The web as platform for mobile applications
Niklas Ek · 2014
What was once simply a clever way of semantically present scientific reports has during the last two decades evolved into a ubiquitous and accessible form of communication. The web has since 2007 also been included in our mobile devices in its entirety.The vast amount of known unknowns regarding the users’ devices, browsers, physical location,context and more makes the development of applications difficult. However, by constructing an app with native technology a bunch of the unknowns can be eliminated and hardware can also be leveraged. In this case though, the app is locked in to a single platform and misses out on the webs ubiquity, its accessibility and its standardized technology.This research is aimed to answer three distinct questions regarding the web’s ability to support a mobile application. The questions consider problems and solutions with theory, practicality and usability.The theoretical investigation is accomplished through researching books, journals, articles, blogs, papers and code. Thereafter follow a development process of a prototype in order to research the technology. The prototype is also used in the usability tests, which together with interviews brings light to how users experience a mobile web app.Result of this research points towards a web platform that is capable of supporting a form intense mobile application, such as a flight booking app. Standards and technologies are evolving for the mobile web and users are more concerned with user experiences than issues with the platform.