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Future of the Mobile Web

20/07/07

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Browsing the Internet on mobile phones has not really taken off yet, but there are rumblings in the air. The barriers that stood in the way of mass consumer adoption of mobile browsing are set to come crashing down in the next 12-18 months and with that will come a new set of challenges for web designers on a medium that, up to now, has been largely ignored.

Connecting to the Internet on an average mobile phone today is worse than using dial-up on a late 90's PC. Connection speeds are dire, you are billed for each byte of information downloaded, and unless you're using a handset less than 6-12 months old, the web page that is rendered will be simple, plain text links.

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Cost Considerations

That is about to change. The mobile industry is finally beginning to wake up to the reality that, as with a home Internet connection, consumers want unmetered access. Vodafone and T-Mobile in the UK are two operators that now offer unlimited access for a low, flat monthly fee. If they haven't already, other operators are sure to follow suit.

In no time at all I'm sure we'll see unlimited Internet access bundled into monthly contracts, so the fee won't even be visible. Ultimately, we will see mass consumer adoption of the mobile Internet. Mainstream business (read: clients) will become more aware of this and so web designers will have to grapple with designing for the mobile Internet, whether they want to or not.

The question is, how much of a challenge will this be? I await with baited breathe Cameron Moll's book on the subject, but I can't help wondering - aside from file size considerations, will there really be that much more to think about?

The iPhone Factor

The reason being Apple's iPhone and other modern handsets.

Browsing the Internet on Apple's iPhone

These devices do, or will, browse the Internet using almost identical versions of the web browsers we use on desktop computers. Web pages will be rendered as they are on desktop computers and the mobile devices will offer intuitive mechanisms for browsing on small mobile handset displays - kudos to Apple for raising the bar on that front.

Essentially, consumers want to see the Internet on their mobile handsets as they do on their desktop computers. Handset manufacturers know this and to that end will no doubt follow Apple in producing handsets that can display a web site as a desktop computer does, and can facilitate ease of interaction whilst working within the constraints of a mobile device i.e. small display, no mouse and for the most part, no QWERTY keyboard. That in itself will make things much, much easier for web designers.

At the end of the day, I know designing for the mobile web will not quite be as simple as all that. However, I'm convinced it will not be anything like the challenge I had envisaged it would be 6 months ago.

As far as I'm concerned - bring on the mobile browsing revolution. Mass consumer adoption is just around the corner. I can't wait to find out what happens.

Comments are closed for this journal entry.

Luke Martin

22 July, 2007

I have been thinking a bit about this myself lately, I’m hoping to get stuck into something for the mobile user very soon.

It may also prompt me to finally be inspired to update my 5 year old nokia phone. Yippee.

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...is the online home of Simon Kitson, a web designer with a healthy enthusiasm for standards-compliant, accessible design and a penchant for blogging about nothing in particular.

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