

To app or to not app - rameshnid
http://benrameshlin.posterous.com/startups-to-app-or-not-to-app-developing-for

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PanMan
Things the mobile web is currently missing:

* Native performance.(getting better, still not there).

* Offline is way harder (possible, with manifests, but harder).

* Monetization is harder: you can't just 'sell' a webapp.

* The appstores (can be) a great distribution and promotion channel.

* The web has way less access to the device: No contacts, camera, etc.

It's getting better, but native apps do have their advantages.

~~~
lecha
Wait. Why do you have to choose?

What's wrong with the following pattern: 1\. build an HTML5 app 2\. build a
native app that embeds a Web control 3\. package the app and HTML5 app
together using application cache 4\. distribute on AppStore

You get the a) offline support b) monetization c) distribution via AppStore

~~~
gabouy
the html5 app won't be capable of using device specific input, such as
accelerometer, compass, multitouch, etc. All of that is not yet part of the
html 5 spec. So when we compare html5 vs mobile apps it's just an apples
against bananas type of comparison

~~~
lecha
Well, the strategy i'm describing involves a native app. In that case, would
it be possible to expose device-specific API to JavaScript?

Also, multi-touch is actually supported by webkit. There a nice WWDC video
that intoduces this capability if you'd like to learn more.

To be clear the idea above isn't new of course. For instance
<http://www.appcelerator.com/> provides a native app with a thin wrapper
around a web control.

~~~
PanMan
Phonegap provides a thin wrapper around a webview. Titanium changed course
with their 1.0 version, and now compiles the Javascript to native code. (they
used to do the webview thing).

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mclin
_2\. Browser apps when powerful will compete with the apps on the app store._

ie, right now they don't. I don't plan to wait.

~~~
rameshnid
Patience pays, most of the time.

~~~
mclin
If I was making a product that wouldn't be done for a year, I'd think about
targeting next gen tech. But for apps that take at most a month or two? No
way.

I tried making an iPhone web app... tooo slooow.

~~~
logic
My limited experience so far echoes this. I'm in the middle of scratching an
itch my wife has in such a way that it's useful to more people than just her,
and part of that is a mobile application.

Sencha (and jQTouch before it) is absolutely gorgeous; I wanted very much to
fall in love with it. On a webkit browser on my desk, it produced visually
stunning results.

And then I tried using it with both an iPhone 3G and a G1. Yes, they're old
tech, but they're the hardware I have on hand right now to test on (and not
exactly uncommon in the field), and performance is abysmal.

I would assume the same tests run against an iPhone 4 or an HTC Evo would blow
me away, but my wife has a G1, and I'm building this for her first. :)

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tptacek
Is there any realistic way to do a mass-market GPS-driven app outside of an
app store?

~~~
rameshnid
Hmm. Don't know if there is an option completely outside of an app store. U
can use the app store that Tom Tom plans to enable on it's new gps device.

See
[http://www.electronista.com/articles/10/04/29/tomtom.to.use....](http://www.electronista.com/articles/10/04/29/tomtom.to.use.webkit.ui.for.outside.apps/)

~~~
tptacek
What percentage of the market carries Tom Tom devices? It sounds like a tiny,
tiny percentage. What would I be doing there other than proving the market for
someone with the stomach to make the real money on the iTunes store?

~~~
rameshnid
True. Or u can kill ur tom-tom market with ur own iTunes app. The thing about
tom-tom is it's a gps device. So u get easy adoption for a gps service.
Because you get the pre-established intent to use a gps service.

Basically get noticed with the Tom-Tom(more likely because of pre-established
intent) and then come up with an app for other devices. Or like I suggest a
browser based app( I don't know if this is currently possible, but am sure it
will happen soon)

