We recently had an excited discussion on our corporate Yammer feed about mobile apps and what sort of content was appropriate for a custom app vs a mobile-optimized website. The conversation was sparked by our UX guru, Brian Yoder who posted an article from Wired Magazine titled “The Web Is Dead. Long Live the Internet.”
I jumped on that idea right away because I see the line between apps and sites as pretty clear cut, noting that the article is “true, but i’m not sure that browser-based stuff is ‘dead’ completely. It seems like people are going to apps for specific, recurring tasks while the “web” is being used more for seeking out information. there is also something scary about moving from an uber-compatible web to a lot of different, incompatible device platforms.”
After others agreed, Brian chimed back in stating, “My bigger concern is how these fragmented internet services begins to erode the idea of a universal experience for users. Steve’s right: it is scary.”
This prompted a different opinion from Rob Everton who suggested that the apps on mobile devices are nothing more than workarounds because “the iPhone browser can’t handle the “web” naturally due to lack of flash, download speed, etc.”
Colin Henson retorts, “apps are more than workarounds to the limitations of the mobile browser. They are successful because they force a the designer to build a customized experience that takes into consideration the strengths and weaknesses of the device as well as the context (location) in which it is used. Interactive design is best when it is focused on the correct context and doesn’t have to be something for everyone – as it unfortunately comes down to for most of the web.”
This brings us to a nice juncture. To App or not to App? I’m sure many marketers have come to the point where they have had to choose whether or not they needed an App for their content. So what does that decision criteria look like? I’ll offer a starting point and encourage others to contribute:
You should develop an app…
- If your content can be served more appropriately relative to the user’s location
- If your content follows a rigid structure that is predictable and repeatable
- If your content is consumed primarily by people on the go
- If you envision a user coming back to your content repeatedly
- If your content requires or encourages interaction, not just consumption
If you’re looking for more info about the Wired article, here is a sampling of the numerous responses it received.
And here’s an argument against apps based on modern browser functionality from A List Apart.
Tags: app store, iphone apps, Mobile, mobile applications
Great post. I like to think of apps as utilities or tools that a user is drawn to based on their interests. An app needs to provide functionality that CAN’T (or shouldn’t) be reproduced on the web. An app should FEEL personal, helpful, and reliable.