According to a recent conference on mobile trends the future does not lie with apps – but with mobile websites.
Surprised? You may well be. For the past couple of years apps have been a must-have, with businesses scrambling to get something, anything, into app stores. So why are some experts predicting a return to mobile sites?
Well, for one, there is now more scope for quality. The growth of the smartphone has brought greater standardisation, and the gradual adoption of HTML5 brings new potential for creating rich user experiences.
At the same time, many are beginning to discover disadvantages to apps. For example Apple’s stranglehold on iPhone and iPad apps, coupled with the growth of the Android platform, creates more opportunities – but also more work. Businesses either have to choose one of these audiences over the other or develop two apps – a duplication of effort which is not necessary with a mobile site.
These are thought-provoking issues that businesses will have to weigh up to decide what’s best. It’s clear mobile websites have some benefits, especially when it comes to resourcing, but having already invested in apps, will businesses be prepared to move on?
