App, Schmap

So the recently released iPhone/iPod version of the Nxtbook is really a web app, not a native app available in the the App Store. While we will be releasing native apps in the future, we actually felt the web version was more important. Here’s why:

One of the most common concerns publishers have about their digital magazines (or anything else distributed via email) is the erosion of open rates. And while there are many reasons open rates decline,  one of the simplest reasons people don’t click on digital magazine links in their email is the belief that the digital magazine can’t open in the device you’re reading it on. This concern gets magnified when you look at how many more people are actually reading their email on mobile devices. Thus, a version of the digital magazine that will open seamlessly when someone clicks on it integrates with a publishers’ distribution strategy, and doesn’t require development or marketing of a separate app.

But we’re not the only ones who think so. ReadWriteWeb recently covered the debate of web app. v. native app. For our money, we couldn’t agree more with Jason Grigsby:

"Philosophically, I don’t see any way that web app technology isn’t going to be bigger than distributing apps through an app store. As the demographics of users change, you’ll find people aren’t going to spend their time browsing the app store. They will go to browse the web and they aren’t going to install something unless it’s heavily promoted. Who’s going to do that? Small businesses are going to need mobile apps if they are going to be found at all."