Windows 8 Has a Lot of Apps Already

"There's an app for that", says old iPhone commercial, and yes, today's mobile world is unimaginable without apps and stores. Success of platform is measured by the size of its "ecosystem", and many wonder is Windows 8 coming too late to create one.

But why do we have apps in the first place? Before smartphone boom, we had applications on desktops so it makes sense to have them on mobile. However, there is one important step between: web applications. Dynamic HTML applications are replacing more and more of traditional desktop applications and they are becoming better at it. Heck, most of mobile application that I use have web counterparts that are even better. So why apps?

Due to small screen size of mobile phones and small tablets, regular web pages are unreadable, and standard navigation means are unusable. Apps are optimized for the small screen and mobile-specific way of interaction. They are crutch for devices with limited resources. But tablet is not so limited. 10" screen is quite OK for browsing, so you don't really need app for that; just use web site. And, even if there is no web site, many apps are actually framed browsers running HTML5 or WAP to make them cross-platform. If common cross-platform mobile frameworks add Windows 8 to the list, apps will just start to pop up. Exception are games, but I don't know enough about game development to make sensible conclusion.

Apps will be still relevant for 7" tablets due to screen size, but 10" will be just fine with regular web stuff. Microsoft should take care not to mess other things up, and applications will take care for itself.

WFAY5ACME2GX