Classifications

Because of the increasing convergence of mobile websites and platform-specific apps, they are both covered by this guide. For the purpose of this guide the following definitions apply:

(Native) Apps

“Apps,” an abbreviation of “applications,” are software programs that are installed on mobile devices. Once installed they can use all device specific capabilities such as location, address book, camera, microphone, accelerometer/gyroscope or notifications. As apps can store information on the device, they can also be used offline where there is no network connection. This is particularly useful for reference purposes and multimedia.

Mobile Websites

Mobile websites are websites that are optimized for mobile devices. They may make limited use of device capabilities. Mobile websites are hosted on web servers and always require an internet connection.

Hybrid Apps

Hybrid apps are essentially mobile websites packaged as apps for installation on mobile devices. This means their content is available offline. Hybrid apps can generally make more use of device capabilities than mobile websites.

General Observations

Because mobile websites and applications are becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish, the following general observations may help clarify certain distinctions:

• A mobile website will, in principle, run on all mobile devices.
• An app must, in principle, be developed and published separately for each device and platform.
• Both mobile websites and apps are great for people wanting to know the latest information while they are on the move ("what is the weather like?", "where is the nearest doctor?").
• Because they are “first class citizens” with direct access to the device, apps allow a richer user experience.
• Apps require specialized environments for testing.

Comparison of the Different Classifications