Editorial Articles

Finally, the technology is here for web access to be a reality from a mobile phone.

And, as our client requests illustrate, using the internet while on the move is fast becoming commonplace for business and leisure users alike.

Already smart phones account for some 17.5 per cent of all phones in the UK, and as demand drives the price down, everyone will have one.

From walkers downloading maps, business people on the road accessing directions, to mates organising a pub crawl, the smart phone will become an indispensable part of everyday life.

Research suggests also that the phenomenon of the mobile internet isn't purely the preserve of the young - opening the doors to a wider demographic.

Given the smart phone's hook on society already, it is inevitable that supporting mobile browsers will soon be a given within any web site we build.

What's more, their popularity might even render the laptop obsolete in some environments. For many people, being on the road is a daily reality, why therefore would they lug a heavy and cumbersome laptop around, when the same function is provided by a device that fits neatly in the pocket?

But the mobile's very portability poses challenges for those of us who design and build sites and applications.

One of the main problems is the diminutive screen. You cannot simply design a web page for a mobile as you would for a desktop computer and laptop, you need to totally rethink the design concept.

With so little space available, the information you provide has to be pithy, relevant and punchy. You cannot expect users to scroll down endlessly to access the information - they won't.

At present the design of web pages tends to be carried out by specialist companies, but within a year or two, I predict that this will be one of our core product services.

When it comes to typing, size matters, once again. Typing on a phone keypad is a fiddly and time consuming business - so minimising the need to type is crucial.

Speed, or lack of it is an issue also. Even the smartest of smart phones can get bogged down, causing frustrating delays for the user.

One way to bypass this problem is to use as few images as possible and keep animation to a minimum - even cutting edge phones cannot match the performance of a desktop or laptop, so care has to be taken when designing appllications to avoid annoying delays.

That said, users have now come to expect both style and function, so creativity and ingenuity is needed to conjure up mobile web pages that both work effectively and look good.

Mobile web is a new art and we will overcome these teething problems as skill levels and technology evolve.

On the build front one of the major issues facing us is supporting multiple platforms, and mobiles bring with them a multitude of browsers and platforms to support along with new programming languages.

Essentially you are custom building for each project as there is no standardisation between iPhone, Nokia, Blackberry et al - it's just like going back to web design a decade ago.

Back to the future, as the saying goes...

Author: Jon Stoneman, Technical Director, Sequence