Areas to Address when Determining a Mobile Application Strategy
Sippanont Samchai via Compfight
Before we go into detail I am going to define the difference between a web based application and a native based application.
Web Based Apps
A web based app is browser based and generally run off a URL, but can be added to a home screen of a tablet or smartphone. Written in text rather than binary code. Therefore a little less secure than a native apps. Web based apps are progressing rapidly but have yet to achieve the processing power of native based apps.
Native Based Apps
Native apps are your typical App Store and Google Market apps that can be downloaded, unlike web based apps that run in the browser. Native apps are great for enterprise because they can be loaded on devices and are very user friendly. Also they have offline capabilities. Think of a native app as software rather than a webpage.
Do you need Offline Capabilities?
Generally, if your organization needs offline capabilities and your team if constantly working in the field, than a native based app will best suit your organization needs. Native apps are especially beneficial to industrial, oil and gas, manufacturing organizations that may not have connectivity 100% of the time. Native apps are able to store information gathered during “offline mode” and upload the data to a server once connectivity is restored.
Generally, web apps need connectivity, there are methods that allow browser based apps to store information but they have yet to prove useful for enterprise organizations. Basically, if you need offline capabilities native based is your best bet.
Have you thought about Mobile Commerce?
So…this is a tricky one, because web-apps can be responsive (responsive = automatically adapts to the type of device the web-app is being viewed on i.e. a desktop web-app may look different than the mobile and tablet web app). The intelligence of a web app is able to recognize the device and display a mobile, tablet or desktop optimized web based application. Generally, the user experience is pretty good with web based apps. Cost is generally lower and many major brands are using web based mobile commerce platforms
A native based app offers an immersive experience that is catered to each operating system and downloaded to the device. Therefore the user experience is smoother, much faster and offers the opportunity to reach customers through push notifications. Since the user downloads a native app to their device, mobile commerce providers can market flash sales, new products, and other marketing initiatives through a push notification that offers an immediate call to action.
Are you Considering Leveraging the Capability of the Device…Camera, Calendar, Near Field Communications, GPS, Location Aware Offerings?
If an app is meant to leverage the potential of the device, than a native based mobile strategy would best suit your needs and objectives. Although certain web based techniques are being used to integrate the camera features, GPS and Location aware offerings they are unproven and lack user experience.
Read More[Infographic] Mobile Wallets: All you need to know
With the rapid adoption of NFC technology, now’s the time to read up on mobile wallets. Imagine a world where waiting for the customer ahead of you to count out coins is not only dwindling but non-existent. Imagine a world where you won’t even have to fumble around for your bank card for small transactions; just use the phone that’s already in your hand.
Statista has compiled an infographic illustrating all the data you need to know about mobile wallets.
Source: Statista
Check out this similar story: Infographic: mCommerce in Tablets vs Smartphones for the Holidays
Read MoreInfographic: mCommerce in Tablets vs Smartphones for the Holidays
Christmas is coming fast, and more and more people are opting to use mobile technology to shop for their loved ones.
Check out this video of holiday shoppers discovering a new way of using iPads!
4 Tweets about the Impact of mCommerce on Black Friday
Black Friday routines are constantly evolving. To reflect the adoption of mobile, here are 4 quick tweets about how mCommerce and mobile wallets affected Black Friday.
Pay with your smartphone: Mobile credit card payments come to Canada
This article was originally published by the Vancouver Sun via http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2012/11/02/pay-with-your-smartphone-mobile-credit-card-payments-come-to-canada/ by Sun Tech writer Jillian Shaw, take a look at her profile.
The first mobile credit card payment bought a coffee in Tim Horton’s today, an event that put Canadians another step closer to being able to leave their wallets at home when they shop.
The buyer was Olympian Simon Whitfield who bought the coffee by tapping his Rogers BlackBerry at a Toronto Tim Horton’s pay terminal, a contactless transaction that saw the coffee paid for on his CIBC credit card.
It was a demonstration of CIBC’s new Mobile Payment App, which will be available to CIBC credit card customers using certain models of BlackBerry smartphones from Rogers starting November 16.
The connection works via a NFC connection (for near field communication) that transmits the payment information between the pay terminal and the phone. The service will initially be available on two BlackBerry models, the Bold 9900 and the Curve 8360 and it will be extended to other smartphones in 2013, including Android and Windows 8. NFC was notably missing when Apple launched its iPhone 5 this fall.
“We’re pleased to make history in mobile commerce in Canada by completing the country’s first mobile credit card transaction,” said David Williamson, Senior Executive Vice-President and Group Head, Retail and Business Banking, CIBC.
“Getting a coffee while you are on the go is just one example of the kind of transaction that’s going to be made easier when you can pay in just seconds with a CIBC credit card on your smartphone, and we’re excited about the possibilities this offers our clients.
Read MoreInfographic: The Explosion of Mobile
Here’s a great infographic illustrating the rapid increase of mobile usage for retail purposes.
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