30 November, 2013

4 Ways to Make Your Mobile Website Feel like a Native App

With more and more users accessing the web on their mobile devices, it has become essential for webmasters to optimize their website for popular mobile devices. Many organizations even launch a distinct mobile version of their website to deliver improved user experience. But may reports have highlighted how mobile users expect an app-like experience while accessing websites on their smartphones and tablets. In comparison to web applications, native apps are faster.

mobile application developmentFurther, the buttons respond to users in an instant, along with rendering the images and animations. So the speed and performance of a mobile website must be optimized to deliver app-like experience. However, the developers also have to incorporate certain features to make the website look and feel like native mobile applications. At the same time, they also need to use innovative technologies like XML and HTML5 to make the website accessible to the user regardless of his choice of mobile web browser.

4 Ways to Provide a Native App-like Feel to Your Mobile Website

1) Include Momentum Scrolling
Most developers find it a daunting challenge to create scrollable container on the mobile site that is both fast and responsive. But the iOS 5+ and Android 3+ make it easier for developers to create an efficient scrollable container using the overflow-scrolling property. As the momentum scrolling feature is native, it will make the mobile website feel like a native app. Also, the property can be enabled simply by adding it to a scrollable container. However, the property needs to be adjusted according to the version of iOS or Android. It also needs to be tested thoroughly to identify and fix performance flaws.

2) Make the Buttons More Responsive
Often the buttons of a mobile website affects app-like experience negatively. Most developers leave the default touch state of buttons and hyperlinks unaltered. It results in the mobile website requiring more time to respond to the initial tap of the user. So the performance of a mobile website can be optimized simply by activating state on mobile devices. The state will further contribute towards the button responding to the visitor tap in an instant, while indicating visually that the some action is being taken. At the same time, the mobile web browser will not put timeout, and ensure that the action is being executed by the user’s initial tap.

3) Use Innovative Hardware-Accelerated Animations
The use of animation also affects the responsiveness of a mobile website. Most native apps are designed with features to take advantage of the device’s hardware graphic acceleration features. But the websites often use JavaScript-based animations that make them slower. The latest mobile web browsers allow developers to use hardware-accelerated CSS3 animations. With the innovative option, developers can easily add animations to deliver an app-like experience. However, it is also important to check the CSS3 animations thoroughly to ensure that they are not affecting the speed and responsiveness of the mobile website.

4) Harness Natural Gestures
The native mobile applications are also effective in harnessing the natural gestures associated with the usage of touch devices. Most app developers take advantage of these gestures to optimize user experience. But mobile website developers often fail to capitalize on the natural gestures. Instead of relying only on tapping objects, the website developer must implement these natural gestures like pull to refresh, side to side swiping, and long press. Most mobile web browsers implement the gestures in distinct ways. So the mobile website must be tested to ensure that it is availing the full advantage of gestures.

An enterprise can also consider launching hybrid mobile apps to bridge the gap between native apps and mobile websites. The hybrid apps can avail some of the features of the native as well as web applications, while taking advantage of device features. Further, these can be downloaded by the users from the app stores, and accessed using the browser embedded in the app.

You can hire developers from top mobile app development companies in India who can help you build mobile apps within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide mobile application development services. If you would like to hire mobile app developers from us, we would be glad to assist you at Mindfire Solutions.

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