I agree that if you build one web app tuned for mobile phones --- it should work for both iPhones and Android phones...as well as for browsers on laptops and de

I agree that if you build one web app tuned for mobile phones --- it should work for both iPhones and Android phones...as well as for browsers on laptops and desktops. But, HTML5 is nowhere close to supporting the features you need, nor does it have access to essential phone hardware. I've built a browser based paint app and a browser based GPS using HTML5 and while fun, I think if you're honest, you know it's not quite ready for that yet. There is too much browser sniffing/adapter pattern going on and it can't be avoided. That aside, my question to other mobile phone users is how Native vs. Web apps are perceived by users on a phone. Since the Native App is --- well, native --- it is given more prominence within the phone's UI. I suppose you could bookmark the web app, but it just doesn't seem to have as much importance as something natively installed with a shortcut icon, full access to all hardware, native menus, buttons, etc. So, I don't think you can blatantly say "web apps are better than mobile" --- unless maybe you have a vested interest in that position --- like you're writing a book or something (ahem, ahem). I think the reality is that app stores are a pretty cheap distro opportunity with millions of people with credit cards on file and are certainly not going anywhere in the near future.