Mobile Native App or HTML5 App?

[Biggerplay]

I’m thinking of creating my idea, but I can’t decide whether to make it a mobile App (probably iOS) or a HTML5 web app (which will also display fine on mobile).

Any thoughts on which is better? not necessarily from a technical point of view, but from a general usage/user/business point of view?

 

[DazRave]

General usage and business wise (at a guess, considering i have no idea what your idea is) would be to go for the HTML5 generic web app that can be used on all devices. Considering Apples slice of the pie has been greatly reduced over the last few years.

On a side note though, it really does depend how you intend to monetize your app. I'm also tempted to ask if you have done the research and know just how hard it is to launch an app from 0 to profit.

 

[Biggerplay]

General usage and business wise (at a guess, considering i have no idea what your idea is) would be to go for the HTML5 generic web app that can be used on all devices. Considering Apples slice of the pie has been greatly reduced over the last few years.

On a side note though, it really does depend how you intend to monetize your app. I'm also tempted to ask if you have done the research and know just how hard it is to launch an app from 0 to profit.

I'm leaning towards a generic HTML5 app because of the reasons you mentioned, as well as pretty much every platform these days has a JS API of some kind, where some still might be missing from the native platforms. However the flipside is that it's a lot messier developing JS and a HTML5 App than it is for say iOS, where a lot of things are done for you.

But those are more technical issues, what I'm interested in more the idea that any new Apps these days should be native first and foremost (for example the whole FB going HTML5 and then switching to native) and that it seems that most growth is in the area of native Apps and not HTML5 apps for example, so even though I can see the sense in a generic HTML5 app because of the reasons above it makes me think twice about it.

I'm very well aware of how hard it is to get any idea from concept to reality

 

[DazRave]

I thought it was the other way around to be honest... especially since phonegap has started to build up a lot of momentum.

 

[Biggerplay]

I thought it was the other way around to be honest... especially since phonegap has started to build up a lot of momentum.

I don't really see the point of PhoneGap as the whole point of having a HTML5 web app is that it runs find (and responsively) on a phone anyway in the browser.

 

[liams7]

Phonegap is awesome and means you can connect to all the features of the phone such as the camera etc. And means you can do cross platform. Its good for things that dont have high quality animation or need anything to complciated.

It depends on the app. You cant really say whats best with out knowing what its being used for.

Biggerplay there is a massive reason for Phonegap. Web apps can not do half of what phonegap can.

 

[DazRave]

Phonegap is awesome and means you can connect to all the features of the phone such as the camera etc. And means you can do cross platform. Its good for things that dont have high quality animation or need anything to complciated.

It depends on the app. You cant really say whats best with out knowing what its being used for.

Biggerplay there is a massive reason for Phonegap. Web apps can not do half of what phonegap can.

Couldn't have explained it better myself.

 

[Biggerplay]

I get the cross platform point, but I suspect it would be easier to code a lot of things straight via XCode etc I don't have the stats, but it would be interesting to know how many start ups used PhoneGap for their idea on mobile rather than just coding something it via native.

My ideas though don't require any of the native phone functionality.

 

[garyk]

Depends on the app. I have been involved in taking a native iOS app and re-coding using HTML5 + Phonegap, For business/utility apps then you probably won't notice any performance hit. As above you need phonegap for accessing platform features; our app for instance needed to access the GPS.

I'm sure startups look at phonegap as in fact you can probably build something faster. Our initial app that I developed took over a month (although the spec. was changing somewhat) but we re-coded in phonegap in a matter of a few days.

The facebook example was actually a bad one. There was alot of press at the time that reported it wan't an issue with HTML5 per se, more how facebook had actually written it. In fact one JS vendor; sencha wrote an example app called fastbook which was identical to facebooks using their sencha touch toolkit and it ran as fast as native.

Gary

 

[liams7]

Your questions is pointless im affraid. How many start up on phonegap as apposed to naitive is the wrong question.

They have different purposes you cant do everything with both so no startup can make the decision of which to use.

And you cant code for every platform in one SDK so you would need to use Xcode for Iphone, Netbeans for android and so on.

The code is different for each platform. There is no way to answer your question as we have no idea what you are trying to do.

 

[Biggerplay]

Thanks for all the replies so far.

Good points regarding using PhoneGap, although again my question is not so much about the technical aspects of using HTML5 or native, it's more about the perception that mobile (i.e native) is the area you have to be in to stand a better chance of getting investment for your startup.

My idea can work equally well on mobile (native) or web+mobile (HTML5), but is it fair to say there's a difference in perception on the side of investors to whether you try to find investment for a "mobile app" as opposed to a "web app" ? Right now everything seems to be focused on mobile apps, and that usually means native.

 

[DazRave]

Phonegap or native, it is still an app at the end of the day.

Going down the investment route though, investment for an app? You're swimming upstream with that one to be perfectly honest. I'd be more concerned about proving to the investor it would be a profitable app in the first place and less worried about how it is built.

 

[garyk]

Yep you need you shortest and most cost effective to route to market so you actually have a product you can go out and promote. Then when you have a proof of concept and some interest then go and talk to an investor.

As above its going to be tough to get interest from an investor on something potentially valuable. The apps market is completely saturated.

By the way I recently did a free course that rounds up the dev tools available for mobile https://www.udemy.com/i-want-to-create-an-app-but-dont-know-where-to-start/

 

[Biggerplay]

Yep you need you shortest and most cost effective to route to market so you actually have a product you can go out and promote. Then when you have a proof of concept and some interest then go and talk to an investor.

As above its going to be tough to get interest from an investor on something potentially valuable. The apps market is completely saturated.

By the way I recently did a free course that rounds up the dev tools available for mobile

Thanks that's a useful link I'll check out the vids

I'm an iOS dev, and I've done some HTML5 development so even though it will be a lot of work, I can probably develop it myself. It's interesting to me though that from a lot of what I've read recently a lot of startups don't seem to have any viable customer base whatsoever, but yet still get investment. They seem to just build some basic technology, say a working example without getting any kind of traction with users and that's enough.

 

[fisicx]

Why do yuou want an app? Is there something special you can't do with a responsive website?

 

[Biggerplay]

Why do yuou want an app? Is there something special you can't do with a responsive website?

When I say "app" I'm also referring to web apps.

 

[fisicx]

So like a plugin for a website or a stand alone app that doesn't need a browser?

 

[Biggerplay]

So like a plugin for a website or a stand alone app that doesn't need a browser?

Not sure what you're asking

 

[lynxus]

I tend to aim for the HTML5 based app.
Its all moving this way anyway so pointless creating native apps unless you need to.

The great thing about HTML5 apps is that it would work on pretty much any newish device without a problem.

However,
One issue I have come across is the ability to send notifications to the phone.
You can package a html5 app up in a basic native app but getting your HTML5 app to send a "beep" to a user if you want to send them a notification is a bitch ( Unless anyone else knows a way to do this for IOS and Droid.. )

 

[fisicx]

Not sure what you're asking

Suppose you develop this great app that alert me when the local temperature falls below freezing. Do I add it as a widget to my desktop or install as a new application? How do I get it onto my IOS homepage? Or are you intending me to plugin it into my website as a service to my visitors?

 

[garyk]

Thanks that's a useful link I'll check out the vids

I'm an iOS dev, and I've done some HTML5 development so even though it will be a lot of work, I can probably develop it myself. It's interesting to me though that from a lot of what I've read recently a lot of startups don't seem to have any viable customer base whatsoever, but yet still get investment. They seem to just build some basic technology, say a working example without getting any kind of traction with users and that's enough.

So am I. Well less so now as I'm moving away from development altogether but anyway, it won't be that much work. I downloaded jquery mobile and had a basic app running in a couple of hours, its far easier than Objective C! And the bundling is quite painless, download the phonegap wrapper xcode project, bung in your html pages and compile/test on sim and deploy your project as normal.

Gary

 

[Biggerplay]

Suppose you develop this great app that alert me when the local temperature falls below freezing. Do I add it as a widget to my desktop or install as a new application? How do I get it onto my IOS homepage? Or are you intending me to plugin it into my website as a service to my visitors?

My original question was a more generic question, but for my own app idea in particular it's an online social service which I would want the user to be able to access on a desktop or mobile. It's not a social network as such more a social service, presented in a simplified manner which should be of a lot of use for people. It will of course also use A.I algorithms to pair up appropriate information to users (including businesses).

The idea of users being able to use a widget version of it on their own websites is something I've thought about but that's somewhat down the line.

 

[Biggerplay]

So am I. Well less so now as I'm moving away from development altogether but anyway, it won't be that much work. I downloaded jquery mobile and had a basic app running in a couple of hours, its far easier than Objective C! And the bundling is quite painless, download the phonegap wrapper xcode project, bung in your html pages and compile/test on sim and deploy your project as normal.

Gary

I've actually a game developer by trade, many years making web (AS3) games, but a year or so ago moved to iOS/Obj-c which I don't find too difficult if anything for me the JS/HTML stuff is more fiddly to get my head around, as of course it's less structured. I've started making HTML5 games though so that's giving me some ground in JS. I was thinking of using initializr dot com as the base for my app, and code things using WebStorm.

 

[fisicx]

Thanks.

...it's an online social service which I would want the user to be able to access on a desktop or mobile.

So comes back to how people will use the app. To get the app they will need to download from somewhere. They then need to install and run. But if you make it SAAS then all they need to do is bookmark or add a a new tile to their Win8 homescreen or just save to their phone homepage. By doing this you end up with a single application you can use on any device in any way the user wants.

 

[DazRave]

I agree with fiscx,

It seems to me that the core of the service you are offering will be on a website and you want an app to supplement the online service by offering a simplified on the go service.

Surely, unless you want to do device specific things, a responsive website would do exactly what you want it to do? Without all the hassle of developing and then deploying an app for all platforms.

Which leads me back to the main question you asked about what will be more attractive to investors... Well, to be frank, getting the service you offer into a proof of concept stage (or getting it actually running) is more important.

You can always develop apps for the service further down the line.


May i ask how you intended to gain revenue? i.e. app sales, advertisements, memberships, in-app purchases etc etc?

 

[Biggerplay]

I agree with fiscx,
...May i ask how you intended to gain revenue? i.e. app sales, advertisements, memberships, in-app purchases etc etc?

It will be free to non-business users. Businesses can pay to get access to statistics or can pay to have sponsored data in the app.

 

[DazRave]

It will be free to non-business users. Businesses can pay to get access to statistics or can pay to have sponsored data in the app.

If that's the case then exposure to non-business users at first will be extremely important. Therefore i'd suggest strongly that you hit every single platform you can get the app on... or alternatively go with my above idea of just creating a very well built responsive website.

App rule of thumb is pretty much:
The most downloaded/frequently used apps are those that either supplement an already successful service (i.e. facebook) or offer a brand new feature you can't otherwise do with a website (i.e. GPS tracking)

 

[Biggerplay]

If that's the case then exposure to non-business users at first will be extremely important. Therefore i'd suggest strongly that you hit every single platform you can get the app on... or alternatively go with my above idea of just creating a very well built responsive website.

App rule of thumb is pretty much:
The most downloaded/frequently used apps are those that either supplement an already successful service (i.e. facebook) or offer a brand new feature you can't otherwise do with a website (i.e. GPS tracking)

Agreed, but I also think there's so much data out there that there are plenty of opportunities in the area of how to make best use of that data.

 

[DazRave]

Agreed, but I also think there's so much data out there that there are plenty of opportunities in the area of how to make best use of that data.

Give me an example of how the data is best used in an app that a responsively designed website couldn't also do?

That should tell you which path to take.

 

[FSIvan]

You could do worse than phone an app development firm a ring and have an informal and confidential chat with somebody there. You'll get an honest appraisal of your idea and how best to implement it along with the benefit of an NDA to give you peace of mind.

 

[liams7]

I tend to aim for the HTML5 based app.
Its all moving this way anyway so pointless creating native apps unless you need to.

The great thing about HTML5 apps is that it would work on pretty much any newish device without a problem.

However,
One issue I have come across is the ability to send notifications to the phone.
You can package a html5 app up in a basic native app but getting your HTML5 app to send a "beep" to a user if you want to send them a notification is a ***** ( Unless anyone else knows a way to do this for IOS and Droid.. )

This isnt true, Things are not going towards HTML 5 apps.

Your all confusing what an app is and why you would create one. Web apps are not apps. There are huge disadvantages to web apps, One of which obviously being that you cant use it when you have no signal.

The fact you can not use the phones native functions.

Without know what the OP is trying to do why are people giving him advice on things that may or may not have any relevance at all.

 

[digital way]

My biggest argument against going down the native app route is simply that a native app has to be downloaded and installed. AND then used. I have a handful of apps I regularly use - Flixter for cinema, online banking, what's app, calculator and that's pretty much it. I'd need a damn good reason to download and install an app and then actually use it again. I don't think I'm that different from anyone else.

 

[garyk]

I think thats the key with apps these days, they have to be 'sticky'. They have to compel you to come back to them time and time again. Facebook does this extremely well, its almost like an addiction for most people, that *have* to check in and see whats going on.

 

[digital way]

Exactly - Facebook was already a part of people's lives so no big deal installing the app and unquestionably the right decision to go native because they cam be damn sure people will go to the effort of installing it and the experience will be better.

However. If I go on Joe Blogg's website and it says download our app I just think go feck yourself.

 

[DazRave]

This isnt true, Things are not going towards HTML 5 apps.

Your all confusing what an app is and why you would create one. Web apps are not apps. There are huge disadvantages to web apps, One of which obviously being that you cant use it when you have no signal.

The fact you can not use the phones native functions.

It's extremely true.

I don't class a mobile optimised WEBSITE as a "web app". It's a website that looks good on a phone, that's all. SO YES, it will not work offline.

A webapp, really, is something built using web technologies, i.e. HTML5, Jquery etc and then packaged up like a native app using a platform such as PhoneGap. This, in a nutshell, is basicly a mobile optimised website that CAN WORK offline and can also access the majority of a phones features. Not to mention you only need to build it once and it can deploy across multiple mobile operating systems.

So, yes, ALOT of direction towards webapps lately since they are cost effective for the smaller tech businesses. The larger ones like facebook have the luxury of building native due to larger budget and in house development teams.

Without know what the OP is trying to do why are people giving him advice on things that may or may not have any relevance at all.

He has told us more then enough to give well thought out advice. The only thing he hasn't really told us is the specific subject of the service.