web apps vs. native apps: the low down
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Web vs. native Web vs. native The multi-platform mobile app debateThe multi-platform mobile app debate
Presented by Gokul SelvarajPartner, Apppli
@sgokul
Native apps have the lead
Over 1 million mobile apps have been developed
Over $10 billion generated through direct app sales
Close to 25 billion native apps downloaded
Why has the web lagged?
Limited capabilities of mobile browsers
Failure of current web standards to cater to mobile user needs
All set to change with the adoption of HTML5
What do web apps need to address?
Functionality
Performance
User Experience
Development costs
Monetisation
Discoverability
Feature Gap
Supported on iOS and Android browsers
Offline storage
Geolocation
Advanced 2D rendering (Canvas)
Multimedia Playback
Specified in HTML5 draft
Physical sensors
Notifications
Media Gallery
Media Capture
Feature Permissions
Contacts
Calendar
System Information
Performance: Can web apps ever be as fast?
Native code is implicitly faster since it is closer to machine language
Web apps can become faster by taking advantage of these HTML5 features:
WebWorkers for multi-threaded execution
Hardware acceleration to speed up rendering
WebGL to improve 3D graphics performance
Development costs
Building a single web app is cheaper than building multiple native apps.
Web development skill-sets are more readily available than native skill-sets.
Maintaining and updating a single code base is much easier and cheaper.
User experience
Native apps can make use of controls specific to the OS that users are already familiar with
Web apps can detect the platform being used by the user and present a custom CSS that takes advantage of such platform specific controls
Over time, the mobile web will evolve its own set of touch friendly controls
Monetisation
Native apps are easier to monetise through simple tap to pay application stores.
Many monetisation mechanisms are already available on the desktop web like subscription, advertising and affiliate networks.
Web apps will have the option to not bear the monopoly fees charged by native application stores.
Discoverability
Again, native app stores have made discovery very easy for new users through curated lists, top charts and user reviews.
On the web, app discovery is possible through multiple media by the simple process of linking through a URL.
Curated distribution mechanisms such as the Chrome web store are starting to appear on desktop and can be expected on mobile sometime soon.
Hybrid approach
Some glaring gaps with web apps may not make it worthwhile for developers to invest solely in web apps today
Hybrid apps: multi-platform HTML5 apps packaged in a native wrapper
Fills in for the lacking functionality with native code
Allows distribution and monetisation via native app stores
Development costs are low unless heavy customisation is required for each platform
in summary
Native will always be faster at adopting new technologies
Hybrid apps are a compromise
Native is a fast moving target but web is narrowing the gap.
The openness and accessibility of the web as a platform is certain to make web apps popular in the not-so-distant future
Thank youThank you
appp.li/html5wpappp.li/html5wp
Presented by Gokul SelvarajPartner, Apppli
@sgokul
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