Everything iPad

About a week ago now, we gave you a quick preview of an upcoming interview with a major player in the mobile web’s domain. They view the touch-based mobile web as an environment that is not merely growing, but exploding with content. Our quick conversation with Steve Ives, CEO of Taptu, showed us that applications from an App Store and mobile web applications are growing at a very fast pace, and are quickly finding a happy medium as the two mediums expand.

Everything iPad: Where does Taptu play in the evolution of the mobile web?

Steve Ives: As the creator of a mobile touch-friendly Web site and two native apps for the iPhone and Android markets, Taptu has spent the last three years gathering intelligence and monitoring the trends in the marketplace, and we have spent the last two months intensively gathering data to support our original speculation that mobile touch content would become a much more important ecosystem than any individual app store. As of December 2009 we found 326,000 Mobile Touch Web sites, more than double the number of iPhone apps available.

Everything iPad: Do you believe that touch-based web browsing will be the focus from this point on?

Steve Ives: Mobile apps definitely still have their place in the world and will continue to gain popularity – especially in the gaming arena. While some activities are simply better as apps, one area touch-based browsing really has room to grow is in mobile commerce which currently makes up 20% of all mobile touch optimized sites. Mobile touch content can be used across all devices, and doesn’t require specific and costly apps for each platform. So, my answer to your question would be yes and no. Touch-based browsing definitely has tremendous room for growth and will continue to be the focus for shopping and service sites, but the app stores are not going anywhere for the time being.

Everything iPad: How do you see mobile web applications surviving in a world full of App Stores?

Steve Ives: The mobile touch web is doing more than surviving – it’s blowing the app stores out of the water when it comes to sheer volume of content. There is no question that they both have their place and will continue to thrive. However, the question is if mobile apps are now moving more towards gaming and highly graphic environments while mobile web sites are continuing to grow as a valid source of m-commerce, graphic design and social networking. While you’re standing in line at the bank why not book a rental car for your upcoming vacation and buy tickets to the theme park? Isn’t it more convenient to visit one mobile touch optimized web site then to go back and forth between different apps to compare prices?

Everything iPad: Along with Taptu Search, and Wapedia, does Taptu have any other applications on the horizon?

Steve Ives: We’re constantly working on and evolving our product set based on user feedback. Whether that leads to new or improved products depends on what our users want or need.

Everything iPad: Are mobile web applications the future, or do traditional apps distributed from application stores still lead the way?

Steve Ives: Our findings indicate that the mobile user wants to use their touch screen device for much more than just entertainment. They want to be able to make purchases on the fly, check the score of the game, read the news and check their email without having to switch back and forth between various apps (if the app even exists) – so functionality is essential. As I mentioned, apps will always have their place in the mobile landscape, especially for highly-interactive games. It is important for brands to recognize that there are tremendous opportunities for mobile touch content beyond applications that can be even less costly to develop, like a touch-friendly mobile site. This also eases the burden on development teams who won’t have to create multiple applications to run across platforms.

If we had to guess, we’d be willing to bet that Taptu isn’t the only company out there invested in the touch-based mobile web. We believe wholeheartedly that utilizing both applications from the App Store, and the mobile web optimized for touch interfaces, will make the average user so much more adept and happy while using their iPad. It’s about the experience, and offering more options, and not just thinking inside the box, will make every user happy.