Mobile Internet innovation will be blocked by oligarchs when the web loses to app

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Hunt Cloud Net April 8 report (edit: Ma Sing)

In an age of mobile apps, the mobile web, there is a broad consensus that mobile apps are the future, and that the future of the Internet is firmly under control by those who hold it. But, in my opinion, perhaps this trend is stifling the innovation of the Internet in many ways.

Let's take a look at some data from authoritative statistical offices: Starting in 2013, the number of users using mobile networked devices has started to surpass PCs across the spectrum. At the same time, the percentage of users mobile internet services via mobile apps is 80%. The figure is expected to climb to 86% this year. In stark contrast, only 14% of users use mobile Web services via mobile pages.

The general above, about app and web who is the future of the mobile Internet, has come to the overwhelming conclusion that--app beat the web and become the mainstream of mobile internet.

What's worse, when we ask some Internet startups, we get the same answer to the bad mobile web. They generally point out that mobile app users now seem to have greater value. This is why a lot of the original mobile Web pages (apps) have disappeared. A prominent phenomenon is that even the mobile web version of the application of the service, will be active in the Web page to remind users to download mobile app client.

If, according to this momentum, the future (at least the visible future) of mobile Web pages (applications) will be very small application scenarios. Perhaps it exists only in the following two kinds of meaning:

First, become the "trial field" before downloading mobile app;

Second, become a platform for social networks such as Facebook to host long tail content links.

However, it seems to me that the strong position of mobile apps is not conducive to the innovation of mobile Internet in the long run.

First, with the bursting of mobile apps, there are few apps that can stay on the mobile desktop of the user. Over the longer term, it is easy to form an unbalanced cycle of strong and weak. This is like in the cable television field, there are several services available to provide oligarchs. Although the user thinks the television channel already is very many, but actually often appears the content producer not to think enterprising, the backward person humanely without the door situation.

Second, mobile apps are now controlled by a handful of giants in the App Store and Google Play, unlike the Web apps available through mobile search. While they guarantee the principle of fairness, they take 30% of their meager income, especially for small developers, and, on the other hand, stifle some of the seemingly contentious applications, either intentionally or internally or externally. For example, Apple does not allow any specific applications to enter the app Store.

Whether an application has the meaning of existence, its final judgment should be in the hands of users. The biggest natural enemy of innovation is monopoly, the standard of the gatekeeper is very difficult to handle. In this way, perhaps more diverse than the entry port, not forced to occupy the user Mobile Desktop Web version of the application is more conducive to mobile internet innovation.

PS: The main point of view of the article is from senior Investor, pioneering field expert Chris Dixon.