Written by Frank Gaine
As outlined in our last blog entry, we reviewed over twenty automotive and motorcycle mobile websites in Europe and the US. We also had a look at the native apps (available through the app store) that these manufacturers provided. An interesting trend has emerged – the move away from native app towards more capable mobile websites.
Mobile websites versus Desktop websites
It seems that fewer and fewer manufacturers are prepared to tolerate their users muddling through the full desktop version of their websites while using mobile phones. This is the case even though some of these sites perform quite well on the small screen (if you count the need to zoom and scroll horizontally apart). Instead, most provide bespoke sites for mobile browsers. In general these mobile web sites can be described as scaled downversions of the desktop website in terms of content, functionality and needless to say physical dimension.
Mobile web versus Native App
Inevitably the question is asked whether or not to create a sumptuous mobile app whose content can be curated and that can perform morequickly. The answer all depends on what you need it to do. Unless you have to rely on functionality that only an app can perform then the answer seems to be – build a mobile website. Mobile websites generally cost less to build, need less specialized skills to put together and are quicker to market.
Arguably they also offer greater convenience and accessibility for users. There is no need to go to app store, find the correct app, download it and remember where you put it when you want to open it again. With a mobile website all one has to do is to open the browser, enter the manufacturer’s name or desired query into the search box and hey presto! A simple process that users complete hundreds of times a week for other search queries. The likelihood of visiting the site is increased. It’s the old adage; go to where your customers are.
The Hybrid, The Web App
If only things were that simple. We now see the emergence if the web app. This is where the user is asked (via a popup message) to add the webpage to the phone’s home screen. This is performed via the browser’s options menu. Instantaneously an appropriately branded new icon is created on the home screen. Upon clicking on the icon the browser is launched once again and your page is displayed (see Audi USA).
The advantage of this trend is manifold. For the user there is faster access to what might be one of their favorite sites. The brand gets a more permanent presence on the user’s home screen and any sales made through the site are not subject to hefty commission from the owner of the app store. Browser controls at the bottom of the screen can be removed, freeing up more screen real estate and giving the opportunity for an even more attractive or app like presentation.
We are now seeing fixed tab bars appearing at the bottom of the screen, behind which the content of the page will move. The tab bar typically contains three to five buttons where icons are accompanied by a label, as in the classic app experience. Landscape is achieved by fluid design and smart use of background colors.
What are your thoughts? Is this a trend that you have observed, are we heading in the right direction?
Stay with this guys, you’re helping a lot of peolpe.