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

submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

98 comments fedilink hide all child comments

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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[–] [email protected] 18 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Because the majority of internet connections these days are from a mobile device. And if you want to reach the average person, you have to be where they are looking.

I think it's really a shame that mobile OS's are so locked down that the only real way for people to download things is through some centralized app store.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Are average persons regularly scrolling through their app store looking for new apps then?

Popups on your websites for the app are by definition redirections to places the user isn't looking.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

i was curious so i did some research

A study by Google and Ipsos found that while app stores are a popular destination for finding new apps, they are not the only method. About 40% of smartphone users browse for apps in app stores, and one in four app users discovers an app through a search engine. This suggests that a significant portion of smartphone users are indeed using search engines, rather than just app stores, to find apps and information

source

Additionally, data from Amplitude Labs reveals that app usage grew by 36% from January 2020 to December 2021, while website usage grew by 57% in the same period. By December 2021, the user base was almost evenly split between apps and websites, with 54% of users on apps and 46% on websites

source

while me or you might go to a search engine and type in "weather today", i think there really is a large chunk of the userbase (somewhere near half) who would rather go into the app store and type in "weather"

i think it might be an age thing with older people, but honestly, maybe even younger generations like alpha / z. they grew up in a different OS environment. we grew up on PCs, they grow up on mobile OS

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

F-droid exists, but sadly most people and devs don't use it.