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Mobile apps or native websites?

A key decision for researchers who are looking to deliver content or services via mobile platforms is whether to provide specific mobile apps or a native website. When smartphones were first launched, many thought that mobile apps were a stopgap, and would eventually be replaced by web browser access as phones became more powerful. This is because mobile apps were able to store many elements on the phone, as well as make greater use of the phones processor rather than relying on a website. On the other hand, mobile-optimised websites were dependent on powerful processors and were tied into the user interface limitations of the web. Over time, as web technologies became more powerful, it was assumed that the need for apps would go away. However, the reverse has been the case, with more use of the mobile web driven by apps. There are also a number of technical reasons why apps are so popular. For example, there are potential security advantages over websites and they typically have more responsive user interfaces. However, one more practical explanation from a research participant’s perspective is that by presenting a single icon on a smartphone screen, apps are considerably more convenient for users. Evidence increasingly suggests that mobile platforms are being dominated by apps rather than the web.¹⁹ This has the potential to create important implications for the way in which researchers provide access to their research studies.