5 ms·

I'm going to go out on a limb here and predict that this whole native app market is going to implode in the next few years. Even the "high quality" iOS app stor

I'm going to go out on a limb here and predict that this whole native app market is going to implode in the next few years. Even the "high quality" iOS app store is stuffed to the gills with junk apps now and the majority of the few apps that are making real money are trading on gimmicks that are bound to exhaust their novelty soon enough. I'm actually rooting for Windows phone though because if it gains any real traction and people have to start maintaining three separate code bases for every app the balance is going to tip decisively to the mobile web.

Avalaxy 14y ago
Take a look at MonoDroid (http://xamarin.com/monoforandroid http://xamarin.com/monoforandroid) and MonoTouch (http://xamarin.com/monotouch http://xamarin.com/monotouch). C# for 3 platforms: WP7, Android, iOS. Mobile web will never have the same benefits that a native app has: high performance, less data to transfer, nicely integrated in the OS (live tiles, etc.).
- fpgeek 14y ago
  Unless, of course, web apps are the native apps (e.g. Boot to Gecko).
- cageface 14y ago
  I actually have dabbled with it and I think Xamarin has done some very impressive work there. But most of the work in the typical app is in the UI and you still have to essentially rewrite that for every platform with Mono. For some apps it could still be a net win. Native has the same advantages on the desktop but that hasn't stopped it from being pushed out of mainstream app development and into a few select niches.
- uvTwitch 14y ago
  I find it really ironic that - thanks to Mono - C#, a Michaelsoft language, seems to be the only true multiplatform lanugage these days.
triathlete 14y ago
The problem with html5 apps right now is theres no good platform for developing them. Jquery mobile has issues. Sencha touch has issues. Ive looked at touch before but am concerned abut bugginess and i really dont want to learn c#. The mobile app environment is a huge headache.
- freehunter 14y ago
  We really need a Visual Studio for interactive web apps.
- cageface 14y ago
  I agree that the tools could be improved. But it gets easier if you forget about trying to emulate the native look & feel. The most popular apps on iOS are moving away from stock widgets anyway.

Avalaxy 14y ago

Take a look at MonoDroid (http://xamarin.com/monoforandroid http://xamarin.com/monoforandroid) and MonoTouch (http://xamarin.com/monotouch http://xamarin.com/monotouch). C# for 3 platforms: WP7, Android, iOS. Mobile web will never have the same benefits that a native app has: high performance, less data to transfer, nicely integrated in the OS (live tiles, etc.).

fpgeek 14y ago
Unless, of course, web apps are the native apps (e.g. Boot to Gecko).
cageface 14y ago
I actually have dabbled with it and I think Xamarin has done some very impressive work there. But most of the work in the typical app is in the UI and you still have to essentially rewrite that for every platform with Mono. For some apps it could still be a net win. Native has the same advantages on the desktop but that hasn't stopped it from being pushed out of mainstream app development and into a few select niches.
uvTwitch 14y ago
I find it really ironic that - thanks to Mono - C#, a Michaelsoft language, seems to be the only true multiplatform lanugage these days.

triathlete 14y ago

The problem with html5 apps right now is theres no good platform for developing them. Jquery mobile has issues. Sencha touch has issues. Ive looked at touch before but am concerned abut bugginess and i really dont want to learn c#. The mobile app environment is a huge headache.

freehunter 14y ago
We really need a Visual Studio for interactive web apps.
cageface 14y ago
I agree that the tools could be improved. But it gets easier if you forget about trying to emulate the native look & feel. The most popular apps on iOS are moving away from stock widgets anyway.