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It's not "all" going mobile

by J Bold
26 replies
I love when I hear in the future all sites will be accessed solely on mobile phones.

I have nothing against mobile phones, mobile apps or mobile sites, of course. They all have their place.

But be careful not to get caught up in hysteria and sales lines from people who just want to sell to you.

I've never believed this idea that everything is going mobile, because it simply doesn't make sense. The most versatile why to access a website is with a computer, without a doubt. Many will still prefer this way. \

And, according to pandora.com, the best success they have monetizing their site is with people who access the service on their computers, rather than their mobile phones or tablets. That little nugget is near the bottom of this article:

Pandora Limits Free Mobile Listening to 40 Hours

"...desktop streaming can be monetized at a higher rate."
#mobile
  • Profile picture of the author m00d
    I know one thing that won't go mobile, that's site development. Not unless everyone's eyes are a lot better than mine that it. I have a 24" monitor set at 1280x720. I'd have to squint as well as George Costanza to work on a mobile device.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sam Fitz
    Originally Posted by J Bold View Post

    And, according to pandora.com, the best success they have monetizing their site is with people who access the service on their computers, rather than their mobile phones or tablets. That little nugget is near the bottom of this article:

    Pandora Limits Free Mobile Listening to 40 Hours

    "...desktop streaming can be monetized at a higher rate."
    Good point! I just got an email today from Pandora saying they are going back to the 40 hour limit on mobile listening for free users. The fact that mobile listeners are harder to monetize makes sense, and effectively explains this change.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alex Blades
      Originally Posted by Sam Fitz View Post

      Good point! I just got an email today from Pandora saying they are going back to the 40 hour limit on mobile listening for free users. The fact that mobile listeners are harder to monetize makes sense, and effectively explains this change.
      Love Pandora, I use the heck out of it, surprised they haven't raised my rate
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      • Profile picture of the author J Bold
        Originally Posted by Alex Blades View Post

        Love Pandora, I use the heck out of it, surprised they haven't raised my rate
        Ya I love Pandora as well. I don't pay for it, though, I suffer through the occasional ads, of which some can be really annoying. But I don't listen enough for it to matter much.

        Thought it was interesting the little insight the gave into their business with this change.
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        • Profile picture of the author Alex Blades
          Originally Posted by J Bold View Post

          Ya I love Pandora as well. I don't pay for it, though, I suffer through the occasional ads, of which some can be really annoying. But I don't listen enough for it to matter much.

          Thought it was interesting the little insight the gave into their business with this change.
          I didn't even know about the change, but I pay only $4 without commercials. I use it in my cars, computers, my daughters use it, that and Netflix, the best $12 I ever spent
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  • Profile picture of the author Alex Blades
    I love when I hear in the future all sites will be accessed solely on mobile phones.
    Lol, that's nonsense, all hype to sell mobile info products. With the high price of a mobile phone, and the greedy companies trying to limit data, it will never happen.

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  • Profile picture of the author NewParadigm
    I think one of the next big things are light thin full function laptops that are convertible into tablet w/ touch screen. best of both worlds for regular keyboard/mouse input and tablet like browsing in one package. I hope they make 15-17" sizes soon.

    my galaxy note2 is big enough to handle browsing on the go, my tablet is an alarm clock. I feel sorry for all those squinting iphone users ruining their eyesight while bragging about a postage stamp retina display

    one huge growth area will be smart TVs and bluray, game box, streamer appliances that will be set up with net browsers. I'm quite surprised more hasn't sprouted in the large flatscreen TV net browsing yet. It'd be easy to have a bluetooth keyboard and mouse setup w/ the TV. I just got a new 55" smart tV and bluray that has net browsing, gonna try out the bluetooth keyboard and mouse and see how it goes.
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    • Profile picture of the author NewRiseDigital
      An interesting thread! I'd agree that mobile and tablets are end user consumable devices and development is tricky on them, iPads are horrible to type on unless you have a bluetooth standard keyboard attached (which defeats the object of them in my opinion).

      I have updated my Wordpress site using the iPhone app for WP before but its less than ideal, I still use a desktop PC and laptop for development.

      If we're talking about developing for an end user experience on mobile here, I think that it should be factored in, since browsing computer formatted web pages on tablets and phones can be a frustrating experience with the small screen sizes, and the consumer mobile market isn't going to get any smaller any time soon.
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    • Profile picture of the author J Bold
      Originally Posted by NewParadigm View Post

      I think one of the next big things are light thin full function laptops that are convertible into tablet w/ touch screen. best of both worlds for regular keyboard/mouse input and tablet like browsing in one package. I hope they make 15-17" sizes soon.

      my galaxy note2 is big enough to handle browsing on the go, my tablet is an alarm clock. I feel sorry for all those squinting iphone users ruining their eyesight while bragging about a postage stamp retina display

      one huge growth area will be smart TVs and bluray, game box, streamer appliances that will be set up with net browsers. I'm quite surprised more hasn't sprouted in the large flatscreen TV net browsing yet. It'd be easy to have a bluetooth keyboard and mouse setup w/ the TV. I just got a new 55" smart tV and bluray that has net browsing, gonna try out the bluetooth keyboard and mouse and see how it goes.

      Isn't Windows 8 supposed to be kind of a tablet/desktop combo in a sense, if you get the touch screen kind? Correct me if I'm wrong.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alex Blades
    "...desktop streaming can be monetized at a higher rate."
    Here's the thing with mobile and tablets, they get lost all the time so owners are reluctant to load their credit card info in those.
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  • Profile picture of the author goodfriend1
    It's all going mobile sounds like a sales pitch from a cell phone company.
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  • Profile picture of the author Anonymous Affiliate
    I see content being accessed through mobile devices (iPhones, Samsung Galaxies, etc) but, from a marketer's point of voice, I'm not convinced about people actually swinging their credit cards through their phone. Does anyone really buy an ebook (or anything else online) through their iPhone while waiting for the next train to arrive? I doubt it.
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  • Profile picture of the author WillR
    I don't believe it's ALL going mobile. Do I think that in a year or two time there will be more people accessing websites on mobile and tablet devices rather than desktop PC's -- absolutely. Businesses would be silly to ignore that fact.

    But there will always be room for desktop and laptop PC's. You just can't compete with these machines for real work. Most business people will still have a real machine. Most offices will still have real machines. Most students will still have a real machine.

    But that's not to say all of those people won't also be doing majority of their casual web surfing whilst on the move and on their mobile device.
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  • Profile picture of the author PeterKnight
    Mobile's definitely a bigger player going forward I just don't the same methods will port well from the desktop.

    I think it really depends on what area you are operating in. App stores really make purchasing low friction experience (no need to type in credit card numbers to start with), the monetization opportunities are clearly there.

    Creating mobile apps and even just developing mobile sites is hard, expensive & time consuming and the pay off is hard to predict. If you look at the best selling apps, they are also likely to have costed 6+figures to develop and that's not to mention the ongoing costs.

    People expect to pay less only a few bucks for an app and have very high expectations, while developing really good apps is very expensive, whether you are paying developers or doing it yourself. An app might have thousands of sales, but it can still be a total waste of effort. All the stories about teenagers making millions from apps really just muddy the picture of what the typical experience is.

    I also feel quite jaded about typical advertising strategies, nobody wants to see ads on their mobile.

    I think ebooks should do well especially now that a lot of devices are pretty good for reading books. If you have a mobile with a largish screen you basically have a mini-ereader in your pocket.

    I do think it's unwise to ignore mobile. I've stumbled on a number of sites with pop ups/hover forms that make the site unnavigable as soon as they are triggered. Many times you can't even enter your email even if you wanted to because the display is completely messed up on mobile.

    So yeah, I'd be cautious about hype about mobile but you'd be foolish to ignore the rise of mobile usage as it's becoming the primary device to browse the internet for many people ...and we're only just at the beginning.
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  • Profile picture of the author Stuart Walker
    People use their mobiles to BROWSE whilst out and about but if they have a computer to hand they'll use that instead. Hardly anyone makes PURCHASES via their phone. It's just too small and fidgety to be sure you're doing it all right.
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  • Profile picture of the author FirstSocialApps
    I think saying 'its all going mobile' is an overstatement. However I strongly believe that mobile is a very large future for the internet. Anyone who denies that is kidding themselves. Very soon mobile page views will outnumber desktop page views. I mean just look at some of the stats.

    Currently 70% of kids aged 18-21 access the internet every single day on a mobile device. What do you think is going to happen in 5 years? Those kids are going to be in the prime buyers age group still accessing the internet every day on a mobile device and a new group of young people will be taking there place in the 18-21 age bracket. The people who take there place will be the younger pre 18 kids which access the internet on a mobile even more than the kids aged 18-21

    Sure right now mobile purchases are difficult to do, but do you honestly think that tech wont fill that gap? I mean just look at how a phone was 4-5 years ago. Compare where we are now with cell phones and then think back to what you had in 2008, now imagine where we will be in 2018
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  • Profile picture of the author Farish
    Originally Posted by J Bold View Post

    I love when I hear in the future all sites will be accessed solely on mobile phones.

    I have nothing against mobile phones, mobile apps or mobile sites, of course. They all have their place.

    But be careful not to get caught up in hysteria and sales lines from people who just want to sell to you.

    I've never believed this idea that everything is going mobile, because it simply doesn't make sense. The most versatile why to access a website is with a computer, without a doubt. Many will still prefer this way.

    And, according to pandora.com, the best success they have monetizing their site is with people who access the service on their computers, rather than their mobile phones or tablets. That little nugget is near the bottom of this article:

    Pandora Limits Free Mobile Listening to 40 Hours

    "...desktop streaming can be monetized at a higher rate."
    The problem is and what you are missing out on in this article what Pandora themselves posted on their website.

    Most of you reading this will never hit the limit. In fact, it will affect less than 4% of our total monthly active listeners. For perspective, the average listener spends approximately 20 hours listening to Pandora across all devices in any given month.
    The market is moving to mobile, the problem Pandora is having is the high royalty fees they are being force to pay. Again this from Pandora's website.

    That said, limiting listening is a very unusual thing to do, and very contrary to our mission so we wanted to share a quick explanation. Pandora's per-track royalty rates have increased more than 25% over the last 3 years, including 9% in 2013 alone and are scheduled to increase an additional 16% over the next two years. After a close look at our overall listening, a 40-hour-per-month mobile listening limit allows us to manage these escalating costs with minimal listener disruption.
    Mobile is the new market, this is next tech bubble. The number 1 selling pc company is HP which averages about 15 million units per quarter and iPad handily beats it out.

    The difference is the ease to access your internet through a phone. Yes you can carry around your laptop but you are not going to open it up in the middle of the mall to check your email or look up a product review on the internet, but you maybe more than likely to do so on your smartphone.
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    • Profile picture of the author J Bold
      Originally Posted by Farish View Post

      The problem is and what you are missing out on in this article what Pandora themselves posted on their website.



      The market is moving to mobile, the problem Pandora is having is the high royalty fees they are being force to pay. Again this from Pandora's website.



      Mobile is the new market, this is next tech bubble. The number 1 selling pc company is HP which averages about 15 million units per quarter and iPad handily beats it out.

      The difference is the ease to access your internet through a phone. Yes you can carry around your laptop but you are not going to open it up in the middle of the mall to check your email or look up a product review on the internet, but you maybe more than likely to do so on your smartphone.

      No, there's no problem. I read all that and noticed it and understood completely. I know exactly why they're limiting mobile.

      But it's still true that they said they can monetize better on desktop computers. That was the point.

      I know mobile internet use will probably increase, but it's just one way people access the internet.

      I do think people buy via their phones, too. Anecdotally, I know some who are afraid to purchase stuff on their phones. However, I've had WSO customers who say they bought from their phone, so I know it does happen.

      Yes, the market is moving to mobile, but the market is still on desktops, as well. That's not going to change. There are always going to be people like me who largely prefer laptops as opposed to tablets or phones, for internet use.

      But obviously when you are out and about, mobile phones are the most convenient option. Not disputing any of that.

      And everyone who uses mobile phones to access the internet will still use desktops at some point.

      Then there are people like my mom who doesn't use internet much on her phone but she's always surfing on that dang ipad! I know when she's on her ipad as when she sends me an email it's super short as it's not as easy to type on that thing. She does have a keyboard for it but doesn't always go through the hassle of getting it out when she's just lounging on the couch, as it's not always easy to use as far as comfort.
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      • Profile picture of the author Farish
        Originally Posted by J Bold View Post

        But it's still true that they said they can monetize better on desktop computers. That was the point.
        As you said they stated their monetization is better on desktop. Here is the thing that was not stated.

        They still make more money off mobile than desktop overall.


        Off their website.

        - 3Q13 total revenue of $120.0 million grew 60% year-over-year
        - 3Q13 total mobile revenue of $73.9 million grew 112% year-over-year

        That is 60 percent of their revenue and as you can see the growth was over 112 percent.

        Also what I did not list was 35 million of that 120 million was from subscriptions. So if you do the math, the reality is that desktop revenue is much much smaller.

        Myself I think part of the reason why the monetization is better on desktop is they can desktop advertisement market is more settled in on pricing and less volatile. The mobile market for ads only really started in the last 2-3 years.

        Also I think that desktop monetization is better because when they get a subscriber from desktop they do not have to deal with 30 percent cut Apple takes. It is probably why that on the App store they do not offer the annual subscription, just the monthly for 3.99.

        I honestly believe in 2-3 year mobile will catch up to desktop when it comes to ad revenues.
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  • Profile picture of the author Gladiator
    As it has been said More and More people are using their mobile phones for looking up businesses and other things. So there is a strong need for mobile it is here to stay period!
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  • Profile picture of the author Bruce Wedding
    What all the "mobile site sales people" are missing is that, phone browsers are successively getting better. My Samsung doesn't NEED a mobile site and neither does my tablet. It browses 95% of existing websites just fine. And it will only get better. Anyone remember surfing on a Motorola Razr 10 years ago?

    Mobile sites are hype and unnecessary.
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    • Profile picture of the author WillR
      Originally Posted by Bruce Wedding View Post

      What all the "mobile site sales people" are missing is that, phone browsers are successively getting better. My Samsung doesn't NEED a mobile site and neither does my tablet. It browses 95% of existing websites just fine. And it will only get better. Anyone remember surfing on a Motorola Razr 10 years ago?

      Mobile sites are hype and unnecessary.
      I don't agree with that at all.

      Having a mobile site is not just about a site 'fitting' on your screen.

      A mobile site is about providing a much more streamlined and faster site that jumps up on the screen much faster for the mobile user.

      A mobile site is about providing a site that fits the screen without the need for additional zooming or left and right scrolling. People on the move looking for quick information do not want to be dealing with that stuff.

      A mobile site is about having big buttons and links spread apart that can easily be clicked by a mobile user with one finger. A mobile user is quite often someone walking or driving with their phone in one hand and their other hand doing something else. So being able to navigate and use a site with one hand makes things much easier for them. If they have to scroll around and zoom in and out just to read or click anything, it's hardly a user friendly experience.

      A mobile site is about providing different information prioritized for mobile users. A mobile user is more often than not looking for different information to that of a desktop user. A mobile user is looking for quick information like directions, phone numbers, maps/directions, etc, etc.

      For all these years we have created regular desktop websites because that is exactly what people have been accessing the Internet with, a desktop PC. So doesn't it make sense if the majority of users to a website will soon be on a mobile device (mobile is predicted to overtake desktop usage this year) that you tailor the browsing experience for mobile users as well? After all, they will be your typical visitor soon enough. So why would you only tailor your website to the minority of people - desktop users? That doesn't make sense at all.

      Yes, I do sell mobile sites. No, that doesn't sway my opinion on this. I only provide mobile sites because I understand the need of mobile users and how important it is for businesses to recognize the huge rise in mobile use and to create a better and more user friendly experience for those users.

      Those who say otherwise don't understand what a mobile site really does and the important differences that make them much more user friendly to mobile users.

      You don't have to agree with me or even create a mobile site. But it doesn't mean mobile sites are just hype and unnecessary. That's just not true at all. There are plenty of studies and statistics to back up exactly what I have said here and they show how much of an importance mobile users put on having a mobile tailored experience. The real hard stats don't lie.
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      • Profile picture of the author PeterKnight
        Originally Posted by WillR View Post

        I don't agree with that at all.

        Having a mobile site is not just about a site 'fitting' on your screen.
        I agree with Will here, even on my Galaxy Note 2 with its abnormally large screen a properly designed responsive theme functions better than a standard desktop oriented site. It's a different design challenge desktop vs mobile, for links for example you need a big enough surface area to make them easy to press.

        Having said that good mobile sites are the exception at the moment. I'd rather zoom in&out on the regular desktop site than navigate a butchered or ugly mobile theme. If you're going to invest in a mobile site, it's important to do it right. Fortunately there a quite a few themes you can buy that do a decent job.
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  • Profile picture of the author arranrice
    I AGREE...

    But, Over the past 3-4 years, I have had smart phones and iPads, and I do browse the web more on them due to ease when on the move. But I couldn't give up a desktop or laptop for a mobile device. But I think the use of mobile devices will grow, especially in the growing african-asian market.
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