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Re: Mobile App vs. Mobile Website

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From: Birkir R. Gunnarsson
Date: Jul 5, 2011 1:15PM

Let me just add/clarify my earlier comments that I do not see a mobile
app replacing a website altogether.
If there was only one option to access a service, I would prefer a
normal website (or mobile).
To me, as a user, the purpose of a mobile app is to enable me to
conduct a certain transaction, or do a fixed set of steps (think
trnsfer, pay bills, buy a ticket to a show etc) easily and with
minimum fuzz (think Groupon, I have the app, my credit card info is
stored, I hope securely, I can buy today's deal with click of one
button, and a password may be, can't remember).
There are other times I may need to do other things, review my account
history, create a funds transfer, contact customer service etc. In
that case I would prefer to use a mobile web site (or an accessible
web site), and would personally do that from a PC, at least at the
moment.
So we must first think of the purporse of a mobile app, whether it
were to replace all apsects of a web site or service, or whether it be
intended to simplify certain aspects of the most common types of
actions a user will be taking on said website.
In the former I would take a mobile web site, in the latter I'd be
glad to have a mobile app .. yes, there's an app for that. ;)


On 7/5/11, Devorah Firestone < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> Hi Jeni and All,
> If both are accessible, I would take the app for two reasons:
>
> 1.  I have more trust in native security measures as it applies to my
> mobile device than I do in a mobile website using standard web
> security protocols. I'm less in agreement that one size fitting all is
> that great an idea when the security of my money and identity are
> involved. The app and the device's internal software are also often
> updated and are expected to be, leaving more possibility for my
> experience to be more secure over time.
>
> 2.  I'm also in agreement with Birkir. A simpler interface allows
> speed in use which makes all users more likely to participate,
> especially the users we on this list work for.
>
> Thanks,
> Devorah
>
> --
> Devorah Firestone
> Accessibility Lead, QA Analyst, AKQA, Inc.
> (703) 942-9391
> http://www.linkedin.com/in/devorah4accessibility/
>
>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "McDonald, Jennifer" < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
>>> To: < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
>>> Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2011 12:38 PM
>>> Subject: [WebAIM] Mobile App vs. Mobile Website
>>>
>>>
>>> >A question for people who depend on Assistive Technology and use a
>>> > mobile device, such as an iPhone or Android:
>>> >
>>> > To pay a bill - if you had your choice to use a company's mobile app to
>>> > pay that bill, or their Mobile Website (both developed with
>>> > accessibility in mind) which would you prefer? Which is easier to use?
>>> > Does it matter? Does it depend on your device type?
>>> >
>>> > I'm trying to get a feel for if it is necessary to have both a Mobile
>>> > Website and a Mobile App that do the same thing. Which is more
>>> > accessible?
>>> >
>>> > Thanks,
>>> > Jeni
>