Will HTML5 become a natural predator of mobile apps?

The whole concept of "application" may have changed quietly, some day in the future, we may no longer need access to the mobile app Store, whether it's Apple or Google, we just click on a link on the main Menu page of the phone and the phone will immediately start an "app" on its browser.

　First, "The primary application" occupies the dominant position

When we develop applications for mobile devices, programmers often choose to develop "native apps", a "native application" that users must purchase from a mobile app store to download and install in their mobile memory. "Native application" has now become the preferred industry standard for new phone functions.

As a result, most programmers think that "native apps" have a distinct advantage over browser applications, both in rendering and execution. Most users try to avoid using their mobile browsers, because browsers are inconvenient to use, especially when they need to enter data.

"Native apps" are easier to foresee than browser applications. Because "native apps" are run in the phone's memory, they do not suffer from unpredictable and visible problems that often occur in browser applications.

In addition, "native application" is less dependent on the network. Most of the data in "native apps" is stored in mobile phones, and they don't need to connect to the network to get data. But browser applications are typically applications that rely on cloud servers to connect to the Web for content. If the network connection is unstable or weak, the performance of the browser application will suffer a great blow.

　Second, "native application" is very troublesome

Programmers have long developed apps for Apple's iOS devices and Android devices with limited resources, because it allows their mobile apps to move into the largest mobile market.

But that argument is starting to get out of hand, in part because it is not easy for programmers to sell "native apps" in mobile app stores. Using iOS as an example, even passing official audits is not easy. However, Apple requires every mobile application that submits applications to be audited to comply with its standards, and programmers say that if Apple does not like the app, it will refuse to audit for whatever reason.

Although it is not difficult to pass application audits in the Android Market, it is easy to bury them in the vast ocean of andorid applications, and most Android apps are low-quality.

Another problem for mobile programmers is that they also have to develop different versions of mobile apps for different mobile operating systems (IOS, Android, or others), and there are several versions of the same operating system. As a result, mobile programmers need to invest a lot of time and money to "fix version numbers" of their apps, while there is little time to improve product quality and develop new products.

　　Third, lost in the "super" market

As mentioned earlier, there is little hope that a "native app" will be available for sale and success in the App Store. With the expansion of application stores, fake and shoddy applications will be more and more, and access to useful mobile phone applications will become increasingly difficult. Matt Shea, vice president of WildTangent, says the apps at the Big mobile App Store are one-stop shopping, they look clumsy, and the classification and organization of applications is an obvious failure. Therefore, it is harder for the application buyer to find his ideal mobile app, even if it is hidden in the App Store. This is also the biggest problem that mobile phone programmers face.

Shea also said that the poor classification of large mobile app stores has allowed professional shops like WildTangent to find business opportunities. WildTangent is a professional mobile phone game classification site, they will be strict classification and review of the game, so that visitors can more easily access to their ideal applications.

　　Four, HTML5 is the answer?

Many users of mobile communities believe that developers can avoid the annoyance of using HTML5 technology to develop browser-based applications. HTML5 technology is a great upgrade to the language of this article in 1999. Although it is not known that the HTML5 technology standard will not be introduced until 2014, many modern mobile browsers have already supported the technology, and many web programmers have begun to design HTML5 sites.

Simply put, HTML5 will allow browsers, desktop apps and mobile devices to show more cool features, such as coordinate positioning, no plug-in video, and audio playback. The sync function will also be better, and you will be able to watch a portion of the movie while you work, and then continue to watch the rest of the footage at home.

Perhaps the biggest potential advantage of HTML5 technology is that it allows applications to focus on one version of the application, which runs smoothly across multiple browsers, freeing programmers from multiple platforms and multiple versions, and giving them more energy and money to promote marketing.

The network is a key factor. If the 4G network comes out, the speed will be more greatly improved, users from the Internet to get content will be more rapid and reliable, browser application will therefore usher in vitality.

As for publicity, browser-based mobile apps will greatly reduce the reliance of programmers or developers on mobile app stores. In order for "native apps" to succeed, programmers need more promotional inputs, and browser-based applications (with just one link address) make it easier for programmers to push through social media such as Twitter, Google +, and more.

　Five, stay or leave?

While most programmers believe that the level of HTML5 technology is improving, "native apps" are still running faster and real-world use cases than browser apps.

One of the main reasons for their messenger is that "native apps" have access to the hardware features of mobile devices, but browser applications are not. Many programmers say that HTML5 's applications have not yet been able to control and take full advantage of the various hardware features of smartphones, such as the CPU and gravity accelerators of smartphones, while "native apps" can take full advantage of these hardware resources.

Nonetheless, the debate over HTML5 technology is still very much, and how long does it take HTML5 technology to manipulate smart-phone hardware devices like "native apps"?

"JavaScript connectivity enables features such as mobile positioning to be invoked in most mobile browsers," said Sy Choudhury, product manager at Qualcomm CDMA, "for the next six months, we'll see a richer positioning function, The browser will also have the ability to access the GPU, WebGL, and more easily access to cameras and cameras, and the browser will be much better at voice control than it is now. ”

Choudhury and his team are currently primarily engaged in browser performance optimization and the development of mobile operating systems for Qualcomm Snapdragon processors.

"A few months ago, browser vendors began releasing more and more examples of High-profile browser applications that could be achieved, including gravity accelerators, directional gauges, GPS positioning and integrated camera functions," said Thomas Arend, a product manager for Mozilla Mobile browser. The dashboard of the Mozilla developer website is a very good example of HTML5 technology.

Ensuring a consistent user experience is another issue that HTML5 technology needs to address. HTML5 browsers are used in different browsers on different mobile devices, and some programmers say that because of the lack of uniformity, it is difficult for all consumers to like the performance of the HTML5 browser apps on their devices.

But using browser-based methods to develop applications is not necessarily an advantage, Arend said. "The choice of Web technology as a platform technology is the most promising, for Cross-platform applications (PCs and mobile devices), Web technology will undoubtedly users a more consistent user experience, a good browser application of the performance of the absolute and the ' native application '. ”

The use of any kind of new technology, will first experience the bell-shaped curve pattern. Early technology leaders are already on the move. Pandora announced that it would use HTML5 technology to develop applications, while cloud storage company Box.net said it would start using HTML5 technology. There are also rumors that Amazon will soon launch a Kindle app based on HTML5 browser technology.

There is no "two choice one"

After a lot of hot calls to "native apps" and browser applications, many programmers no longer have to face a choice of "two choices," in fact, two technologies can coexist.

For example, a game developer has developed not only a mobile "native" Game "lite", but also a web version of the game, where potential buyers can first try out the app in a Web browser, Arend points out that if they think the game is worth buying, They may purchase a full version of the download game at the mobile App Store for installation.

In addition, programmers develop "native apps" in a way that is very similar to developing browser applications-the same development tool, which only needs to add a wrapper to the "native application" in the end. As a result, "native apps" and browser applications can sometimes be a bit different from what people think.

Finally, programmers may decide to develop an application that blends "native" and browser-specific features. What is the best way for programmers to have questions about publishing to an app store and putting it on the open Internet via social media?

For many people, the concept of smartphones is also accompanied by the advent of application downloads. When smartphones first enter the market, "native application" is the best way to accomplish the task of the device. But with the advent of HTML5 technology, this has begun to change: as browsers grow, bandwidth increases, and HTML5 technology standards mature, users in many wireless communities begin to wonder if "native apps" are the best partner for mobile devices.

When the HTML5 technology comes in full, the mobile browser will get better, at least it will be a makeover.