My notes from “Going mobile” MobileConnection Keynote by @AaronHillegass . Key points:
-Mobile Sync is Hard/Expensive
– 78% of apps purchased are for iOS, 4% Android, 6% MS, 7% RIM. Means should look to iOS apps to lead the way from a style and cut perspective. (Innovation will happen on that platform first because of the volume).
-If you want to have an app work on all major platforms, will be expensive, unless you just want an app, and don’t care if it looks ‘delightful’.
-Want delightful on major platforms? Have to go native on each. HTML5/etc will just bring mediocrity into the game. Look at Google Apps…. 7 years of the best programmers with a clear vision, and their word processor app is mediocre at best.
-Really need a cross functional team working on your mobile app if you want it to be successful (lower the risk). Designer, App Programmer, WebService programmer, Management, User need to all be part of the team, but watch out for too many people in the game too. This is classic scrum team advise.
-Be aware, mobile (and computing in general) is in a Coevolving situation. (Like Cheetah and Gazelle.. as Cheetah gets faster, Gazelle has to either to stay alive) Mobile Coevolving with User demand and Capacity of tools & process. (as the tools/process gets better, the user demands go up too). Side effect = more complex apps are being expected/asked for… which up’s the risk.
-He certainly believes that HTML5 is not the answer… Native apps are the path for the long term to “Free hour human potential”, which Steve Jobs believes in as well.. (computers = tool that allows for us to be better than we are without it)
Overall, a basic presentation on getting into Mobile app dev. I didn’t find it extremely useful since my team has been doing Mobile app dev for years, but some good points for all to consider when diving in as well as maintaining apps long term.