

Going mobile: mobile website or app? - superdavid
http://www.webdragon.com.au/2962

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eelco
In my experience (as an iOS app developer) people overestimate the returns
they'll get from being listed in the app store. It might make sense for big
brands because people might search for them, but smaller brands will not be
more visible than when having a mobile site. In fact, when it is necessary to
search, getting an app from the store and then using it takes a lot more steps
then searching in the browser and going to the website.

My standard response when people ask me about building an app is if they've
considered creating a mobile site. Unless they have something platform/device
specific in mind, like in app purchases, push notifications, using the camera
or compass or if the UI is important, it often does not make sense to create
an app.

Most important, however, is the user (surprise, surprise). What is the task
the user will perform at your site/with your app? If it's something they'll
only do a couple of times (or even once) it's not worth an app (unless, maybe,
you want them to pay for it). Installing an app is a much bigger upfront
commitment (even if it's free) than visiting a website.

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pwim
For most, starting with a mobile website is the best option as the cost is
lowest to develop and you reach the widest audience.

If warranted, you can follow up with apps for specific platforms.

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zweben
I agree. Native apps are great if you have some features you want to implement
that aren't practical in a web app, but I can't think of any case where a
website with a native app for mobile devices has any good excuse not to also
have a web app to fall back on.

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webdragon
With things like games, you can see that an app could be the only option.
While HTML5 is almost there, it still doesn't offer the performance and
capabilities of a native app, while Apple's stance on Flash means Flash-based
games are a no-no.

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jerrell
I very much like the idea of producing webapps rather than iPhone apps in my
business, and I think they could probably provide all the functionality I
require.

For me the catch is monetisation. With the App Store, this is clear: I release
paid apps. With webapps... Advertising seems viable, except that my apps need
to work offline (and may solely be used in that way), which as far as I know
scuppers the advertising approach. So what's the alternative? Set up a paywall
and require users to login to get the webapp in the first place? That seems to
defeat the point somewhat.

Anyone have bright ideas or links to clever thinking on the subject?

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superdavid
The equivalent of an app store fee is a pay-wall to the application. It would
probably drive away more customers than the equivalent app store fee, but I
don't think it is defeating the point at all.

Offline access is a problem.

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jsz0
As a user I don't have any strong preference either way but the presence of a
shiny icon on my home screen prompts me to visit a site more often than a
bookmark that is several taps away. Adding bookmarks to the home screen on the
iPhone is more realistic with folders to organize them in but it's still a
multi-step process to put it there in the first place. It's unfortunate
tapping a piece of glass more than once is a barrier but it just seems to work
out that way these days for me.

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suxargs
You can do both, even using the same code base. Check out this site/app for
example: <http://jsway.se>

~~~
superdavid
Are there likely to be the same lowest-common-denominator problems as you get
with cross-platform development of console games, or those seen with Java apps
like OpenOffice.org?

