What are the differences between developing a mobile version of your website and developing a mobile app for your company?
Both mobile websites and mobile apps let customers find and access your business from the devices they use the most, but a mobile website and mobile app are not the same thing. To help you decide, here are the benefits and distinctions that Echo has found through its experience in premier mobile development.
What is a mobile website?
A mobile website is designed specifically for the smaller screens and touch-screen capabilities of smartphones and tablets. It can be accessed using any mobile device’s Web browser, like Safari on iOS and Chrome on Android. Users simply type in the URL or click on a link to your website, and the website automatically detects the mobile device and redirects the viewer to the mobile version of your website.
What is a mobile app?
A mobile app is a smartphone or tablet application. Unlike a mobile website, a mobile app must be downloaded and installed, typically from an app marketplace, such as the Apple App Store or Android’s Google Play store.
What are the benefits of a mobile website?
The primary benefit of a mobile website is that it makes regular websites more accessible for mobile users. It can have all the same elements as the regular version of the website — such as its look and feel, pages, images and other content — but it features a mobile-friendly layout that offers improved readability and functionality when viewed on a smartphone or tablet. By having a mobile website, customers can access your website anytime, anywhere using any device, without compromising the user experience.
What are the benefits of a mobile app?
Although a mobile app functions a lot like a mobile website, a mobile app gives businesses the advantage of having their own corner on a customer’s device. Because users have to download and install the app, businesses have more control over their presence on a device than they would with a mobile website. For instance, a mobile app can be closed or inactive, but still work in the background to send geo-targeted push notifications and gather data about customer’s preferences and behaviors. Moreover, mobile apps make it easy to deploy loyalty programs and use mobile payments using a single platform. It’s also much easier to access a mobile app than a mobile website — all it takes is one tap, versus having to open a Web browser then type in a URL.
Why does Echo Interaction Group believes Apps have an advantage?
Even when the following reasons can be debatable by professionals, we want to share why we believe developing an app has advantages over a mobile version of a website…
A Mobile Application in most cases has a much better user experience. There is a vast scope for adding interesting and interactive features and functionalities. The navigation is seamless and intuitive, and hence, used much more than mobile websites.
When considering Internet Dependency, once the app is downloaded on the device, it doesn’t “load” whenever one opens it. It sits on your device and you can readily access it anytime, even if you are offline.
Regarding ease of use, an app provides “one touch” access. Users simply have to tap on the app icon on their device and access all the information they want instantly.
A Native App is specifically built to be compatible with your mobile device. This is why it is able to communicate and interact with your device (ie. Add events to your native calendar, click and save pictures with the app, and plenty more.)
In addition, Native Mobile Apps have an architectural advantage, and hence, do not need to connect with the network frequently which in many cases, makes it safer for your business. Mobile Apps have the ability to work and function seamlessly, even when offline.
Echo can help bring your native mobile app to life, delivering the best mobile experience for your clients. To get started or just to learn more, please let us know here how we can help!
