In the recent
years,The smartphones and tablets sold,outnumbered the sales of PCs and laptops
indicating the shift of consumption of internet in the years to come.
Especially, millennials who are the biggest users of web rely on their gadgets
to execute their daily routine. This essentially emphasises the need of reaching
them with a mobile app than a website as the website on a mobile browser is far
lesser powerful than a mobile app. The user experience too greater in a mobile
app. Most importantly the mobile app can take the advantage of the high
specifications of the device and offer a better, smoother, simpler solution to
any task at hand. Last but not the least a mobile app can quickly integrate
into any new features like finger print sensor, connected cars, home
automation, contact less payments etc.
Businesses
for whom customer support is at the forefront, rely on websites to give
information, receive feedback and attend to any complaints etc. But the
browsing of a website can be cumbersome and limiting when the content is viewed
in a mobile screen with lesser resolution due to screen size. Also entering a
data in a website is difficult on a smartphone where the physical keyboard is
replaced by the soft keypad. The typing will mostly happen with a single hand
on a smartphone, if he is travelling or eating etc. Thus a mobile app offers
much better user experience if the same content is presented as a mobile app
than a web site.
Listed
below are the advantages and disadvantages of the mobile apps.
Mobile
Apps - Advantages
1.
Apps run on OS
directly and can have all the features supported by the under lying OS.
2.
Apps can integrate
with 3rd party SDKs thus extending the power of the app is easy.
3.
Apps can have secure
persistent storage and hence will be best for data protection.
4.
Apps can update
themselves automatically.
5.
Apps help in retention
of the customers for businesses.
Mobile
Apps - Disadvantages
1.
They have to be
downloaded and installed first to use.
2.
They consume some
space on the device hard drive depending on their size of installer package.
Web
sites - Advantages
1.
Users don't need to
download the app, just open the URL in a browser.
2.
Generally are light
weight saving data charges for the user.
3.
Are browser dependant
and hence auto adjust to various resolutions.
Web
sites - Disadvantages
1.
More suitable for
desktops and laptops than smartphones and tablets due to farm factor of the
devices.
2.
Conventionally rely on
older techniques of user interaction like keyboard and mouse rather than the
much sophisticated touch-screen displays.
3.
Use the user-interface
controls like check boxes and list boxes which are the legacy of desktop
programming.
4.
keeping persistent
storage secure can be a challenge.
5.
Many of the features
which are developed by third parties and released as a 3rd party SDKs can’t be
integrated as they support only apps, but not websites.
Hence
it is highly recommended for enterprises and businesses to have both the
website and mobile app to reach, acquire and retain their customers.
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