Will HTML5 be a mobile game changer?
By Laurie Peterson | June 6, 2011
At the Open Forum conference yesterday, there was a lot of debate on how/if HTML5 would be a mobile and tablet game changer. HTML5 could provide a way for developers to create platform agnostic tools and content through a return to web (apps), thereby leveling the playing field (versus what we see today where developers must pick which platforms to develop for, such as the ipad).
Below I’ve cited a helpful post from Gervis Menzies Jr., an up and coming social media strategist, for understanding how HTML5 may change in the landscape of mobile development in the coming year(s).
Twitter’s quiet move to revamp its mobile web app using HTML5, may be the most prescient decision the company has ever made, and eventually be seen as both a turning point for the adoption of the markup language, and the beginning of the death of the native mobile app. The purpose of the new HTML5 standard, is to have the markup language handle and manage multimedia and graphical content on the web without proprietary plugins and APIs..
via What Twitter’s mobile redesign means for HTML5 and mobile apps « Gervis Menzies Jr..
If you are still scratching you head, here is an article from webmonkey comparing web versus native apps.
Also, this video is a straightforward presentation reminding us that Android and Blackberry are significant smart phone platform players, and that HTML5 is a solution for reaching all the platforms.
I personally think the current ecosystem led by Apple native apps is a crutch on the way to something more sustainable that can work across platforms. Perhaps HTML5 is the solution, or more likely its the first step towards our platform agnostic future standard. Of course, if Apple had their way, there would only be Apple native apps.
1 Comment
Laurie Peterson on June 10, 2011 at 4:19 pm.
Most of the comments on my posts attend to appear offsite (people comment in facebook or linked in, for example). I am copying a conversation here as I think it adds to the depth of this post. My friend Ziad produces chips for tablets, so he is very interested in this topic. Cheers!
# Ziad Hachem
Good write Laurie. What do you think the implications for platforms will be?
June 6 at 8:12am
# Laurie Peterson
Hi ziad. Well if HTML becomes the standard, developers will be less likely to build custom apps for a particular platform, thereby losing the ability to tap into new hardware features that help to differentiate platforms. So we might see platforms driving towards similar feature sets? In that way, HTML as a standard will level the platform playing field, which is a threat to platform providers with a differentiation strategy. What do u think?
Tuesday at 11:32am
# Ziad Hachem
Double edge sword Laurie. U bring up an excellent point that HTML5 will reduce platform differentiation. However, it’ll relieve software vendors from recreating the wheel for different platforms and will allow them to focus on what matters most: innovation. You can always combat reduced platform differentiation platform specific apps. Overall, HTML5 will unify user experience across platforms and therefore increase adoption. Think Playbook’s recent ad campaign? (playbook can do flash, iPad cannot, so you don’t just get half the web).