Mobile website or Mobile app ?

I still remember the times when desktop application were needed to maximize the operating system potential. Before web 2.0 , entrepreneurs did not see the website as something that can provide rich user experience to their user. Ajax, JavaScript libraries changed that all and now most applications from accounting solutions, project management systems, HR administration are now made as websites. Not only they provide rich user experience but also diminished the need of making applications for each platform.

The needs of the internet users are changing again. More and more people are using their mobiles for things like reading newspaper, checking out their Facebook account, posting pictures to their profile on the go and the information they constantly want on their mobile phones. Data from informa indicates that by 2010, half of the planets population will have access to mobile internet. Website owners are increasingly making their applications compatible for mobile platforms.

User experience for the mobile application is getting increasing importance. Using some mobile websites of leading companies like Facebook, it feels like you have gone back to the days of post backs. Mobile Browsers are still long way to go to a point where they will be able to provide essential mobile features like GPS, accelerometer for the website developers and an increased performance so that a great user experience can be provided to the user.

Till the time that mobile phone companies, browser providers like opera and standard experts work to achieve a point where you can provide a rich user experience to your website user. You will have to rely on native mobile applications to the user so you can use features like GPS, accelerometer, local database storage, ability to post pictures and videos from your mobile phone in a cool and easy way.

One key question when thinking about investing in a mobile app is the target market or number of users who will use that application. If you have some analytic tool installed on your website, you should take a look at the number of users using your website from a mobile phone. The number might surprise you because many websites with regularly updated content and utility websites like travel and news related websites are getting a big percentage of their visitors from mobile. Mostly your dedicated users will be using your mobile application.

If your website needs any of the native mobile feature, mobile app is definitely the way to go for you. If you have a website that doesn’t need all that and just simple browsing of content, then a website would just be fine for you.

Vizteck Solutions.