A completely new technology: Since 2015, Google has integrated the first Progressive Web App components into its Chrome browser. One reason for this is the fact that PWAs simply make the user experience more convenient and better. This raises the question: What exactly does the term "PWA" mean? How do they work? And what are their advantages and disadvantages? We will explore these questions in this article.
What Is a Progressive Web App?
In short, it is a website that looks and functions like a regular app. The user experience is pleasant and feels like using a normally installed app. Think, for example, of Starbucks, Spotify, Uber, Twitter, or BMW. Would you have guessed that all of these sites use PWAs? Try them out on your smartphone, desktop, or tablet!
Advantages
It should be mentioned that PWAs offer many advantages. As you have already read, Progressive Web Apps provide a good user experience – just like a regular app. But that is not the only advantage. Other benefits of PWAs include:
Low Development/Production Costs:
Of course, we also need to talk about production costs. The effort involved in creating a PWA is lower because it does not have to be developed separately for both operating systems (iOS and Android), as a PWA can run on both Android and iOS.
Offline Use: Yes, that's right! You can also use the apps without an internet connection. However, if you want to order a product, for example, you will of course still need an internet connection. This is comparable to a webshop that can also function without an internet connection: if you want to load new products, track an order, or log in, an internet connection is required.
Speed: Compared with traditional mobile websites, PWAs load faster, which plays a major role for users. The faster an app loads, the more visitors and potential customers will shop on your website. With PWAs, data is stored on the end device, just as it is with a regular app. This increases the speed at which content loads on the page because the data no longer needs to be downloaded from the internet.
Disadvantages
However, we should also not overlook the disadvantages:
No Full Hardware Access: A native app provides access to all device functions, such as Bluetooth and the camera. With PWAs, many functions cannot be performed because not all browsers support all features.
No Support from Apple: A major disadvantage is that the technology is supported by Google but not by Apple. In addition, the Firefox browser no longer supports PWAs on desktop, although they are still supported in the Android version.
Our Opinion on This</2>:
For most people, PWAs are still relatively unfamiliar. We hope that in the coming years they will be perceived as more than just an alternative to native apps. However, experts from various app agencies believe that the experience and usability of native apps are significantly better. When we consider all the advantages and disadvantages, in our opinion, the advantages definitely outweigh the disadvantages.
Conclusion
In conclusion, PWAs represent a great opportunity for the future. However, it should be kept in mind that native apps offer better performance. Nevertheless, companies should be familiar with this topic. Especially when it comes to smaller companies: implementing a native app requires significant financial resources, which is why Progressive Web Apps are particularly suitable for medium-sized businesses.
Do you have any questions about this topic? Or do you need help designing your website from a professional internet agency in Munich? Then feel free to contact us!
