4 ms·

Why the hell is it a smartphone exclusive app? Isn't the target audience largely underprivileged populations who might not have access to a smartphone? Why do

Why the hell is it a smartphone exclusive app? Isn't the target audience largely underprivileged populations who might not have access to a smartphone? Why do people want everything to be an app, when a website would do the job better?

froglet 12y ago
These kids that made this grew up with apps, not websites. Apps are their first choice.
- silentbicycle 12y ago
  But, isn't accessibility excruciatingly important here? This post (http://modelviewculture.com/pieces/it-s-not-you-it-s-the-system http://modelviewculture.com/pieces/it-s-not-you-it-s-the-sys...) mentions many ways well-intentioned projects can miss the mark, because of these kinds of issues.
  - unepipe 12y ago
    Actually, an app is more likely to be on a user's phone for this kind of use... Although you can bookmark a website to your homescreen, most users don't know how to do that and even less actually do that. A mobile app is more likely to be on hand and easy to open in case of a run-in. (Although it's not likely someone would remember to do so if something were happening)
    - kalagan 12y ago
      You can make a website and then an app which is just a wrapper around the website.
Lunatic666 12y ago
If you want to target lower income people, then I think smartphones are the better choice. They can afford a cheap Android smartphone rather than a small laptop. Smartphones provide the same services cheaper and they're handy to use
- click170 12y ago
  I don't disagree with you, but I think the parent's point was that a responsive website covers all three bases, where an app only covers 2 (1 in most cases). Why exclude the laptop when you have an easy alternative that doesn't.
Steko 12y ago
So if you're in the subway and have no bars a website is better how exactly?
- oftenwrong 12y ago
  Web apps do not necessarily require a network connection.
rickyc091 12y ago
While many people don't have smartphones, I've noticed that a lot of them have iPods.
hyperpape 12y ago
I agree that a smartphone app that contains a responsive website rendered in a web view is the best option. However smartphones are surprisingly common among low income teens (http://www.businessinsider.com.au/low-income-teens-own-more-smartphones-2013-3 http://www.businessinsider.com.au/low-income-teens-own-more-...). Eventually there probably won't really even be a smartphone/dumbphone distinction, just more or less expensive smartphones. And of course in the United States, even middle and upper class Black teens are often targets of police harassment.

froglet 12y ago

These kids that made this grew up with apps, not websites. Apps are their first choice.

silentbicycle 12y ago
But, isn't accessibility excruciatingly important here? This post (http://modelviewculture.com/pieces/it-s-not-you-it-s-the-system http://modelviewculture.com/pieces/it-s-not-you-it-s-the-sys...) mentions many ways well-intentioned projects can miss the mark, because of these kinds of issues.
- unepipe 12y ago
  Actually, an app is more likely to be on a user's phone for this kind of use... Although you can bookmark a website to your homescreen, most users don't know how to do that and even less actually do that. A mobile app is more likely to be on hand and easy to open in case of a run-in. (Although it's not likely someone would remember to do so if something were happening)
  - kalagan 12y ago
    You can make a website and then an app which is just a wrapper around the website.

Lunatic666 12y ago

If you want to target lower income people, then I think smartphones are the better choice. They can afford a cheap Android smartphone rather than a small laptop. Smartphones provide the same services cheaper and they're handy to use

click170 12y ago
I don't disagree with you, but I think the parent's point was that a responsive website covers all three bases, where an app only covers 2 (1 in most cases). Why exclude the laptop when you have an easy alternative that doesn't.

Steko 12y ago

So if you're in the subway and have no bars a website is better how exactly?

oftenwrong 12y ago
Web apps do not necessarily require a network connection.

rickyc091 12y ago

While many people don't have smartphones, I've noticed that a lot of them have iPods.

hyperpape 12y ago

I agree that a smartphone app that contains a responsive website rendered in a web view is the best option. However smartphones are surprisingly common among low income teens (http://www.businessinsider.com.au/low-income-teens-own-more-smartphones-2013-3 http://www.businessinsider.com.au/low-income-teens-own-more-...). Eventually there probably won't really even be a smartphone/dumbphone distinction, just more or less expensive smartphones. And of course in the United States, even middle and upper class Black teens are often targets of police harassment.