Triggering the end of the native app store?
New research from Strategy Analytics says the HTML5 base will triple from this year, when it expects 336 million units to be sold.
It defines an HTML5 phone as one that’s capable of full HTML5 support within its web browser.
Although the sheer volume of phones supporting the browser tech is clearly going to escalate, what's less certain is the impact this will have.
To clarify, HTML5 enables developers to build web apps – apps that can run within a browser but still deliver all the richness and access to native functions (contacts book, vibrate, accelerometer, camera etc) that are currently the domain of the native downloadable app.
This give brands the opportunity to offer apps that work on any platform (even closed ones like iOS) from their own sites and services. No more need to get approval from anyone, or share back revenues or user data.
Article continues belowAdvertisement
HTML5 also has the power to converge one app/service across multiple platforms, including smartphones, feature phones, tablets, notebooks, desktop PCs, TVs and in-car.
Some brands, notably the FT, have already forged full steam down this route for these reasons.
It's important to remember that HTML5 isn't the finished article yet. It comprises a huge number of feature sets and won’t be officially complete until 2014, according to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
Add a new comment
You need to be logged in to post comments. If you do not have an account then please register.
Comments
0 comments
There are no comments yet, be the first to add one!