Thoughts on “The Death of Mobile Applications?” by Dan Harrelson

by Alex Rainert on March 2, 2008 · 4 comments

in Mobile,Thoughts

Dan Harrelson takes issue with Michael Mace’s much ballyhooed article this week on the death of mobile applications in favor of experiences delivered via the mobile web.

Harrelson argues:

Sorry, but it’s simplistic to assume that native mobile apps are now dead in favor of web mobile apps. Mobile is just seeing the same tension that we see on the desktop between native and web apps. On both mobile and desktop, neither is a clear winner and there are many working to increase the functionally of their application “stack”.

I personally don’t think you can draw that tight of an analogy. The problem with mobile apps has never been the quality of the app (as Harrelson points out, they can be so much more robust because of their lower level access to features on the phone) but rather the process of educating the user (particularly beyond the tech savvy) on how to find + install applications on their device. The success of so many applications today rely on having critical mass and I think its safe to safe that applications delivered via the mobile browser (in combination with increasing network speeds) are going to win that race.

For me, the most exciting part of all this is that Apple (should they play their SDK cards correctly) are in a position to make both kinds of applications succeed by building a user-friendly discovery and distribution mechanism into their wildly popular iTunes Store. Done right, the SDK release could potentially be a watershed moment for Apple, mobile developers, the mobile industry as most importantly, mobile users.

Harrelson does a great job summing up what hangs in the balance:

Apple’s iPhone is an attempt to break that strangle hold by offering a device designed without carrier limitations. This week they release their SDK and if Apple does so with no limitations, then it will be successful. Developers should be able to create an app, upload it to the iTunes store and pick their desired monetization scheme. If Apple puts anything in the way of the interchange between users and developers, then the SDK will fail, just as Michael Mace predicts.

Read more: Dan Harrelson » The Death of Mobile Applications?

  • http://www.danharrelson.com/ Dan Harrelson

    Thanks for the response!

    You make a good point that in theory web apps are 100% cross platform and therefore can be used on any mobile device. While for many apps this is true, we also see specific browser targeting by developers. The most prominent of this is the iPhone where developers not only specifically target Safari but also mimic the look and feel of the Apple operating system. With all of the great work that Opera is doing on their mobile browser, I predict that developers will also start taking advantage of features specific to that platform.

  • http://www.danharrelson.com/ Dan Harrelson

    Thanks for the response!

    You make a good point that in theory web apps are 100% cross platform and therefore can be used on any mobile device. While for many apps this is true, we also see specific browser targeting by developers. The most prominent of this is the iPhone where developers not only specifically target Safari but also mimic the look and feel of the Apple operating system. With all of the great work that Opera is doing on their mobile browser, I predict that developers will also start taking advantage of features specific to that platform.

  • http://www.everydayux.com/ Alex Rainert

    Hi Dan. Thanks for commenting.

    While I agree about the great work that’s been going on with Opera Mini, its still the most part a browser that people have to download to their phone, which sadly can present a large enough roadblock for many. The majority of people don’t even know which browser they have on their phone, let alone how to load an alternative one on it.

    Also one can’t underestimate the fact that, from a developer’s point of view, the iPhone-toting demographic is a VERY attractive one to build for (and that’s only going to grow).

    That’s not to say that Symbian, Windows, etc. won’t continue to be big. I just think that Apple’s strategy is now looking the most promising in terms of moving mobile application development/adoption forward in a similar way that they changed the game in terms of what people have come to expect from their phones in terms of user interface design.

  • http://www.everydayux.com Alex Rainert

    Hi Dan. Thanks for commenting.

    While I agree about the great work that’s been going on with Opera Mini, its still the most part a browser that people have to download to their phone, which sadly can present a large enough roadblock for many. The majority of people don’t even know which browser they have on their phone, let alone how to load an alternative one on it.

    Also one can’t underestimate the fact that, from a developer’s point of view, the iPhone-toting demographic is a VERY attractive one to build for (and that’s only going to grow).

    That’s not to say that Symbian, Windows, etc. won’t continue to be big. I just think that Apple’s strategy is now looking the most promising in terms of moving mobile application development/adoption forward in a similar way that they changed the game in terms of what people have come to expect from their phones in terms of user interface design.

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