The Case for Native Mobile Apps

This was a talk I gave at #beermob, an event held in Dublin on Wednesday 25th Jan 2012. Essentially, its why I prefer native apps over cross platform toolkit based apps.

2. I hate cross platform apps
3. I don’t hate HTML5
4. I don’t hate HTML5 It’s great for laying out pages
5. Who remembers these?
6. Who remembers these?
7. Who remembers these?
8. Who remembers these?
9. Who remembers these?
10. Who remembers these?
11. The Promises
12. The Promises • Write once! run everywhere!
13. The Promises • Write once! run everywhere! • Consistency Across Platforms!
14. The Promises • Write once! run everywhere! • Consistency Across Platforms! • Wider reach ! More Users !
15. The Promises • Write once! run everywhere! • Consistency Across Platforms! • Wider reach ! More Users ! • Cheaper to develop!
16. The Reality
17. The Reality Applications written in them Sucked.
18. The Reality Applications written in them Sucked. (in fairness, they consistently sucked)
19. The Reality Applications written in them Sucked. Like, sucked everywhere
20. Lowest Common Denominator
21. Lowest Common Denominator Consistent, yes. Consistently bad.
22. And..it’s back again on mobile
23. “We’ll have your app on iPhone, Android and Windows Phone” “With 1 click of a mouse” “You’ll have the widest reach possible” “Your brand in everyone’s pocket” “Huge Cost Savings”
24. “We’ll have your app on iPhone, Android and Windows Phone” “With 1 click of a mouse” “You’ll have the widest reach possible” “Your brand in everyone’s pocket” “Huge Cost Savings” - This is music to CFOs and CMOs
25. “There’s just one last thing...”
26. “There’s just one last thing...” “Oh yeah”
27. “There’s just one last thing...” “Oh yeah” “The App will Suck.” “Huh?”
28. “There’s just one last thing...” “Oh yeah” “The App will Suck.” “Huh?” “Everywhere.”
30. It’s not even a “noble goal”
32. Google, Apple and Microsoft are squillionaires, who forked out lots of cash to get the User Experience right for their users.
33. Google, Apple and Microsoft are squillionaires, who forked out lots of cash to get the User Experience right for their users. And you think you can do a better job with something you make up for all platforms with a piece of javascript?
34. People don’t want consistency across platforms, they want consistency with apps on their platform
35. Protecting Your Brand
36. Protecting Your Brand • Food for thought: • An app is very personal - It isn’t just “visiting your website”
37. Protecting Your Brand • Food for thought: • An app is very personal - It isn’t just “visiting your website” • It may be your customer’s first point of contact with your brand • It usually costs a bazillion euro to build a positive brand
38. ..if your app sucks..
39. ..if your app sucks.. How are them cost savings working out for ya?
40. “but what if my app requirements are simple?”
41. “but what if my app requirements are simple?” Simple, Schmimple
42. “but the browser experience is consistent across platforms”
43. “but the browser experience is consistent across platforms” An embedded web view is not a browser
44. Let’s revisit the promises, without the rose tinted glasses, shall we?
46. “We’ll have your app on iPhone, Android and Windows Phone”
47. “We’ll have your app on iPhone, Android and Windows Phone” And on none of these will it “feel” right to use
48. “We’ll have your app on iPhone, Android and Windows Phone” “With 1 click of a mouse” And on none of these will it “feel” right to use
49. “We’ll have your app on iPhone, Android and Windows Phone” “With 1 click of a mouse” And on none of these will it “feel” right to use And monkeys will fly out my butt.
50. “We’ll have your app on iPhone, Android and Windows Phone” “With 1 click of a mouse” “You’ll have the widest reach possible” And on none of these will it “feel” right to use And monkeys will fly out my butt.
51. “We’ll have your app on iPhone, Android and Windows Phone” “With 1 click of a mouse” “You’ll have the widest reach possible” And on none of these will it “feel” right to use And monkeys will fly out my butt. With people who now HATE your app
52. “We’ll have your app on iPhone, Android and Windows Phone” “With 1 click of a mouse” “You’ll have the widest reach possible” “Your brand in everyone’s pocket” And on none of these will it “feel” right to use And monkeys will fly out my butt. With people who now HATE your app
53. “We’ll have your app on iPhone, Android and Windows Phone” “With 1 click of a mouse” “You’ll have the widest reach possible” “Your brand in everyone’s pocket” And on none of these will it “feel” right to use And monkeys will fly out my butt. With people who now HATE your app Well, they deleted it after giving you a 1Star review
54. “We’ll have your app on iPhone, Android and Windows Phone” “With 1 click of a mouse” “You’ll have the widest reach possible” “Your brand in everyone’s pocket” “Huge Cost Savings” And on none of these will it “feel” right to use And monkeys will fly out my butt. With people who now HATE your app Well, they deleted it after giving you a 1Star review
55. “We’ll have your app on iPhone, Android and Windows Phone” “With 1 click of a mouse” “You’ll have the widest reach possible” “Your brand in everyone’s pocket” “Huge Cost Savings” And on none of these will it “feel” right to use And monkeys will fly out my butt. With people who now HATE your app Well, they deleted it after giving you a 1Star review If you don’t count fixing the problem
56. Native gives you
57. Native gives you • Full access to underlying hardware
58. Native gives you • Full access to underlying hardware • Integration with the ecosystem (Push, iCloud, C2DM)
59. Native gives you • Full access to underlying hardware • Integration with the ecosystem (Push, iCloud, C2DM) • Full integration with operating system frameworks - i.e. Navigation, etc. as the user expects
60. Native gives you • Full access to underlying hardware • Integration with the ecosystem (Push, iCloud, C2DM) • Full integration with operating system frameworks - i.e. Navigation, etc. as the user expects • Fastest, most responsive
61. Native gives you • Full access to underlying hardware • Integration with the ecosystem (Push, iCloud, C2DM) • Full integration with operating system frameworks - i.e. Navigation, etc. as the user expects • Fastest, most responsive • No compromises
62. Do you?
63. Do you? • Believe mobile to be an important channel?
64. Do you? • Believe mobile to be an important channel? • Care about the image of your brand?
65. Do you? • Believe mobile to be an important channel? • Care about the image of your brand? • Care about your customers?
66. Do you? • Believe mobile to be an important channel? • Care about the image of your brand? • Care about your customers? • Want the best possible solution?
67. Do you? • Believe mobile to be an important channel? • Care about the image of your brand? • Care about your customers? • Want the best possible solution? Go Native
68. Thanks.
69. Thanks. http://tapadoo.com dermot.daly@tapadoo.com twitter: @dermdaly