If you want to give your company or organization a mobile presence, one of the things you’ll need to do is to create a mobile app for customers to download (app), a mobile website, or both. At first sight, mobile websites and apps may appear to be very similar, and deciding which is best for your needs will be determined by various criteria, including target audiences, available budget, intended purpose, and essential functionality.
What’s the Difference Between a Mobile Website and an App (Application)?
It’s crucial to grasp the fundamental distinctions between a mobile website and an app before weighing the advantages of each. People use handheld devices such as smartphones (e.g., iPhone, Android, and Blackberry) and tablets to view both apps and mobile websites.
Like any other website, a mobile website comprises browser-based HTML pages linked together and viewed via the Internet (for mobile, typically WiFi or 3G or 4G networks). It features a touch-screen interface that distinguishes it from a regular website. Responsive web design is increasingly becoming the new standard for mobile-friendly websites and scalable to any device size—from desktop to tablet and smartphone.
Both mobile websites and responsive sites can display text, data, photos, and video just like any other site. They can also use mobile-specific capabilities like click-to-call (which allows them to dial a phone number) and location-based mapping.
Unlike sites displayed on browsers, a mobile app is genuine software designed by an eCommerce mobile app development agency and downloaded and installed on a mobile device. To locate and download apps for a specific operating system, users go to device-specific portals like Apple’s App Store, Android Market, or Blackberry App World. The app can either extract material and data from the Internet in the same way that a website does or download the content so that users can access it without a connection.
Which is Better: an App or a Mobile (Responsive) Website?
As mobile usage grows worldwide, the subject of “app vs. web” will become increasingly crucial for businesses looking to develop a mobile presence. A mobile-friendly responsive website is an appropriate choice if your goals are primarily marketing-driven. It is also a great choice if your goal is to supply content and develop a broad mobile presence that can be easily maintained, shared among users, and found on search engines.
If you want to deliver a user experience that seems more like a gaming interface or a computer program than a website, or if you need access to a user’s phone storage and native functionalities, you’ll almost certainly need an app.
It’s also worth noting that a mobile/responsive website and a native app aren’t always mutually exclusive. Many businesses have a mobile-friendly public website and a native app that people can download to meet more particular needs. It’s all about selecting the appropriate tool for the job.
Make the Right Choice by Hiring the Right Agency!
If your company is considering a mobile app strategy, Nahr Development can assist you in making informed decisions. As a trusted mobile app development agency in Cairo, we can provide you with the right project plan to meet your objectives. For more information, please get in touch with us or submit a query using our contact form.
