Comments on: Do iPhone WebApps Have a Future in the Post-App Store World?

By: jbrandonf

jbrandonf — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:29:24 +0000

I know I’m very late to the party but I believe a combination is best. Reference materials that are updated a lot like wikipedia, wolfram-alpha and urbandictionary work best through a webapp interface. Instapaper works well by taking advantage of tabs but only if your device can cache pages well (iPhone 3GS, Pre). If webapps functioned like the wolfram alpha where it hid the safari UI, I wouldn’t mind them too much.

By: Colin Rainsforth

Colin Rainsforth — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:22:31 +0000

All the webapps I’ve written so far interact directly with pages in Safari. So yes, there’s certainly a future for webapps in that context at least.

By: Mauricio Reyes

Mauricio Reyes — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:14:12 +0000

Of course there’s a place for web apps, the benefit they have is leveraging server side processing power over desktop alternatives. The footprint they have is minimal as it’s all done through the web browser. Its true that desktop apps have offline access and quicker responses than online apps, ultimately it’s good to have a mix of desktop/online apps.

By: Manuel R. Ciosici

Manuel R. Ciosici — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:24:57 +0000

The mass adoption of HTML 5 is not far away and with the introduction of HTML5 (and the ability of webapps to store data locally) webapps will see a rise.

But 'till then WebApps and Native Apps can live together:)

By: frog

frog — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:17:25 +0000

Webapps have there place, so do native apps. It’s a loooooong way off before webapps can replace native apps completely.

By: PSM

PSM — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 21:44:51 +0000

There is no substitute for an app that can be used offline. The only apps which have any purpose being web apps are those that depend on the internet for 100% of their functionality. We are a long way from being connected to the net over every inch on, below and above the earth.

By: austin

austin — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 21:32:43 +0000

at least web apps don’t crash and make your iPhone unstable. . Also after using the re facebook app as opposed to the web app, my battery life has taken a huge hit. I am revertig back to the web app till they can get it to be a little more stable.

By: Dale

Dale — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 19:41:07 +0000

Technically Paula, the only reason web apps can’t do most of those things you mentioned is because apple prohibits mobile Safari from offering those kinds of low level device functions. Interested in maintaining security within the browser, Apple has not bothered with certificates for web app designers or some other form of proprietary authorization to enable developers to make full festitrd web applications that rival native ones.

By: mr. Hi-Definition

mr. Hi-Definition — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 19:34:39 +0000

I highly doubt web apps are going to be relevant after the app store because dedicated apps that can run without using an internet connection are superior for the user.

On a side note, I'm STILL waiting for background notification and push email...

By: Paula

Paula — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 18:31:48 +0000

Can “web apps” get the user’s location via GPS? Make phone calls? Interact with a contact list? Detect tilt motion? Screen touches? Zoom-in/out pinches? Detect altitude?