Mobile apps vs mobile browsers
There is quite a big talk about mobile browsers are dying, which means more users are using apps to access services online Facebook app, Twitter app etc rather than using mobile browser to access Facebook, Twitter etc.
Chris dixon says in a blog post The decline of the mobile web
The likely end state is the web becomes a niche product used for things like 1) trying a service before you download the app, 2) consuming long tail content (e.g. link to a niche blog from Twitter or Facebook feed).
The trend that has been starting to grow in the last 2-3 years is if you’re building something make it an app, make it mobile first, because that’s where most of the teens and internet users are today, always connected via their mobiles. Instagram and many services that got popular recently first launched a mobile app and then started a website.
Apps are heavily controlled by the dominant app stores owners, Apple and Google. Google and Apple control what apps are allowed to exist, how apps are built, what apps get promoted, and charge a 30% tax on revenues.
Most worrisome: they reject entire classes of apps without stated reasons or allowing for recourse (e.g. Apple has rejected all apps related to Bitcoin). The open architecture of the web led to an incredible era of experimentation. Many startups were controversial when they were first founded. What if AOL or some other central gatekeeper had controlled the web, and developers had to ask permission to create Google, Youtube, eBay, Paypal, Wikipedia, Twitter, Facebook, etc. Sadly, this is where we’re headed on mobile.
I personally agree with Chris Dixon, apart from what Chris is saying above if all the services that are out there and that are coming up in the future keeps focusing on mobile and stop focusing on mobile and desktop websites then the web will not not involve or will slow down.
Even worst in future if this trend grows then all of us will have to have a smartphone if we need to run the latest cool apps, services and even games that everyone will be using because there won’t be any web based apps.
I’m not a big fan of having so many apps installed in my PC and in my phone. I’d rather like to use one software that does the trick for me in many different services, aka the browser. I use many online services rather than installing different different apps on my PC to do the work for me. But if this trend continues then there won’t be any good online service left via the browser.
So what do you think service via mobile browser or different apps?