What are the differences between a mobile app and responsive website? Why does this even matter?

One of the most common things we hear as an agency is, "My website is already mobile-friendly, so why do I need a mobile app?"  This can be a little bit of a confusing differentiation to anyone new to the mobile app world.

There is no right or wrong here - it is personal preference as some people like the mobile web and prefer to have less features, others prefer the desktop and like the extra features.  There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

In this era of constant business growth, no sector, company, and organization can afford to sit on the sidelines of technology. Companies from all industries need to understand the evolution of technology so that they can stay one step ahead of their competitors.

This includes business-to-business (B2B) companies and even businesses with a focus on the consumer. With the introduction of the iPhone, a new category of device has entered the market, changing traditional thinking about the best ways in which to access information and products. Now, consumers are even more inclined to purchase products and services over the “mobile Web” – or websites – when compared to smartphones. But is it actually more beneficial to use a website rather than the more powerful smartphone device?

Today’s smartphone users are different. They are more tech-savvy and prefer instant access to information. In fact, the smartphone became the most used mobile device over the past three years (and is expected to remain the number one choice until 2016)! On the other hand, traditional desktop computer users still have their places in the office – but their days might be numbered. With the proliferation of smartphones and tablets, many companies are beginning to adapt business activities using these devices. They are now realizing that their customers are not loyal to one particular system or device for work. With the increased number of platforms that people can use, it is now possible to access all of your data and resources from multiple devices. As long as they are able to access information over multiple channels (not just on the phone) – and not all of these channels are the Web or the traditional desktop device – you can be certain that they will be accessing your product or service from a variety of different places. This means that you have to make sure your information is on these channels as well – whether it is via the Web, a mobile device, tablet, or other device.