As participants and keen followers of the mobile industry, it’s hard to escape the ongoing arguments between those who believe mobile applications will be dominated by client applications versus those who believe browser-based applications (web apps) will prevail. While most believe that client applications will maintain control for the next few years – and the vast and increasing numbers of client mobile applications attest to this belief – sentiment seems to shift when viewed over a longer time horizon. That is, many people suggest that advances in HTML5, broadband services and cloud-based content, coupled with the engineering efficiencies of client-less development, will fuel the shift to web apps over the longer term.

While I agree that web apps will become increasingly important over the long haul, I believe client apps will continue to maintain control for the foreseeable future, and further, I believe a hybrid model that combines mobile clients with the cloud will come to dominate. Let’s review each trend individually.
 
1.    Web Apps: In addition to the factors cited above, the growth of web apps will be driven by the major web service solutions like Microsoft Office 2010; Google Docs; Acrobat.com; and IBM / LotusLive; and ironically, by the unprecedented growth of the iPhone and iPad. These major web services’ companies must offer connectivity with iPhone and iPad, yet will almost certainly reject Apple’s requirement that all client delivery to the iPhone / iPad happen via iTunes. Since web apps can be delivered outside iTunes, this is a subtle, but important rationale for web apps.
2.    Pure Client Apps: Client apps will continue to dominate because of their sheer momentum (thousands are being created each month by application developers all over the world) coupled with the fact that for most applications, HTML5 is not ready to deliver a ‘client-like’ user experience.
3.    Hybrid Apps (Client plus Cloud): I believe a prevailing model will combine mobile clients with cloud components, and this is the direction on which Quickoffice is heading with our Quickoffice Connect Mobile Office Suite. Our mobile Office clients are the most widely distributed mobile applications in the world with an installed base through March 31, 2010 of 241 million smartphones (source: Vision Mobile 100 Million Club). This massively distributed client base is integrated with many of the major cloud-based solutions like Google Docs, Apple MobileMe, Box.net and Dropbox. It’s the perfect marriage that combines access to important cloud services with all the benefits of a client-based office solution completely optimized for mobile.

So, while a five-year time horizon might include more client-less, pure browser-based solutions, the need for great mobile clients that integrate with the cloud will offer mobile users superior mobile experiences for a long time to come. If you want to learn more about our Quickoffice Connect products, please visit our website at www.Quickoffice.com