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Are Apps All They're Cracked Up to Be?

(Or Should We Just Embrace Mobile Web Instead?)

Jon Marks@McBoof

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PrologueHello, I’m Jon.

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Spent half my life in Africa. And the other half up North.

1970-something42 years ago

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4 kids. Boy. Girl. Pugpig. Boy.

2008 - 2015Recently

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The best digital publishing platform on

the planet

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Aging left wing, tree hugging, open standard obsessed hippy.

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This is the year I used to confidently predict would be the death of the app.

20172 years in the future

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But now I’m not so sure ….

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Part IThings happen. Fast.

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Research Program at DARPA starts talking about the Internet

196253 years ago

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1962

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20 Bond movies5 Bond actors44 years of progress

1962 - 2006A lifetime

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2006

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You probably had a BlackBerry when you watched Casino Royale.

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SymbianWindows Mobile 6 RIMLinux

20078 years ago

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iPhone 1, iPhone OS 120078 years ago

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2008

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Android 1.020087 years ago

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Android 1.5 (Cupcake)20096 years ago

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iTab iSlate iPad 120105 years ago

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Windows Phone 7 (7% US)20105 years ago

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2012

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New kids on the block:Uber, AirBnB, SnapChat

2011- 20123 years ago

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Apple CarPlayAndroid Auto

20141 year ago

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Apple Watch20156 months ago

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iOS 9 (Force 3D Touch)Android Marshmallow

20153 months ago

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20122015

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> 1 Billion iOS Devices> 1.5 Billion Android Devices

2015Now

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Snapchat > $15 billionAirBnB > $25 billionUber > $50 billion

2015Now

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Smartphone set to become the biggest consumer product in history

2016 - 2020The short term

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The obligatory chart

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So compare apps and webwith an eye to the future.

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Part IISmartphones are

smart.

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“We need to provide a lean, fast, cut down experience for mobile users.”

20132 years ago

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Um, no we don’t.

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Your phone is more powerful than your previous laptop.

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It is always with you, it knows where you are, and can pay for things.

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The average person unlocks his or her smartphone 110 times each day.

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Touch UIs are for everyone. Ages 2 - 120.

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For most people, keyboards will become optional extras.

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So compare apps and webin a world where mobile and touch dominate mouse and keyboard.

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Pause for ThoughtTweet on #madebypugpig

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Part IIIThe OS Wars are

over.

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BlackBerry Priv launchesNovember 20153 weeks ago

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WTF!!?! They’re still around?

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Windows 10 Mobile launches

December 20152 weeks time

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iOS and the two AndroidsVery Different Philosophies

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Operating systems are becoming platforms.

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So compare apps and webin the context of two dominant but different mobile platforms.

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Part IVActually, what’s an

app?

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Apps are written in native code. Mobile web in

HTML/CSS/JavaScript.Unless you’re using something like

Cordova. Or web views.

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Apps are distributed through stores or

ecosystems. Mobile web is just there.

Unless you’re in the Firefox Marketplace or Chrome Web Store. Or an Enterprise App. Or Streamed.

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Apps are silos. Mobile web is searchable and

shareable.Until both Google and Apple index app content, and provide canonical

URL deep links

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Mobile web is accessed via URLs. Apps aren’t?

And how long will we care about URLs for? Remember when

browsers had a separate box for them?

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Apps are explicitly installed. Mobile web is

just there.

Unless they’re streamed.

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3 weeks agoNovember 2015

Google App Streaming. iOS will follow.

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Apps run in different runtimes - not a browser.

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So compare apps and webbut note that the consumer facing difference is blurring.

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Part VWhat about standards?

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Remember Flash vs HTML?

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The W3C is slow. Features talk, standards follow.

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Google AMP. Apple News.

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And are the standards even the right standards

for the future?

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The Big Reverse?

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Many devices won’t have browsers at all ...

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So compare apps and webremembering that consumers don’t give a monkeys about standards, and they decide what wins.

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Part VITech Head to Head.

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Unless you’re pushing the boundaries, it’s almost always more cost effective to build a mobile website.

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Performance is better with native code.

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The App Dev environment lends itself to a Touch First approach.

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A Web App looks the same on all operating systems (because you only have to write one)

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Offline is still harder with web technology - appcache and local storage still flakey

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Apps have full access to device features.

The Web APIs are getting better at this

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Apps can push. A web app does not exist unless you have an open tab looking after it. But watch Chrome service workers and push notifications.

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People pay more seamlessly through ecosystems.

Is Paypal closest to solving this for the web?

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Advertising … is a massive topic for another day.

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Someone else is moderating, approving,

censoring your app in their ecosystem.

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You can throw any old shite on a web site.

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With apps and webthe technical capabilities are merging. It’s the Ecosystems and UI that differ more.

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EpilogueClosing Thoughts

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Question: Is your “morning phone routine” more web based or app based?

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Question: Name a web app that’s more engaging than your top 5 apps?

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Question: Should I do an app or mobile website?

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Answer: A mobile website.

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Answer: And maybe also an app …

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Answer: And maybe also an app … if you have a strong brand people relate to.

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Answer: And maybe also an app … if you can create regular usage habits.

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Answer: And maybe also an app … if offline is important.

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Answer: And maybe also an app … if you want a curated experience.

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Consumer technology is a lot more fickle than your API.

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And don’t underestimate the importance of

designing for touch

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The EndAny questions?

All images copyright Eon Productions