developing for mobile devices. Follow us as we get closer to our launch on Twitter @goseedo
Best wishes!
One strong benefit of mobile apps is the access to an app store marketplace. No equivalent exists for mobile web sites to be featured and rated the way an app store can.
You’re right to discuss the dev requirements, the overhead and the support required for each. But the way apps are marketed and the reach they can generate is very different from the mobile web.
Amazon has both a mobile web site (a great one at that) and an iPhone app. It’s app store popularity is compelling enough reason for Amazon to maintain the app.
My response to Amazon’s app is here at Punchcut’s blog, Idlemode. http://idlemode.com/2008/12/04/the-mobile-web-vs-mobile-apps-an-amazon-case-study/
The real story here isn’t about capabilities or one technology versus the other. Once HTML5 becomes more common on mobile browsers, you’ll see a class of very robust mobile apps appearing on devices that do most things that customers want.
The exciting dynamic is around distribution: all of the sudden, no one (not Apple, not the carriers, not anyone) is keeping developers from producing the app they want and getting it to their customer.
The freeing up of the mobile distribution channel will be tectonic for the industry. And carriers won’t be able to block any of it, as net neutrality legislation will prevent them from their past, innovation-stifling behavior.
informative…thnx.
Ameet,
Excellent article and summation!
There is definitely a movement toward Mobile Apps that take advantage of the features and processing power of the device.
As stated, a partner to solve the fragmentation issue is a huge value add.
We are also seeing more and more requests for peer-2-peer and peer-2-group application level messaging across devices, which again requires a platform that can host services across all device types.
Those capabilities provide the foundation for some extremely interesting and powerful applications that offer up a great deal of revenue-generating opportunities.
You did a great job of outlining the pros and cons of development in mobile. I can’t tell you how many times I have had this conversation with people and your analysis pretty much sums it up.
Mr. Pemberton makes an excellent point though. Technically, your analysis is complete. However, when it comes to ROI, one should factor in the different distribution techniques and how they impact your bottom line and goals for the project / brand.
When it comes to straight development, it sounds like Five Mobile understands the Pros and Cons. Since RiffWare has moved away from Professional Services to developing and deploying our own applications, I will be sure to pass our PS inquiries along to Five.
Cheers,
Well written article, Ameet. Nicely sums up all the pros and cons.
As you say, there are times when an app suits and times when a website suits.
One of the pros of a website that I think is worth mentioning is that the site is always there, whereas if you lose, or upgrade, your phone you have to revisit all the apps and download them again. An app store makes this easier, but if you don’t have an app store, then you have to remember where you downloaded the apps from.
Whilst you are correct that there is browser fragmentation in the device market, there are tools from the likes of bemoko, MobileIQ and Wapple which help overcome this problem and allow you to develop the best looking sites for whichever phone is being used.
(In the interests of clarity, I do work at bemoko)
Great post and well balanced argument. I’m pretty excited about the way the mobile browser is evolving and potential for both offline browsing and secure access to device functionality from the browser – see http://www.torgo.com/blog/2008/10/mobile-web-native-apps.html for a good overview on this direction from “Dan”
[...] It lists out the pros and cons between mobile web and mobile apps. [...]
Great article!
I’ve been looking for hours just to get exactly the information you posted, thanks!!!