The mobile Web browser is dead!

Thursday, 11. January 2007, 17:11:14

So says Gary Warren, the chairman and CEO of AppForge, a mobile-solutions company which specializes in "Web Services via Microsoft Visual Studio".

Opera, and even Nokia and Apple, would beg to differ. These companies have invested significant resources into mobile browsers, and we are only getting started with the real potential of the browser, not only as a tool to surf the Web, but as a platform on which you build applications. Apple's new iPhone even supports Widgets.

"And the mobile Web browser?" Warren asks. The mobile Web browser, Mr. Warren, threatens your business model. The browser makes it easier, faster and cheaper to develop mobile applications, and we are just beginning to scratch the surface of what the browser can do for mobile phones and other devices.

Wii browser is here!Firefox coming to Wii?

Comments

Funny, I thought the big advantage of the web browser was that you didn't need a specailized client for every single data/service provider!

Why would I want to install a separate client for each news site I read, for IMDB, for Wikipedia, for movie listings, etc.? For someone who develops for mobile devices, why do I have a feeling he doesn't use them much?

Edit: I assume you're responding to this column on CNET?

By Kelson, # 11. January 2007, 19:15:43

Yes, that's the article I was referring to. I forgot the link

By haavard, # 11. January 2007, 19:35:34

How many specialized applications does Gary Warren think I can install on my phone, anyway? If my bank asked me to install a special client onto to my desktop PC, I wouldn't do it.

By Lawmune, # 11. January 2007, 22:25:41

I think you are wrong and right both of you....

Mobile Browser as it is is not suited for mobile.
Applications are a much better way to handle connected/disconnected issue, but suffer of others issues (complexity, porting issues, etc...)

That's why as you said, Opera os moving from a browser to a platform, just like the other platform here (J2me, Flash, etc...)

And trust me, as a developper, we have many issues if not more with mobile web browser than mobile application....

And check this nice quote:
http://blog.landspurg.net/the-truth-about-mobile-and-web-development

(did links works. Here

By tomsoft, # 12. January 2007, 10:11:17

The browser application doesn't actually have to run over the network, but it can. You can have it both ways.

And in countries like India and China, the mobile phone is the only way many people can afford to access the Internet. Opera Mini is very popular in these countries because it allows them to view online content even though they do not have a PC.

By haavard, # 13. January 2007, 20:11:20