4 ms·

Do most phone users really want to install apps for Reddit, Imgur, etc.?

• throwaway3699 5y ago
  I think this is a really great point. PWAs are not a threat to native apps - they are a great in-between that adapts to different use cases. Installation, push notifications, etc... are all optional and can be mixed and matched based on what users actually want. An example would be individual forums are a great use case for PWAs.
• slver 5y ago
  If you visit a site a lot, you want to install an icon for it. If you're willing to install an icon for it, you prefer the quality and speed of a native experience. That's just common sense. Funny enough I couldn't find a decent native app for HN, so I just placed a link to the site in my folder with social apps. That site is the worst thing in that folder.
  • mannerheim 5y ago
    I know a couple people who dislike Reddit's degraded web experience to drive users to their app. I haven't installed the app myself. Maybe it's a minority opinion. But supposedly Reddit has 1.6 billion unique visitors per month, and about 120 million app installs.
    • slver 5y ago
      Judging by their non-degraded desktop site experience, thank god we have the app. Honestly, Reddit is one of those sites that make me think the world has collectively forgotten how to make a sane site. It takes seconds to load, and almost everything you go means looking at animated placeholders for a time, until something happens. I have a workstation that deals with 3D rendering and huge Photoshop files, or compiling sizable projects with no problem, and my CPU is still pegged to 100% when I browse Reddit. I shudder at the thought of those same people being in charge of my mobile experience. I don't feel like having to replace my phone battery every 3 months, thanks.
      • mannerheim 5y ago
        I would rather have the choice, myself.