Will HTML5 Be the Downfall of the Native App?
It is no secret that mobile browsing is the future, as more and more people turn to their mobile devices to surf the web, consume content and more importantly, part with their money.
With this in mind we are asking the question of which is the best way for consumers to interact with companies on their mobile devices, HTML5 web apps or Native apps.
HTML5 – The Web App
HTML5 is optimised for mobile browsing – gone will be the times of opening a flash based site, only to see a whole site full of missing content. HTML5 will have the feel of a flash website, and look just as good (if not better).
Apple and many other mobile operating systems refused to support flash as it was considered to be unstable from the outset, and the technology giants that own these devices realised straight away that when it comes to mobile – stability is key.
HTML5 is the fifth revision of the standardised HTML code released back in 1990, and is the first significant update in its code since 1997, with the release of HTML4.
The Native App
The native app is something that all people are familiar with now (well, anybody with a Smartphone that is). It is the method we know and love. You go to the ‘app supermarket’ (App Store for Apple, AppWorld for Blackberry, and so on) and you search or browse for apps you think you will like, you download the app and then there it is, it is now part of your phone.
This is the method that has made millions of pounds for the likes of Rovio and Zynga and countless other games and clever apps, as well as being used by many content driven companies to give their magazines and newspapers easy access.
It begs the question, ‘If it ain’t broke, why fix it?’ unfortunately; people also said that about Internet Explorer once…
So, will HTML5 overtake the Native App?
From the outset you would think the answer to this question has to be yes. Why would a company or a start-up want to spend precious time and precious money developing for four or five different mobile operating systems, when they can develop a web-app that on paper will perform across the board just as well?
With HTML5 companies should have greater control of the design, and ultimately the money making capabilities of the site – which as we well know is the driving force behind most decisions such as these. It also means that companies can cut out the middle man (Apple for example in the AppStore), and keep the lion’s share of profits for themselves, as the Financial Times did recently.
However, going to the app store and searching for apps is what consumers know, and being able to browse by categories and interests means your content will be hitting a much higher amount of people in the right demographic.
Native apps have many benefits, some of which include:
- Native apps still perform better in most scenarios – Although HTML5 may soon catch up, the native app still gives that real feel of quality (when developed well), and most of the time runs faster.
- Operating system owners favour native apps – This means that app developers gain access to new technologies from the likes of Apple and Android before they are made public. Meaning you can stay ahead of your HTML5 competitors.
- Native apps have a much larger file storage allocation – At present, web apps are limited to 5mb-10mb in the AppCache and 5mb in the local storage space, meaning high use apps (like graphic based games) wont run on web apps.
- It works – New and entrepreneurial businesses that use these native apps can make thousands of pounds if it is done correctly, as proven by a countless number of start-ups.
So why take a risk on HTML5?
- Cut out the middle man – As already stated, Mobile operating system companies can take up to 30% of revenue made, and this will put an end to that.
- Less resources, less money – One developer who specialises in HTML5 can put together an app for you that works on all operating systems, as opposed to four or five specialists creating different apps.
- Brand continuity – A web app that looks the same on every mobile device will keep the continuity of your brand more than native apps will, and can drive consumer loyalty.
In conclusion
There is no clear cut answer yet so it seems the best solution for companies who can afford it is to use both in different ways. It is also very dependant on the core of what your business does – A gaming app just wouldn’t work in HTML5, a content driven site on the other hand, just might.
