1. Mobile Apps versus Mobile
Websites
The User’s Perspective
Sharon Grubaugh
Synergistic Paradigms LLC
Presented at User Focus 2012
October 19, 2012

2. Agenda
 Mobile Today
 The Mobile User – Case Studies
 The Mobile Traveler
 The Mobile Job Seeker
 Mobile Apps and Websites
 The Business/Technology Perspective
 The User’s Perspective
 Q&A

3. Mobile Today

4. Mobile Today
General Smartphone usage
 81% browse the Internet
 77% search,
 68% use an app, and
 48% watch videos on their smartphone
 72% use their smartphones while consuming
other media, with a third while watching TV
 93% of smartphone owners use their
smartphones while at home
Source: http://googlemobileads.blogspot.com/2011/04/smartphone-user-study-shows-mobile.html

5. Mobile Today
US Only
 25% of mobile users are mobile only
 25% downloaded apps are never used again
 55% apple/android - $$ is the top factor
Usability of Mobile
 64% success rate on mobile website
 76% success rate on mobile apps

6. Mobile Today
 Mobile users reported a preference for mobile
browsers for virtually all mobile content.
 Games, music and social media only
categories prefer app than mobile web.
 Mobile users would rather fire up a browser
than a dedicated app.
http://www.urmobile.com

7. The Mobile User – Case Studies

8. The Mobile Traveler

9. The Mobile Traveler - Touchpoints

10. The Mobile Traveler

11. The Mobile Traveler
PLANNING and BOOKING STAGES
Top mobile flight-related activities while planning a
trip:
 Checked airfare prices: 26%
 Looked up a phone number: 25%
 Checked flight schedules: 25%
 Researched airport information: 24%
 Received price alerts for flights: 19%
 Booked a flight: 18%

12. The Mobile Traveler
DURING TRIP STAGE
Travellers using a mobile device to check flight
status:
 2011: 30%
 2012: 50%
Travellers using a mobile device to check in for a
flight:
 2011: 17%
 2012: 30%

13. The Mobile Job Seeker

14. The Mobile Job Seeker
The Mobile User – Case Studies

15. Mobile Apps and Websites

16. The Business/Technical Perspective
Mobile Websites
 Functionality: can be accessed quickly and easily.
 Usability: Accessible on any phone with a web browser Increasing the usability of the
website is essential; just because mobile websites can be accessed on any mobile device
doesn't mean that users will want to access the website if it doesn't have a good design.
 Discoverability: Mobile websites come up in web searches. Many mobile websites are also
being accessed via social media websites and e-mail, so it is also important to divert users
directly to the mobile site and not the standard version which can be more difficult to use,
thus removing the convenience factor.
Mobile Applications
 Functionality: A major advantage of mobile applications is the specialized functionality that
they offer. Mobile apps can use the special features of a mobile device, such as GPS,
camera, video or phone capabilities.
 Usability: Apps have a much higher usability than many mobile websites and offer a more
engaging and integrated experience with users. An advantage is guaranteed to work on each
device
 Discoverability: A big disadvantage of mobile apps is the fact that users must find them and
then download and install the application. Apps can therefore be good for established brands
with an existing customer base that will receive added value from the application.

17. Mobile App versus Web
Southwest Airlines – Different User Experience

18. Mobile App versus Web
Southwest Airlines

19. Mobile Apps vs Web
Monster

20. Mobile Apps vs Web
Monster

21. The User’s Perspective
Important Factor’s in Decision to Build Mobile/Native App versus
Mobile Website
 Context
 Cost
 Performance
 Access Speed
 Connectivity
 Usability
 Rich experience
 Consistency
 Discoverability/Findability
 Usage
 Social/Cultural
 Functionality
 Relevance

22. Questions?