Two roads diverge on a tablet screen. One is the path to the native app, the other leads to the open web.
Luckily, you can take both. The latest mobile devices ship with a thoroughly modern browser capable of handling emerging web standards. Beneath that is a modern operating system with access to the magic inside the hardware: the camera, GPS, gyroscope and compass. But if you had to pick one — native app or web app — which would you choose? Your decision will make all the difference in how you approach your design, development and distribution.
| The Issues | Native Apps | Web Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Internet access | Not required | Required, except for rare apps with offline capability |
| Installation/updates | Must be deployed or downloaded | Hit refresh |
| User interface | Native apps are responsive and functional | Browsers can be clunky, but new advancements in JavaScript like jQuery Mobile are catching up fast |
| Device compatibility | Platform-dependent, hardware-dependent | Platform-agnostic, content can be reformatted with CSS to suit any device |
| Animation/Graphics | Fast and responsive | Web apps are getting closer, but will probably always lag |
| Streaming media | Few problems with audio and video. Flash works, but only if the device supports it | Flash works where supported. Browser-based audio and video are getting there, but still beset by compatibility headaches. Give it a year or two |
| Fonts | Tight control over typefaces, layout | Almost on par, thanks to advancements in web standards. Give it six months |
| Is my content searchable? | Not on the web | By default |
| Sharable/Tweetable? | Only if you build it in | Web links are shared freely. Social APIs and widgets allow easy one-click posting |
| Discussion and collaboration | Only if you build it, and it’s more difficult if data is disparate | Discussion is easy, all data is stored on a server |
| Access to hardware sensors | Yes, all of them: camera, gyroscope, microphone, compass, accelerometer, GPS | Access through the browser is limited, though geolocation is common |
| Development | Specific tools required for some platforms (like Apple’s). You have to build a new app for each target platform | Write once, publish once, view it anywhere. Multiple tools and libraries to choose from |
| Can I sell it? | Charge whatever you want. Most app distributors take a slice, up to 30% | Advertising is tolerated, subscriptions and paywalls less so. No distribution costs beyond server fees |
| Distribution | Most app stores require approval. And you gotta wait | No such hassle |
| Outside access to your content | No, the reader must download your app | Yep, just click a link |
| Advertising | Control over design (though limited in iAds) and rate | More choices for design, plus access to web analytics. Rates vary widely |
See Also:
- YouTube Launches New HTML5 Mobile Site
- DeviantArt’s Muro Drawing App Is Pure HTML5 Awesomeness
- Test Your Site at Any Size With ResizeMyBrowser
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Who is everyone? Even those who are connected to the internet also have associated costs and speed differences between them.
OK, we can talk about it here and i'll add it. advantages/disadvantages for web apps and native apps?
Nearly everything is connected to the net. Why have apps? If apps of course it should be web apps.
I never really understood web “apps” much. Mobile versions of websites make sense and should be available for every device, while apps or tools should be downloadable instead like in the Android Marketplace.
The App Store is in itself a marketing tool. It allows people to get noticed and get their app downloaded. That alone is a reason to go native.
I think Hybrid apps are the best solution if cross platform compatability is important. Build a native wrapper with tabs, hardware access, etc and use web-based pages for the core functionality. You can reuse a lot of the web screens across devices while getting a little closer to the fit and finish you find with native apps.
You left out security concerns.