Internet/Web apps to take over the mobile sphere in the long run…

Smartphones and app stores are the current crack for geeks alike. Back in 2007 however, Apple tried to set a very different precedent by abandoning the traditional native app model and focusing on web apps. That attempt ultimately failed as end users wanted the features native apps provided and weren’t too fond of web apps’ meager functionality. As the mobile web and mobile browser constantly evolve, would a web app/browser combo once again have a chance at unseating native apps?

“Yes” says Mozilla. Speaking on behalf of excitement for their upcoming Fennec (Mobile Firefox) browser, Jay Sullivan, vice president of mobile at Mozilla stated that the improvements to the mobile web in the coming years will completely redefine the lines previously drawn between native and web apps. With Fennec, claims Jay Sullivan, we’ll see improvements in javascript performance that will supposedly be so great that it will reinvigorate the web app scene.

The idea of native apps dying off isn’t really that far fetched and in fact going to happen at some point or another. Just as many other products and services have moved into a digital/online format, so will apps. Just think, instead of spending time and money developing 1, 2, 3, or more different apps for different platforms, now a software developer can create one, maybe two different versions for any number of platforms.

The scalability and possibilities are really endless. Again, it’s just a matter of time before native apps and app stores become a thing of the past. How long do you think it will take?

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