“Rich” experiences on the mobile web
Flash might be coming to the iPhone, Silverlight is coming to the mobile (and Java’s already here).
We have a version [of Flash] that’s working on the emulation. This is still on the computer and you know, we have to continue to move it from a test environment onto the device and continue to make it work. So we are pleased with the internal progress that we’ve made to date.
Well, Flash so far in emulation only. Implications?
(note that there is nothing in that quote that implies it will be Flash or Flash Lite)
I don’t know about you, but i’m loving the iPhone, as soon as ActiveSync is on there that’s me done, no more phones.
Will flash *work* on the iPhone conceptually is the real question, flash (as it is) works on the web, but similar ui/ux/interface paradigms have to exist/be created as have to be for other iPhone/mobile apps and sites. Just having flash on the iPhone (presumably in-browser) is not enough. Even though that will enable users to see the flash, does that mean that the flash will be usable on this platform in the same way it is in a desktop browser. I think that the very fact that there are iPhone specific web sites proves that it won’t just *work* in terms of ui/ux in the way that current flash sites do in a desktop browser. This will require developers and designers to do similar interface rethinks and detection as they’re already doing for html sites.
Not to mention touch, multitouch, scaling, frame rates (timeline based actions and animation), performance, player version, webcam/microphone access, uploads/downloads, video codecs available.
So if we can assume that (mobile) bandwidth will increase, handsets will get more powerful, have more storage and screen real-estate, does this mean we can expect better experiences as a result?
Website owners (or designers/developers, whatever..) are very quick to consume a users bandwidth. By that i mean the thinking that if there is more bandwidth then it can be used. Surely if there is more bandwidth then it means current things can be quicker! Downloaded faster! Download sizes of sites and their elements should still be efficient, video streamed should be realistic. Why not enhance the experience through performance rather than what is effectively just more data transfer in the form of more graphics, higher quality video, or even just more code. The best mobile apps and sites are the ones that let you use them quickly for the function that you need right there and then. And are designed with the end medium (essentially the small screen form-factor) in mind. And not forgetting, right now, also at a good data cost. For most users there is still a cost per kb, let’s not use data size as a barrier to use at all.
Brian sums a lot of this up very well for the Mobile Web 2.0 Summit blog.
Luckily the iPhone has inspired people do make websites that take advantage of the form factor, and so far to not just push the limits of every aspect of it, making it unusable. The experiences are mostly good, because they are fast, low-fat, and have familiar interfaces instantly taking cues from the basic native apps.
Let’s go about this in the right way, help the users to take the leap to the mobile web by creating things that are genuinely useful and that work. Let’s not go back to the frustrating early days of pretty much every new step forward of the web, mobile or otherwise. Don’t make me compare this to WAP, please! We were young, ignorant, but excited and creative, and we learned a lot.
[This article has been reposted on the Mobile Web 2.0 Summit blog]
June 27th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Great post Josh. There’s a Flash plugin coming to Windows mobile this year as well. This might well be the year of mobile video!
I’m also really psyched to see what flash can deliver from a touch interface experience as well!