In some techie circles the HTML5 versus native event app is debated with fervour. I’ve seen some tech heads get very het up about the pros and cons over the years.
Thankfully I’ve yet to see a physical fist fight – clearly nobody wants to get blood on his or her vintage 1983 Comic-Con Star Wars t-shirt.
For the non-tech obsessives, I’m going to explain the difference between the HTML 5 and native event app, and where it all fits in in the event app world.
Firstly, native event apps. These are event apps that you download from the app store. It’s that simple. A native event app is an app that is designed specially for a platform, typically Apple (IOS) or Android and a few Windows phones.
HTML5 web apps are basically a mobile website with some clever stuff that sits within the code. A good example is offline features that you wouldn’t see on a typical mobile website.
Event apps tend to be one or the other, or sometimes both. Confusing, I know but different suppliers will offer different solutions.
Some do HTML5 webs apps only. Some do native event apps only and some do both. The best solution, if budget allows, is to create a native app and a web app too (CrowdComms do this for lots of our clients).
There are many benefits to providing both, but primarily it means everyone is covered. If people don’t use their app store a web app is best. If an attendee is using a laptop then they can use the web app too. Native event apps are great for large numbers of people and digital savvy attendees who expect an app to be available from an app store!
Hope that cleared that up for you. Feel free to drop me a line at [email protected] if you have any other burning HTML5 vs. native event app questions.
Pete Hair – CrowdComms, Co-Founder
In 2011, Pete co-founded CrowdComms from his garage in Sydney. With over two decades experience in event tech in the UK and Australia, Pete’s been involved with 1000’s of events, large and small. He gets a buzz improving events using the latest technology, and exciting customers with innovative solutions and great technical support.
