A new report claims consumers are now spending more minutes using mobile apps than surfing the Web. Is this the beginning of the end for the Web?
According to a report by Flurry, consumers in the U.S. now spend nine percent more time with mobile apps than browsing the full Web on desktops and mobile devices. Culled from stats and data on comScore and Alexa, Flurry was able to conclude that this month, users spent 81 minutes in mobile apps versus 74 minutes on the Web.
Here's the breakdown comparison:
Much like how e-books sales have surpassed printed ones, the method in delivery is shifting from the open web to dedicated apps, which isn't necessarily a bad thing (more readers are visiting DVICE through our mobile apps with each passing day). It's just easier and quicker to browse news, check/update Facebook, etc. on an app than typing in a URL every single time. The shift is just a natural sign of the times.
The Web isn't dead and we don't see it dying anytime soon (voice calling is still here, despite our reduced reliance on it), but it does make it difficult for say, RIM and Google's Android partners to keep boasting about the richness of the full Web and downplaying the need for quality apps.
The PlayBook is a good example of the need for apps. The tablet hardware itself is great, but it's just lacking in the app department. Whether we like it or not, apps are here to stay. Let the app-ification of the Web begin!
