According to mobile industry reports, 7.12% of all website
traffic worldwide came from handheld devices in 2011. In
2012, that figure rose to 11.78%.1
According to eMarketer
(a leading digital media market research firm), more than
58% of American adults will be regular mobile web users
by the end of 2016. Tablets and smartphones are becoming
the default choice for connecting to the internet. The
web has become an essential part of our lives, and users
are connected to their internet devices from anywhere
and all the time.
This revolution is influencing many companies to shift
towards a “Mobile First, Desktop Second” strategy for
their business. However, the shift from desktop to mobile
requires web designers to refocus - not completely away
from desktop design, but certainly with an inclination
towards mobile.
There are several ways to approach a mobile web
presence, such as implementing a separate mobile site or
a mobile web app. The most recent and popular approach
seems to be Responsive Web Design.
This paper explains the difference between Mobile Web
App and Responsive Web Design, and provides a framework
for resolving some of the key questions decision
makers have. These include what factors to consider when
choosing between Responsive Web Design and Mobile
Web App, and what type of industry Responsive Web
Design is most suitable for. The paper examines the pros
and cons of each approach, and presents a sample scenario
from the retail industry as well as a case study. As
the paper guides you in how to make the right choice, it
draws upon RapidValue’s experience helping
enterprises succeed in the complex and evolving mobile
ecosystem.