[LINK] Auntie in Your Pocket

[Ivan Trundle]

On 17/03/2009, at 9:51 AM, Marghanita da Cruz wrote:

>> The iPhone app, on the other hand, is savvy, useful, functional,  
>> easy- to-use, and as George states, 'wonderful'. I'd add that it is  
>> very  polished, and clearly built by an entirely different design  
>> team  altogether.
> I don't quite understand. Are you telling me that there are three  
> versions of
> the website - one for the I-Phone, two open formats, one for big  
> screens and one
> for little screens.

No, the iPhone app is not a website, but an app (portal) with a  
different set of functionality, and optimised for a touchscreen  
environment. The ABC iPhone app does not simply re-render the website,  
but rather delivers a different set of content for the user, such as  
direct links to video feeds etc.

Apple iPhone dev kits allow developers to create applications that sit  
on the phone, but all are vetted for consistency of experience,  
application, adherence to GUI guidelines, etc (by Apple).

The ABC mobile version of their website was built to supposedly serve  
mobile phone users who do not have access to or use normal web  
browsers. It doesn't appear to be vetted by anyone with good sense,  
and as Tom points out, displays a remarkable lack of understanding of  
how websites should be built for the mobile (i.e. small-screen and  
limited functionality/low bandwidth) environment.

The iPhone web browsing experience is rather different to other smart/ 
dumb phones: it uses a version of Safari which closely emulates the  
desktop experience to the point of not needing to be redirected to a  
mobile version, and indeed, if one tries to look at the pitiful  
experience that Telstra offers iPhone users, you can see why the  
iPhone web browser is best used on 'normal' websites.

I have no problems with the ABC contracting two different companies to  
build two different tools (to reiterate: the iPhone app is not a  
website), but I see a problem with the development of a second-rate  
website for non-iPhone mobile phone users, especially when compared  
with the normal desktop-accessed website.

iT