Publishing across devices and technologies
Digital Publication Platforms

Content Strategy 2022
Eric Eggert

Web vs. App

Web

  • Open, linkable
  • Inspect source code
  • Self-hosting possibility
  • Direct customer relationship
  • Second-class citizen on mobile
  • No commission

Apps

  • Closed, harder to link into
  • Source code obfuscated
  • 3rd-party distribution (with some exceptions)
  • Indirect customer relationship
  • First-class citizen on mobile
  • 15 %–30 % commission

Apps advantages

  • Promotion in app stores
  • Integration into device features
  • Access to notifications
  • Possibilities for personalization
  • Sometimes more performant

Apps disadvantages

  • Every platform needs their own app
  • Sometimes it is needed to publish in different app stores
  • Updates of the core app go through review process

App review “scandals”

One of the apps […] updated for iOS 8 […]and approved[…] was PCalc, which effectively created a basic calculator that worked in Notification Center. It got a lot of media attention, and […] Apple featured [it] in the App Store’s “Great Apps for iOS 8” collection. But at the same time […] App Review had changed their mind and told the developer […] to remove the widget as it breached the App Store Review Guidelines.

MacStories: Developers: Apple’s App Review Needs Big Improvements, March 2016

Fortnite vs. Apple

In hindsight, the series of events that unfolded today appear to be part of a carefully orchestrated plan leading to the filing of the lawsuit. The day began with Epic offering in-game currency at a discount in the iOS version of the game using Epic’s own payment system in clear violation of App Store guidelines.

MacStories: Developers: Fortnite Developer Epic Games Sues Apple Alleging Anti-Competitive App Store and Payment Processing Behavior, August 2020

Fortnite vs. Apple (2)

[… A]fter the game was pulled from the App Store by Apple, Epic filed a 62-page lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California alleging violations of the federal Sherman Act and a similar California state statute.

MacStories: Developers: Fortnite Developer Epic Games Sues Apple Alleging Anti-Competitive App Store and Payment Processing Behavior, August 2020

Fortnite vs. Apple (3)

The result [of the law suit] largely favors Apple, to the extent that Apple released a statement declaring victory[.]

Perhaps most notably, Epic has to pay Apple its cut of transactions that bypassed Apple’s in-app purchase system and is still banned from the App Store, and the judge has defined the market in question […] as ‘digital mobile gaming transactions’—rather than […] ‘iPhone transactions.’

SixColors: Apple bests Epic, but change is coming to the App Store, September 2021

Web Applications

Progressive Web Applications (PWA)

PWAs give us the ability to create web apps that can enjoy these same advantages[ as native apps].

MDN

PWA functionality

  • Discoverability
  • Installability
  • Linkability
  • Network independence (offline)
  • Progressive enhancement support
  • Re-engageability (pushing content, notifications)
  • Responsiveness
  • Secure

Browser support: Service Workers

Data on support for the serviceworkers feature across the major browsers from caniuse.com

Browser support: Web App Manifest

Partially supported.

Browser support: Push API

Data on support for the push-api feature across the major browsers from caniuse.com

Browser support: Web Notifications

Data on support for the notifications feature across the major browsers from caniuse.com

Browser support: Add to home screen (A2HS)

Data on support for the web-app-manifest feature across the major browsers from caniuse.com

Web vs. App?

Both are great options for “real” applications, the web has a leg up for consuming content.

Responsive Web Design

Images for Responsive Design

Use cases:

  • Resolution/Density Switching
  • Art Direction

(More defined by RICG.)

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