You don’t need to buy apps from the app store or download tons of apps. The development of progressive web apps describes a new way of using various apps.
When you don’t want to add more apps to your phone, but you still want to utilize the app functions that some websites offer, there is something that bridges the gap. The distance between mobile apps and websites can be significant if the site doesn’t have a related app. Thankfully, the use of progressive web apps allows you to use the app functionality on your phone that mimics a website.
What are the pros and cons of progressive web Apps?
The convenience and reach of the website are coupled with the functionality of native mobile apps through progressive web apps (PWAs). Here are some of the pros and cons of PWAs.
Pro: Offline mode
Users can browse products when not connected to the internet, using PWAs. The data is cached by the browser to ensure the functionality of the associated website can be enjoyed when offline. The mobile app function can utilize phone data to connect, which leads to potentially higher sales and greater revenue.
Con: Compatibility with iOS
Older versions of Apple’s operating system don’t allow PWAs to run. If your mobile device has iOS 11.3 or later, you can use PWAs, but older versions don’t allow this functionality. Apple doesn’t allow PWAs to access many important features, such as Touch ID, Face ID, ARKit, Bluetooth, serial, Beacons, altimeter sensor, and battery information. These functions could be important when using some PWAs.
Pro: Improved performance
Many users abandon a site on a mobile device if it takes more than three seconds to load. Once a site is loaded, users expect instant performance during use. Progressive web apps make it possible for services to work faster and more successfully than sites that don’t use them. The JavaScript runs separately from the main browser thread, and this allows data to be delivered faster, ensuring much better performance when using PWAs associated with some websites.
Con: PWAs can’t do everything
Despite the advanced capability of PWAs, they can’t do everything that traditional mobile apps can do, nor as much as a website does. Because PWAs are written in JavaScript, they are not as battery efficient as apps written in native languages. This also means the performance isn’t nearly as good as native apps. You might not be able to access some important device features through PWAs.
Pro: No installation or manual updates required
You don’t have to deal with installing apps or manual updates when using progressive web apps. All you’ve got to do is visit the website and log in. The site can automatically bring you to its PWA, ensuring you can easily make use of the website features that appear natural and correct on your mobile device. The company that develops the PWA expects to receive fewer customer support requests because the company can update the website and app frequently without disrupting user experiences.
Con: No legacy devices
If you’re using an older mobile device, whether it be your smartphone or a tablet, you probably won’t have the benefits that come with PWAs. These apps have only been around for a few years, which means outdated web browsers won’t support them. This problem could solve itself in the future, but could become the source of many customer complaints in the meantime.
Pro: Platform-specific features
PWAs can live on your home screen and deliver web push notifications that appear like regular push notifications. They can also run in full screen, change display orientation, start with a custom splash screen, access location data, and perform several other functions. Progressive web apps take advantage of platform-specific features that make it easy for you to use them on any mobile device.
Pro: Low on data
PWAs are much smaller than native mobile apps, meaning they require much less bandwidth than traditional web apps because they can take much better advantage of caching. This massive difference is extremely important in developing countries and emerging markets because mobile data is much more expensive than in developed countries.
Despite being around for a relatively short time, progressive web apps have established a new philosophy for building websites, which makes them more important and useful for company relevancy. Many companies have embraced PWAs and should continue to do so, ensuring users can enjoy a desirable mobile experience.
