Thursday, February 28, 2008
Mike Mace: Mobile Apps, RIP
Posted by Janak Parekh in "ARTICLE" @ 10:00 AM
"Summary: The business of making native apps for mobile devices is dying, crushed by a fragmented market and restrictive business practices. The problems are so bad that the mobile web, despite its many technical drawbacks, is now a better way to deliver new functionality to mobiles. I think this will drive a rapid rise in mobile web development, largely replacing the mobile app business. This has huge implications for mobile operators, handset companies, developers, and users."
Mike Mace, former CCO for Palm/PalmSource, points out the shrinking of the mobile app industry thanks to platform fragmentation. I'm not sure this is universally true; for instance, the enterprise market within WM is probably a stable and growing one, but I wouldn't be surprised if the consumer market, especially, sees this trend continue. I know I've repeatedly switched platforms, and I can only imagine the average consumer doing so more and more as their purchases are tied to smartphones.
Mike Mace, former CCO for Palm/PalmSource, points out the shrinking of the mobile app industry thanks to platform fragmentation. I'm not sure this is universally true; for instance, the enterprise market within WM is probably a stable and growing one, but I wouldn't be surprised if the consumer market, especially, sees this trend continue. I know I've repeatedly switched platforms, and I can only imagine the average consumer doing so more and more as their purchases are tied to smartphones.
