| When building modern mobile applications, many | | | | in terms of content and memory. With limited cache |
| developers struggle to determine whether a native | | | | options, the user navigation experience can be slow |
| OS application or a Wireless Application Protocol | | | | on traditional mobile networks, requiring careful |
| (WAP) browser friendly site is the ideal choice. While | | | | information architecture (IA) decisions. |
| the decision process is unique in each case, there are | | | | Because mobile browsers render content quite |
| a variety of factors to consider during the process. | | | | differently than their desktop counterparts, |
| This guide aims to provide a roadmap for developers | | | | developers are often forced to rely upon text as the |
| and marketers to make an informed decision on how | | | | primary means of integration and lack access to |
| to best deploy your mobile application based upon | | | | native mobile features and libraries. Still, the variety of |
| resources and your target market. | | | | mobile screens and devices makes it particularly |
| For larger brands, deployment of mobile applications | | | | challenging to write code that can translate cleanly |
| on multiple operating systems such as Android and | | | | across nearly every screen and device type. The |
| iPhone along with a WAP site can provide complete | | | | ability to integrate complex feature-rich applications is |
| access to a target market. While most brands do not | | | | limited on a mobile browser, since you can only utilize |
| have a full budget capable of extending across the | | | | a subset of forms and interactive options as well as |
| full breadth of mobile media, there are options to | | | | formats. As a result, many developers are looking to |
| consider limited presences in a variety of | | | | segment their mobile presence into native |
| frameworks. Traditional wireless protocol sites were | | | | applications. |
| the preferred choice since a single centralized solution | | | | Native applications offer rich libraries, a marketing |
| can be designed across a variety of devices and | | | | channel and improved User Interface (UI) standards |
| platforms without the limitations and integration | | | | for rich features. For iPhone this means access to rich |
| challenges faced by a native application library. | | | | graphics, impressive processing power and OS |
| Getting your brand out there on the largest possible | | | | features such as GPS. As a result, you can offer a |
| set of devices makes the WAP solution an ideal | | | | user experience that goes well beyond traditional |
| choice, but the Wireless Markup Language (WML) | | | | mobile browsers. While there is a trade-off in terms |
| standards have definite limitations. | | | | of the requirements to upgrade and meet changing |
| By standardizing previous mobile browser languages, | | | | technology standards, many brands can benefit from |
| WAP had to focus on a standard that could scale | | | | the results of a top quality application. The improving |
| across low capability devices. Wireless markup | | | | cross-platform standards that allow traditional code |
| language emerged from HTML but is rendered similar | | | | bases to integrate into iPhone and Android platforms |
| to XML requiring developers to pay close attention to | | | | can facilitate the development process even if native |
| syntax, including capitalization and page directories, | | | | applications require more resources and time than |
| known as decks. Since these page types or decks | | | | other solutions. |
| are often limited to a MB in size, there are limitations | | | | |