1. bitek's Avatar
    App situation is totally overrated. I just deleted 10 apps from my phone (android) because there is perfectly good (same) online equipment.

    1. Kayak app gone
    2. Open Tabele app gone
    3. Hotels app gone
    4. Kijiji app gone
    5. Trapeeze app gone (tumblr)
    6. Booking.com app gone
    7. Ebay app gone
    8. Huffington post app gone
    9. Yellow pages gone
    10. Stubhub app gone

    I could add many more....

    The point is that it is expensive for developers to maintain the same app on multiple platforms. It is much more cost effective to keep one mobile site which any browser can read. Sure there are still many apps that have no website equivalent. It is just matter of time before most if not all apps will move to mobile sites. 1. Because it will be way cheaper to maintain 2. It will take away control from major players like Apple or Google.

    Sent from my Z10 using Tapatalk
    04-25-14 04:02 AM
  2. walt63's Avatar
    Before someone lashes out, this rational only applies to apps in which the the same experience can be achieved through a browser.

    This is true and this is the reason why responsive design exist and is spreading fast. The only advantage of an app is the ability to have some sort of notifications.

    This app thing started because Apple didn't have a great mobile browser in early versions. So sites like CNN, NYT, WSJ, ESPN, etc had to create an app as their iPhone users.



    Posted via CB10
    04-25-14 04:42 AM
  3. afl777's Avatar
    Apps...wonderful things to have, ideally a choice of two or three of each.

    But the app culture has gone crazy. Hundreds of apps in android that all do the same thing, hundreds of news apps, hundreds of weather apps, hundreds of data monitoring apps etc etc. How much choice does a sane person need for goodness sake. No wonder the android store has so many apps in it.

    Give me Blackberry World anytime.
    BallRockReaper likes this.
    04-25-14 05:08 AM
  4. DINGSTER1's Avatar
    I'm using the same apps across borh IOS and Android atm. Bank, Hotels.com, Tripit, Huffington Post, Washington Post, Blogger. I can go seamlessly from one platform to another (and I do every day) and my info is available readily. I cannot do that SEAMLESSLY with BB. That is the point. Browser works in a pinch but why do all that pinching and zooming when you do not have to tolerate the frustration with an APP?

    Sent from my Note 3
    04-25-14 05:51 AM
  5. bitek's Avatar
    I'm using the same apps across borh IOS and Android atm. Bank, Hotels.com, Tripit, Huffington Post, Washington Post, Blogger. I can go seamlessly from one platform to another (and I do every day) and my info is available readily. I cannot do that SEAMLESSLY with BB. That is the point. Browser works in a pinch but why do all that pinching and zooming when you do not have to tolerate the frustration with an APP?

    Sent from my Note 3
    What pinching and zooming? These are all mobile sites. Looks exactly the same as app or mobile site

    Sent from my Z10 using Tapatalk
    04-25-14 05:56 AM
  6. early2bed's Avatar
    1. Because it will be way cheaper to maintain 2. It will take away control from major players like Apple or Google.

    Sent from my Z10 using Tapatalk
    3. But will never be quite as good as a native app

    Posted from Tapatalk - is that supposed to be ironic? What's wrong with the forum website?
    Acidwire and GingerSnapsBack like this.
    04-25-14 06:01 AM
  7. bakron1's Avatar
    What pinching and zooming? These are all mobile sites. Looks exactly the same as app or mobile site

    Sent from my Z10 using Tapatalk
    eBay app: I can monitor my auctions with the app which keeps me logged in to my account and I get a notification when a bidder has a question. This increases my business and improves my workflow. Do that from the browser????

    Sports apps: Lets me select my favorite teams and keeps me updated without having to go to a website and scroll around to find that information.

    Weather app: Notifies me when there is a weather issue in my area, I depend on this because I travel allot.

    Apps are how folks get things done in 2014, the rest of the world gets this concept, why can't the faithful who keep preaching the browser theory get it? Forget about using the browser in place of a dedicated app. It's this type and antiquated thinking is why Blackberry is behind the eight ball.

    Android, IOS and Windows mobile operating systems have all increased their respective app ecosystems because thats what the consumer has asked for!!! Sound familiar?? Basic business concepts 101.
    04-25-14 06:24 AM
  8. John Vieira's Avatar
    Yeah, but why can't there be a 3rd party app that just sends these notifications on behalf of these websites.

    Or they can just email you when these things happen.

    Posted via Z69
    KarlosSpicyWienr likes this.
    04-25-14 06:28 AM
  9. Luiserafim's Avatar
    App based services must have apps... web based services with good mobile sites are way better in a good browser than in an app!
    IMHO
    So... I agree "App situation is totally overrated"...
    04-25-14 06:31 AM
  10. Thud Hardsmack's Avatar
    I'm using the same apps across borh IOS and Android atm. Bank, Hotels.com, Tripit, Huffington Post, Washington Post, Blogger. I can go seamlessly from one platform to another (and I do every day) and my info is available readily. I cannot do that SEAMLESSLY with BB. That is the point. Browser works in a pinch but why do all that pinching and zooming when you do not have to tolerate the frustration with an APP?

    Sent from my Note 3
    Looks to me you can, with no pinching and zooming.

    Browser:

    App situation is totally overrated-img_20140425_062506.pngApp situation is totally overrated-img_20140425_063010.png

    And app.

    App situation is totally overrated-img_20140425_062947.pngApp situation is totally overrated-img_20140425_063108.png
    bitek and CDM76 like this.
    04-25-14 06:44 AM
  11. early2bed's Avatar
    Yeah, but why can't there be a 3rd party app that just sends these notifications on behalf of these websites.

    Or they can just email you when these things happen.

    Posted via Z69
    An app to solve the problem of needing apps!
    21stNow likes this.
    04-25-14 06:52 AM
  12. walt63's Avatar
    Guys this is not a BlackBerry vs. Other platforms discussion. We all know where BlackBerry stands with their app ecosystem. This is to show the realization of many apps aren't needed when they also have a mobile experience.

    The eBay example mentioned above of how to properly execute the app expansion of your site. There needs to be an experience that communicate with the device to access anytime. Again notifications are the difference. Other than that, some sites have apps just to have apps. In some cases, they are literally their mobile site shelled as an app.

    Posted via CB10
    CDM76 likes this.
    04-25-14 07:03 AM
  13. bakron1's Avatar
    As I have said many times, the smartphone business is driven by consumer demand. The consumer has demanded apps and that's the norm now.

    Forget how we did things in 2008, it's 2014, Google, Apple and Microsoft have all figured it out and made billions doing it, why hasn't Blackberry???.


    Sent from my z30 on T Mobile USA (10.2.1.2160)
    04-25-14 07:06 AM
  14. BallRockReaper's Avatar
    @bakron: because BlackBerry is different to all the others.

    Look what you already can find in a BlackBerry firmware and what kind of apps you need for having the same things on an Android.

    the quieter you become, the more you are able to hear
    04-25-14 07:23 AM
  15. ubizmo's Avatar
    The premise of the title of this thread is false. The app situation is not overrated. Yes, some apps are redundant, given web sites that provide the same experience. But, as others have already pointed out, some web sites don't provide the same experience.

    The main point is this: If there is just one app that a person really needs or wants for which a web app is a poor substitute, that person has a very good reason to go to a different platform where he or she can have that app. A single app can easily be a dealbreaker for a platform, for a given person.

    To use my standard example, Audible has a lot of subscribers. They spend money on audiobooks and want to listen to them on their smartphone. It's not in BB World. There's no web app. Yes, the app can be downloaded from the Amazon app store or from Snap, but for any Audible enthusiast who doesn't know about these things, it's a dealbreaker. Just that one app.

    My other example: TunePal is a great app for people who play traditional Celtic music. The web app at tunepal.org won't work in the BB10 browser. If I really need that app I have a very good reason to stick with Android. In fact, when I asked the developer to port it to BB10 (there's no reason why it shouldn't work as a port) he declined and said "Stick with Android!" There's no substitute in BB World.

    And so on. Audible is popular; TunePal isn't. It doesn't matter if many apps have acceptable web app substitutes. It only takes a few popular apps lacking such substitutes to give lots of people reason to go elsewhere. Individual niche apps like TunePal may not deflect a lot of users, but the cumulative effect of a lot of missing niche apps is not good.
    04-25-14 07:56 AM
  16. pantlesspenguin's Avatar
    I use many fitness apps. 24 Hour Fitness has a great app with things the mobile site doesn't offer. for example, I can get the class schedule for the week on the mobile site, but it's in grid form of all classes on all days and it's only for one club at a time. On the app, I can sort classes by club, class, instructor, or I can view the full schedule. I only go to a couple select classes, and I prefer some instructors over others, so this is very helpful for me.

    I use fitness tracker apps a lot in the spring and summer. They're GPS based and follow my route, mileage, vertical distance, calories burned, etc. My workouts are saved and I can view them later. I can't do this with a website.

    Also, I like sharing information between apps sometimes. Like if I'm in an app and want text some information from the app to someone, all I need to do is click the "share" icon within the app and it brings up my list of apps to share it to. I can't do that with a website unless I copy and paste the info, then bring up my messaging app.

    One can't just make a blanket statement that "apps are overrated." Maybe for the individual they are, but many others have different needs.
    04-25-14 08:20 AM
  17. ajst222's Avatar
    OP, I think you're missing the point. To just tell consumers "just use the browser" will not work as Jim Balsillie figured out. Consumers want apps...plain and simple. It would be stupid to ignore that and not put the real effort into getting big name apps on board. The app situation is NOT overrated. In fact, I think too many people here underrate it, and that's the problem. It gives BlackBerry the idea that it's ok for them to do nothing.

    Sent from my Z10 using Tapatalk
    04-25-14 09:27 AM
  18. Playbook007's Avatar
    Apps are totally over rated and required by those that don't have a clue about the real options out there. Mobile websites will be the way of the future plain and simple. BlackBerry has been right all along, it just pisses Apple off. Have a great browser, you have it all.

    Posted via CB10
    CDM76 likes this.
    04-25-14 09:48 AM
  19. Playbook007's Avatar
    I'm using the same apps across borh IOS and Android atm. Bank, Hotels.com, Tripit, Huffington Post, Washington Post, Blogger. I can go seamlessly from one platform to another (and I do every day) and my info is available readily. I cannot do that SEAMLESSLY with BB. That is the point. Browser works in a pinch but why do all that pinching and zooming when you do not have to tolerate the frustration with an APP?

    Sent from my Note 3
    We are not talking about full websites, we are talking about their mobile versions. They work well and for all.

    Posted via CB10
    04-25-14 09:56 AM
  20. Jas00555's Avatar
    I suppose this may work for some websites, but many times companies use apps so they don't have to make a mobile website.

    I use to think the same thing about how apps weren't necessary, but I realized how wrong I was when my bank finally made a Windows Phone app. Everything was just so much faster.

    Sent from my RM-821_eu_france_267 using Tapatalk
    04-25-14 09:59 AM
  21. ajst222's Avatar
    Apps are totally over rated and required by those that don't have a clue about the real options out there. Mobile websites will be the way of the future plain and simple. BlackBerry has been right all along, it just pisses Apple off. Have a great browser, you have it all.

    Posted via CB10
    BlackBerry has been right??? Since when does that show. If mobile sites will be the way of the future then why are apps STILL becoming more and more popular? That is where the demand is.
    04-25-14 09:59 AM
  22. bbq10l's Avatar
    App situation is totally overrated. I just deleted 10 apps from my phone (android) because there is perfectly good (same) online equipment.

    1. Kayak app gone
    2. Open Tabele app gone
    3. Hotels app gone
    4. Kijiji app gone
    5. Trapeeze app gone (tumblr)
    6. Booking.com app gone
    7. Ebay app gone
    8. Huffington post app gone
    9. Yellow pages gone
    10. Stubhub app gone

    I could add many more....

    The point is that it is expensive for developers to maintain the same app on multiple platforms. It is much more cost effective to keep one mobile site which any browser can read. Sure there are still many apps that have no website equivalent. It is just matter of time before most if not all apps will move to mobile sites. 1. Because it will be way cheaper to maintain 2. It will take away control from major players like Apple or Google.

    Sent from my Z10 using Tapatalk
    OP- I use professional and professional interest apps for which there is no browser equivalent. BlackBerry has got to understand this and develop these if they even want to target their so-called "professional" users. It is shocking to me that you would even start a thread like this when BlackBerry knows they need apps and can't compete in that area with other platforms. You may use your phone one way, but others use their phone differently. Your way of thinking is part of BlackBerry's failure. Next you are going to tell us you don't need I camera on a phone...didn't I hear that somewhere???

    Posted via CB10
    04-25-14 10:00 AM
  23. ajst222's Avatar
    OP- I use professional and professional interest apps for which there is no browser equivalent. BlackBerry has got to understand this and develop these if they even want to target their so-called "professional" users. It is shocking to me that you would even start a thread like this when BlackBerry knows they need apps and can't compete in that area with other platforms. You may use your phone one way, but others use their phone differently. Your way of thinking is part of BlackBerry's failure. Next you are going to tell us you don't need I camera on a phone...didn't I hear that somewhere???

    Posted via CB10
    Mike said RIM wouldn't bring cameras to BlackBerry phones. He also said they wouldn't have color screens. Jim said "The only app you need is your browser". 3 statements that have worked out so well.
    04-25-14 10:05 AM
  24. Bbnivende's Avatar
    I was going to cite Overdrive Media as a needed app so I thought that I should check whether BB10 had this app. Appears not but then I saw:

    Dear Library Partner,

    Effective April 10, 2014, the OverDrive Media Console (OMC) mobile app for BlackBerry will no longer be available to download on BlackBerry, BlackBerry 10, and Playbook devices.

    BlackBerry users with the app installed prior to April 10 will be able to continue downloading eBooks and audiobooks via OMC. However, no further development or testing will be dedicated to it.

    In the past year, OMC for BlackBerry has experienced a steady decline in downloads. Only .3% of all visitors to digital library websites come from a BlackBerry device. After much consideration, OverDrive has decided to remove the app from BlackBerry App World and continue to focus our development efforts on more widely used platforms such as iOS and Android—both of which have more daily downloads than BlackBerry has monthly.

    Please take steps to notify your users via email, Facebook, Twitter, and other communication methods. You may repurpose parts of this message as needed.

    Should you have any questions, please contact Support via OverDrive Marketplace > Support.

    Regards,
    OverDrive's Library Partner Services
    04-25-14 10:54 AM
  25. kbz1960's Avatar
    I personally think mobile website stink but a lot of full sites are too much on a small screen. Some apps five a better experience than a mobile site but most don't offer as good as the full site, with exceptions.

    Since mobile data speeds are getting faster than even cable speeds if a mobile site could offer the full site but small screen friendly is what I would like the most. Wasn't all this app stuff started because mobile speeds weren't the best and small screens?

    Isn't every mfg getting away from small screens and mobile networks are faster than landline ones now?
    04-25-14 11:16 AM
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