I was chatting with a friend yesterday about iPhone apps. It seems that there are some who believe that these are effectively the same as mobile websites, and there are some companies that rely on the mobile versions rather than an app.

Apps are key

The stats on iPhone apps show that most apps are downloaded not onto a laptop and uploaded onto the iPhone, but directly onto the machine. Not only that, but stats from companies show that if there is an option of an app and a mobile web version the app is significantly more popular.

Why?

When you create an app, you are creating a program. When you build a mobile site, it has a URL that you need to navigate to. The app appears to the user as “native” to the platform (e.g. an iPhone) and the mobile site must be viewed in whatever browser is available and reaching this requires inserting a URL, or finding the bookmark.

Usability of Apps

In the eye of the app user, an app is significantly easier to use, even if it has the same functionality as the mobile website exactly. It’s not about quality or anything like that, but perception.

So, if you build for a mobile audience, you must build an app.

App Platforms

There are 3 major platforms to build for. iPhone, Android and BlackBerry.  The vast majority of apps that are “in the wild” are developed for the iPhone, and this is the primary platform that consumer based applications are developed for. It’s not the biggest user base, but it’s the most developed market.

Android will increase it’s share as more android devices come out, and Google will push this option. Blackberry is primarily a business based platform, and as such, there will be useful apps coming out, but so far, not many developers have grabbed hold of this market, and it’s likely to never be as large as the major 2.

See this BBC article for some more info: BBC article on Mobile Apps

We’re being asked about mobile apps more and more

This is an increasing marketplace and more companies are recognising that they need to build these apps. It will be as big as the internet in 10 years so why not start now?

Talk to us about developing mobile apps for your business or idea.