HTML5 adoption of an App URL link standard

I’d love for HTML5 to introduce the ability to add a URL standard that lets you include multiple different link formats, thus giving the ability to link to content in native applications and the ability to fail back to opening in a web site.

ex: If they have the iPhone app open in there, if not than open in the browser <a href=”-iOS: myapp://some/path/here; -android: my.app.scheme://some/path/here; -win8: my.tile://some/path/here -http://some/path/here”>Wishlist</a>

Style Sheets verus the Native App

After having some time to play with Untappd’s new service it was greatly refreshing to see this service going completely free of the Apple approval process, app store, etc, and instead using HTML5 and Style Sheets for it to look like a full blown iPhone app, just via the web. I’ve struggled with these conversations in the office about when, and when it is not, appropriate to bake a full blown mobile app. Everyone is App happy for no apparent reason, they see that it is a hot trend and only know to get on board. What they don’t seem to realize is the costs associated with a dedicated mobile app, working with the app’s marketplaces and the single OS they support. Untappd’s service automagically supports iOS, Android, BlackBerry, WebOS, Symbian (Meego, whatev), Windows 7 and the next TBD OS to come to market - No marketplace, no app approval process and no hand in on your profit.


The next bonus to this build is scalability, Apple is showing consumers that no longer will it be only on an iPhone screen. The conversation is shifting to what size piece of glass you are interacting with (e.g. phone, tablet, laptop, TV). When looking from this perspective, it becomes challenging as a designer to build an iPhone, iPad, iTV scaling app… but think about when you look at Android and all the iterations of screen sizes and vendors that it runs on = UI/UX nightmare. Granted this will challenge web based apps as well, but that is where Style Sheets offer the ability to find out what browser dimensions are and offer the best applicable fit for the interface. One build + All platforms.


So there is a drawback to only being in the cloud: no internet = no app… but open any of your native apps on a plane and you will quickly realize the reliance that most any app has on the internet. And granted, web versions is not the answer for every application in the App Store, Marketplaces, etc., but some time should be spent looking at the service to determine if the resources you need are only available by via a native solution.


I hope to see this trend influence some of the decision makers in companies as they start having talks about how to deliver their product to the end user.