

Building the Next Generation of Mobile Web Apps - tomdale
http://jtaby.com/2011/07/01/the-next-generation-of-mobile-web-apps.html

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jonsmock
All of these arguments are the same arguments you need to think through when
determining whether to make a web app vs. a native app on the desktop. They're
identical, because the desktop is just another device.

I completely agree with all the arguments, except possibly that we should
never use hacks. We used (and still use) hacks on the web for desktop use when
browsers sucked, and we'll do it on mobile devices, too. It's the way the
state-of-the-art is pushed forward; it's inevitable. I think he would agree
with me, seeing that he pointed out Scrollability's use on the iPad being
somewhat valid. That said, the author's underlying point examines _why_ we use
those hacks and to evaluate whether we're solving a non-existent problem.

Edit: I might clarify my hacks point. The reason they're inevitable is that
they sometimes expose browser deficiencies. A current example would be web
sockets. We've been using comet-type hacks in lieu of a real web socket
solution (and Chrome has now implemented one).

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devongovett
I would actually argue that the web browser is not the correct place for web
applications on mobile devices. "What?", I hear you say. I would go to the
extra step of requiring the user to instal the app on their home screen, where
the browser chrome is not visible. This way, the user is not confused with the
back button problem, or the URL bar getting in the way of them using my app.
An app is designed to be launched from the home screen, not the web browser
which is designed for viewing web pages. The reason I almost never use mobile
web apps is because they are too hard to launch compared to their native
equivalents. I have to go to my web browser, type in a URL or choose a
bookmark, hope I typed it right, wait for it to load from the server, etc. The
competing native app or "installed web app" launches almost instantly with one
tap on my home screen. Home screen web apps still have all the benefits of web
applications, but they avoid some of the problems and feel more "app-like", or
more like what the user is used to. This also allows us to create a more
native looking and feeling interface that the user will have an easier time
using because it is similar to what he knows.

I'm actually not even sure if the mobile web is ready for full-featured
applications at all yet. The huge platform differences really make it a
challenge to produce a good user interface across all of them. Mac, Windows,
and Linux are similar enough to make it possible on the desktop, but the
mobile user interfaces have not come together enough yet to make it possible
on mobile. I think the current options are either to create native apps for
each device or to create a web app with differing UIs according to the
platform you are on in order to create the best user experience. I know a lot
of people with disagree with me, and even I'm not entirely sure about this
position, so convince me otherwise! :-)

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jtaby
I agree with most of what you're saying. Add To Homescreen is a great feature
for regular users of a mobile web app. Your application needs to support both
modes however (browser-mode, and app-mode). The easy answer is to say: "Use
back button in browser, and use navigation bar in app-mode" - Which is
certainly possible from a technical perspective, but jarring from a UX
perspective. You have to essentially re-learn how to use the application when
you click that button. Not only that, but if you add a navigation bar in app-
mode, then your navigation is on the top (where it would've been on the bottom
in browser mode), and that has other fallout in relation to other elements
that you may have placed on the top of the page in browser-mode.

I hope that made sense.

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devongovett
I don't think the app needs to support both modes. When you go in a browser,
it should just say, click here to install the app to your home screen. That's
the easy answer, IMO.

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jtaby
But then you're increasing the barrier to entry to users. You're assuming the
user cares enough about your app that they will sacrifice a spot on their home
screen and will want to tap three buttons to get to it...

~~~
devongovett
Users already go through even more steps when getting native apps through the
App Store, so I don't think that'll be an issue.

