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Why are there so many apps that could be websites? (lemmy.world)

submitted 11 months ago by sir_pronoun@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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Seriously. I don't want to install something on my phone when the dev is just using a WebView, if that's what it's called. When the app is basically just a website with the browser hidden.

What's the reason for that? To attach the customer? To sell the app for money? Is there more ad revenue that way? Do you reach more people?

(Are there any good reasons for it, too? Security, maybe?)

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[-] rimu@piefed.social 6 points 11 months ago

Yes, I have built it as a website app also and that is the primary UI. The mobile app is just a read-only viewer for quick access to the information people need on the go. It's not entirely pointless.

A lot of people don't know how to install a PWA (which I also provide, if they want it) and have never done so. They also just expect there to be an app in the app store and when they hear about a tool someone else is using that's their first port of call.

[-] TostiHawaii@feddit.nl 2 points 11 months ago

This is definitely part of it. The company I work for sells a service to companies, that their employees need to use. We built a web app, it works perfectly fine. However, people ask for 'an app' because they want to install it from their phone's app store instead of opening the website once through a link in their email and creating a bookmark.

So we added a PWA manifest and clear instructions on how to 'install' our web app (it's literally the same thing otherwise, no added functionality). Yet the users still complain that they want an app...

[-] Zak@lemmy.world 3 points 11 months ago

I'm surprised users find the app store that compelling for a one-time "install" with updates not a factor. Do they cite any other reasons for wanting a different approach?

[-] TostiHawaii@feddit.nl 2 points 11 months ago

No, it's just "can't find it in the app store" and "want to have it on my home screen"...

this post was submitted on 05 Jan 2024

461 points (100.0% liked)

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