Brand2Hand Media Inc.

Downloadable Application vs. Mobile Internet Application... Which is the Better Choice?

Ever since the early days of WAP, media companies and advertisers have struggled with how to approach users on their phones. While wireless Web sites can be relatively cost-effective to build, they once offered a user experience that paled in comparison to downloadable applications, which can be prohibitively expensive to deploy. But the 'iPhone-effect' is rapidly changing what consumers expect from their phones and market penetration of Internet-enabled phones is increasing dramatically. Phone manufacturers are now distributing phones on masse around the world that can deliver a rich media experience over the mobile Internet. In choosing your mobile strategy, here are the pros and cons you must consider:

WAP Pros

Reasonable costs to build a mobile site - easy to update
Mobile Internet sites provide a "lowest common denominator" kind of platform that allows developers to address a vast number of handsets at a fraction of the development cost of a downloadable application.
WAP site operators can use device-identification technology to direct users to the most appropriate page for the hardware they're using,
And while upgrades can be a massive headache for application developers - who must somehow talk users into downloading the new version - wireless sites can be tweaked with minimal effort.
Mobile Internet tends to lend itself to being considerably more viral and 'linkable' than downloadable applications.
WAP Cons
Mobile Internet = LCD (Lowest Common Denominator). The trade-off is you can reach a mass market audience, but you cannot offer a user-experience that is as feature-rich as what might be accomplished via a downloadable application.
Users must have an Internet-enabled phone to access a mobile site... Market penetration of Internet-enabled phones is exploding, but not all phones can access the mobile Internet.
App Pros
Applications can offer more in the way of features and functions.
Applications tend to be much faster, because software resides on the phone, which is important for applications like games.
App Cons
The single biggest hurdle to adoption cannot be underestimated... Forcing consumers to download an app to use your service will cost you the majority of your potential users. Issues include phone compatibility, phone memory, software updates, and the common lack of understanding among consumers with respect to how to download an application to their own phones.
Applications require substantial investment and can be prohibitively expensive to deploy, particularly because multiple versions of each application must be developed for compatibility with multiple programming languages and thousands of different handset models.
Not only must users be persuaded to download the offering - a major hurdle for any developer to overcome - the applications must be supported by enough handsets to make their deployment worthwhile.
Software upgrades are extremely difficult to deploy, requiring developers to can be a massive headache for application developers - who must somehow talk users into downloading the new version.
Downloadable applications do not lend themselves to becoming viral.
Verdict:

Mobile Internet applications win hands down for ease of adoption by consumers and exploding market penetration of Internet-enabled phones (est. 20%+ in 2008 and increasing to 65%+ by 2011), which is in stark contrast to the declining consumer uptake levels of downloadable applications.

For consumer-facing brands, the single biggest mistake that can be made in cultivating a mobile presence is requiring their customers to download an application to their phones as the ONLY option. Downloadable applications represent an enormous hurdle to adoption, and will alienate more customers than they will attract if they are the only option offered.

For all the benefits they offer, downloadable applications are a dying breed. However, there is no doubt they can improve the mobile user experience for users who aren't turned off by the requirement to download the application. Marketed as a 'core product', downloadable apps will hurt a brand's chances of engaging its customers in the mobile market space.

A mobile Internet application should form the brand's core mobile product, which should function well on its own. A downloadable application is not necessarily a bad idea so long as it is not intended to be a core, standalone product. It should be designed from the ground up to complement the brand's core mobile Internet application.

Brand2hand Media has a wealth of experience developing both mobile Internet and downloadable applications for mobile phones. For more information, please contact: sales@brand2handmedia.com

Reference: C. Gibbs, RCR_Wireless_News



Downloadable Application vs. Mobile Internet Application... Which is the Better Choice? Ever since the early days of WAP, media companies and advertisers have struggled with how to approach users on their phones. While wireless Web sites can be relatively cost-effective to build, they once offered a user experience that paled in comparison to downloadable applications, which can be prohibitively expensive to deploy. But the 'iPhone-effect' is rapidly changing what consumers expect from their phones and market penetration of Internet-enabled phones is increasing dramatically. Phone manufacturers are now distributing phones on masse around the world that can deliver a rich media experience over the mobile Internet. In choosing your mobile strategy, here are the pros and cons you must consider: WAP Pros Reasonable costs to build a mobile site - easy to update Mobile Internet sites provide a "lowest common denominator" kind of platform that allows developers to address a vast number of handsets at a fraction of the development cost of a downloadable application. WAP site operators can use device-identification technology to direct users to the most appropriate page for the hardware they're using, And while upgrades can be a massive headache for application developers - who must somehow talk users into downloading the new version - wireless sites can be tweaked with minimal effort. Mobile Internet tends to lend itself to being considerably more viral and 'linkable' than downloadable applications. WAP Cons Mobile Internet = LCD (Lowest Common Denominator). The trade-off is you can reach a mass market audience, but you cannot offer a user-experience that is as feature-rich as what might be accomplished via a downloadable application. Users must have an Internet-enabled phone to access a mobile site... Market penetration of Internet-enabled phones is exploding, but not all phones can access the mobile Internet. App Pros Applications can offer more in the way of features and functions. Applications tend to be much faster, because software resides on the phone, which is important for applications like games. App Cons The single biggest hurdle to adoption cannot be underestimated... Forcing consumers to download an app to use your service will cost you the majority of your potential users. Issues include phone compatibility, phone memory, software updates, and the common lack of understanding among consumers with respect to how to download an application to their own phones. Applications require substantial investment and can be prohibitively expensive to deploy, particularly because multiple versions of each application must be developed for compatibility with multiple programming languages and thousands of different handset models. Not only must users be persuaded to download the offering - a major hurdle for any developer to overcome - the applications must be supported by enough handsets to make their deployment worthwhile. Software upgrades are extremely difficult to deploy, requiring developers to can be a massive headache for application developers - who must somehow talk users into downloading the new version. Downloadable applications do not lend themselves to becoming viral. Verdict: Mobile Internet applications win hands down for ease of adoption by consumers and exploding market penetration of Internet-enabled phones (est. 20%+ in 2008 and increasing to 65%+ by 2011), which is in stark contrast to the declining consumer uptake levels of downloadable applications. For consumer-facing brands, the single biggest mistake that can be made in cultivating a mobile presence is requiring their customers to download an application to their phones as the ONLY option. Downloadable applications represent an enormous hurdle to adoption, and will alienate more customers than they will attract if they are the only option offered. For all the benefits they offer, downloadable applications are a dying breed. However, there is no doubt they can improve the mobile user experience for users who aren't turned off by the requirement to download the application. Marketed as a 'core product', downloadable apps will hurt a brand's chances of engaging its customers in the mobile market space. A mobile Internet application should form the brand's core mobile product, which should function well on its own. A downloadable application is not necessarily a bad idea so long as it is not intended to be a core, standalone product. It should be designed from the ground up to complement the brand's core mobile Internet application. Brand2hand Media has a wealth of experience developing both mobile Internet and downloadable applications for mobile phones. For more information, please contact: sales@brand2handmedia.com Reference: C. Gibbs, RCR_Wireless_News	The Verdict: "Mobile Internet applications win hands down for ease of adoption by consumers and exploding market penetration of Internet-enabled phones (est. 20%+ in 2008 and increasing to 65%+ by 2011).";
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