So what’s the problem with [native] apps Well the main one is fragmentation. With so many handsets and so many platform developers and now, increasingly, brand owners face a steep challenge taking apps to the mass-market. The proliferation of platforms adds costs, complexity and increases time to market. It also makes the communication and marketing of apps difficult for media agencies.
Contenders of mobile web argue that making mobile web applications solves this fragmentation issue. By developing apps to run off mobile web browsers they argue that you reduce costs, eliminate the need to deal with multiple platforms and also can more easily distribute your content. Our own experience distributing Mobile Site Shortcuts actually does reinforce this. Recently we released news stating that Facebook had done 50M downloads on GetJar. This is entirely true but actually all these downloads were shortcuts to the Facebook mobile site as opposed to actual apps.
” GetJar CMO, Patrick Mork
