Ready to make your website happen? But stuck between Responsive web design & mobile web application solutions? Just be worry free, read this whitepaper and determine the best solution. https://biztechconsultancy.com/blog/whitepaper/responsive-web-design-mobile-web-apps/

1. White Paper
Responsive Web Design
Vis-a-Vis
Mobile Web Apps- What to Select
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2. Dramatic Facts
About 80% of internets users have Smartphones! (Source: gartner)
80%
Mobile data traffic constitutes 59% in 2015! (Source: gartner)
Video streaming accounts for over 60% of mobile data traffic in 2018
(Source: gartner)
59%
60%
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3. Executive Summary
This paper offers a comparative analysis of these two approaches and also illustrates the pros and
cons of both the business models.
It will help enterprise to reach a conclusion, which theory to embrace based on several factors
defined in this paper, and of course given the business vertical needs!
This whitepaper intend to deliver solution for enterprises that are uncertain about what to select –
responsive web design or mobile web apps for their business!
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4. Responsive Web Design or Mobile Web Apps
Mobile devices and its usabilities have impacted every segment of personal as well as professional
space. It is going to become the inseparable part of every life and business. Its ubiquitousness had
encouraged businesses consider it as a revolution and they have started shifting from traditional
business strategies to mobile strategies for their businesses.
Here comes the real challenge for businesses – Responsive Web Design or Mobile Web Apps?
What these approaches are and how it works?
“With unrelenting evolution of smart phones, frequent
introduction of updated mobile OS versions, easy access to
diverse mobile web apps and high speed broadband
connectivity has immensely transformed the way consumers
use their handheld device today.”
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5. Device Driven Strategy - Mobile Web Apps
Having a mobile version of your business can be a great idea! This is what most businesses are
looking for considering the consumers’ availability online widely through mobile devices. It is a
versions of your website that can be accessed via mobile or tablet. The major benefits that mobile
version of website offers is, it gives a completely optimized view of your website in any of the
handheld devices.
As mobile web app is the fusion of versatility of web and features of touch-enabled devices, it
offers the most rewarding benefits of a regular mobile, which runs well in diverse browsers and
devices. At the same time it’s compatible with nearly all smart phones thus reaching our wider
spectrum of audience.
“Till a few years back, when developers craft a website, it was largely designed considering bigger
screen – laptops, desktops etc. in mind. But with the evolving trend of handheld devices, such
development processes become difficult for the users to comply with. When any such website is
opened in handheld device, view, navigation and browsing becomes tough as it requires adjustment,
resizing and zooming in and out.
This is when many businesses started thinking of creating something as cool as mobile web apps that
requires no adjustment and meant dedicatedly to browse websites through mobile devices.”
5White Paper by www.biztechconsultancy.com

6. All in One – Responsive Web Design
With the switching of devices, i.e. from PC to iPhone, the website
will automatically adjust with the resolution and image sizes. There
will not be any need to resize, zoom in or out by the users.
“Responsive web design has already reached the heart of every business! It is a methodology that
supports such a design and configuration of website that can easily adjusts with any screen size,
orientation or OSs, be it big screen or handheld devices. It adjusts with the different screen sizes and
operating systems and still provides a clear and optimized view of the website.”
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7. Comparative Analysis of Mobile Web App Vs Responsive Web Design
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Principles Mobile App (MA) Responsive Web Design (RWD)
Access Speed Very fast Fast
App Store Available Not necessary
Approval Process Some are mandatory None
Content Versions Multiple URLs/versions for each page, i.e.,
content forking
Same content regardless of device or platform
Development Cost Expensive to very expensive Moderate to reasonable
Features Phone features, location services, camera, etc... Limited phone features
Functionality Some functions may be omitted from the mobile
application
All functions of original site remain
Internet Connection Available offline Required
Monetization Easily monetized Not as easy to monetize
Optimized to mobile device Best Good
User Access After installation and some user
configuration/interaction
Through browser with little to no user
configuration/interaction
Implementation Time Less Time Longer Development Cycle
Versions Two Separate Versions – for mobile and website Single Version- website that can optimized
across mobile devices
Design Approach Requires specialized knowledge Straightforward if you know your needs
User Experience Better user experience as build for mobile
device
Not as great user experience as mobile app as
designed for website that can optimize across
mobile devices

8. Responsive Web Design – Most Suitable Scenarios
Usually, responsive web design is ideal for business having informational website, wherein the
information, which is in the right side of the desktop app is shifted to bottom of the page when
browsed through mobile devices.
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News/Media Websites: Such websites require scrolling from top to bottom. These are
text heavy sites, which require frequent updates and may become expensive if
separate mobile technology is used for design. Responsive web design works well for
quick access and easy update.
Blogs/Corporate Website: Brand consistency is important for such sites and the
website that works well on desktop and mobile devices maintaining the consistency
of brand becomes easy.
Location Driven Solutions: Direction finder solutions are mostly image heavy. In such
websites viewing routes and locations closely by zooming and adjusting the screen
using fingers is necessary, which is easily possible by responsive web design.
If you fall within above business types, responsive web design is the solution!

9. Limitations of Responsive Web Design
Like any other technology, responsive web design also has its own limitations that often push
businesses to mobile web apps!
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If the above factors - rich user experience, horizontal navigation and faster
development time are your priority, you need to embrace Mobile Web App
approach.
User Experience is Mediocre Compare to
Mobile Web Apps:
Responsive web design can optimize the user
experience but as it has to account for several
devices it cannot offer the quality of experience
that mobile device can offer. Responsive design
would require more time and effort to provide
the improved user-experience.
Comprehensive Development Cycle:
Designing a responsive website design takes
longer time and effort than building simple web
pages. Redesigning any website to make it
responsive adds to the complexity. Building
responsive web pages require lot of factors to
consider like prioritizing content and images to
avoid missing any vital text. All these complexities
make responsive website less compelling!

10. Mobile Web Apps – The Right Scenario
High quality user experience is the priority for consumers, at which a mobile web app is the
bests. Easy to navigate, seamless transaction are the core to any mobile web app. Following are
the priorities that can push any business to embrace mobile web apps:
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Considering above facts, Mobile Web Apps are the right approach!
Accurate Layout, Content and User Preference: The mobile web experience is
different from big screen experience. For businesses where quality user experience is
most crucial, an individual layout can make the entire difference. It mostly involve left
to right scrolls to view the catalogue with right content in place. It is easily possible in
a mobile web application.
Iterative Deployment of Mobile Service: Mobile services must be built on user
experience and preferences to offer optimal user experience. The design and
deployment should be in an iterative manner to reach perfection and frequent
changes. This type of deployment is preferably done in mobile service.

11. Selecting the Right Solution
Responsive web design is the buzz word with a vision to offer optimal view across multiple
devices but can it meet the emerging challenges of mobile world?
It depends what you want to achieve from your website and online business!
Single code base, easy maintenance and single website with improved SEO are the offerings that
responsive web design brings in whereas improved user experience, low performance risk and
faster implementation are the qualities mobile web apps ushers in.
Thorough planning and best understanding of the users’ preferences is the key that can help you
decide the desired approach to embrace, when it comes to selecting the right design model to
build your website.
If you want to give your customers greater user experience, better performance, faster
deployment and flawless transaction mobile web app is the answer. If you’re happy with the
solutions that is easy to maintain, features within your control than responsive web design is the
solution for you.
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