Benefits of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)

 

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are considered the most influential trend in Mobile Web Development. Google created PWA, and it quickly gained steam to figure out the future direction for mobile apps. PWAs look and behave similarly to mobile applications and have more additional features. PWAs can send push notifications, access the mobile device's hardware, and work offline or in an unstable connection. Users can easily add it to their smartphones' main screen. Global companies aim to deliver top value to their customers through PWAs technology.

Here are a few examples of PWAs that show the reach of this technology :

• Starbucks
• Pinterest
• Make my trip
• YouTube Music
• UBER

PWAs, are mobile applications delivered to an end-user through Google Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. However, what makes PWAs unique as opposed to traditional websites or mobile web apps is that PWAs behave almost entirely like native applications on your smartphone. Let's see the various benefits of PWA apps for a better understanding. They perform by grabbing a spot on the home screen to send you push notifications. Let's dive into the multiple benefits of PWAs in detail.

Strengths Of Progressive Web Apps Development

• Effortless performance with lower internet consumption allows users to open the saved webpage offline.
• PWAs support features like enabling push notifications and accessing the application offline.
• Seamless and faster user experience as progressive web apps will give faster boot-up performance once you clear the cache. PWAs also preclude the necessity of using the network to make the apps load more quickly on the browser.
• Provides User experience (UX) with perfect User Interface(UI) across multiple devices, browsers, and platforms.
• Full responsiveness and browser compatibility as their build follow progressive enhancement principles.
• A design strategy offers essential functionality to content to users irrespective of what browsers they use and new browsers supporting advanced web page versions.
• Connectivity independence means progressive web apps can function offline and online (using low-quality networks).
• Their interfaces are in simulation with navigation and interactions similar to native apps.
• We depend on the smart device's operating system to access hardware features in various cases. These hardware features include audio and video capture, fullscreen, touch gestures, and more.

In the simplest terms, a Progressive Web App(PWAs) is a mobile website transformed with additional features and functionalities that give it a definitive 'app-like' feel. It is displayed using Google Chrome and uses service workers to ensure smooth operation without a reliable internet connection. To know a better way, let's see the various features of PWA apps.

Features of PWAs :

Availability in the offline mode

Mobile apps are self-contained and allow users to use them offline. They are reliable and fast, showing the user interface regardless of the network conditions. They will enable customers to browse products even when they're not connected. They drive greater engagement and offer availability. PWA provides this.

Websites don't display content if the internet connection or connection is limited. Service workers make offline access because Javascripts work independently of apps and respond to connectivity changes, network requests, push notifications, etc.

Higher conversion rate

The Top 30 PWAs report shows that PWAs have 50% higher conversion rates than native apps. Reports the average conversion rate for progressive web apps was 36% higher than native mobile apps. Lower percentage rate conversion occurs due to the following reasons mainly,

• Poor overall user experience on mobile;
• Security concerns related to unknown sources;
• Navigating through the app is difficult;
• It is challenging to see the product or personal input data details.
• Can't browse nor open multiple screens to compare;

PWAs give you the power to engage with your users. After installing, they can send push notifications. As well as increase engagement and conversions and build relations with the audience.

Mobile-like behavior

PWAs, designed like mobile apps, offer advantageous website functionalities like dynamic data and database access. It helps in boosting exposure on the market. PWAs look like websites and are indexable by Google search engines. The lightweight app works wonderfully on any device without hassle. From existing frameworks and UX/UI interfaces that provide superior user experiences compared to websites, most PWAs benefited.

Smooth Installation

It seems unobvious for businesses how they can benefit from this. However, many smartphone users take care of their device's storage and most likely opt to install apps with less memory. For your guidance, the average PWA size is only 2 Mb, while an average native app is about 16 Mb. To install PWAs, users can download the app easily onto their devices from the play store or website. A PWA gets its icon on phones and tablets like the mobile application. Moreover, the Apple App Store doesn't allow that option yet, so you can easily place your app in the Google Play Store for higher engagement and exposers.

Less page loading speed

One of the critical factors for a smooth digital experience is Speed. Studies have shown that 60% of users leave an app if it takes more than 5 seconds to load. Due to this, PWA decreases the page loading speed. Many companies can benefit from it by switching to progressive web apps. Undoubtedly, the rate is one of the most exciting features of PWAs. With this duo capability(Speed & Rate) of working in offline mode, they make it possible for users to access their favorite app at practically any moment easily.

App stores submission

The application is automatically updated each time a user opens the app. It means a person can download and install the updates without downloading and installing them. No user participation is required. It is not mandatory to publish PWA on app stores also. So your businesses can skip the lengthy and monotonous app store submission process. Also, teams can push new updates without waiting for any approvals.

Use of hardware features

PWAs allow the implementation of different mobile features. The best thing is that developers have complete control over their new marketing and sales channel implementation, potentially offering businesses. The hardware features of mobile devices, such as geolocation or camera, take advantage PWAs.

PWAs can't support native apps such as fingerprint scanning, NFC, vicinity sensors, Bluetooth,inter-app communication, geofencing, advanced camera controls, etc., without access to device hardware. While app sharing via URL is convenient, it requires a connection, which drains a device's battery faster than a native app.

Less Cost

The cost for developing a PWAs to a native mobile one, on average, is 3-4 times less, but it can quickly go to 10 or even 20 times in a few cases. When discussing costs, the investment required for building your mobile apps continues after the app's development. It is just where it starts! Once your application has launched on the market, you must continue ongoing maintenance to ensure everything runs smoothly from your audience's perspective.

Depending on the app's complexity, you could include additional costs for updates and bug fixing, emergency maintenance, payment processing, push notifications, etc.

Building a regular app from scratch is usually required with high costs, especially if the app is more complex and requires advanced features. Additionally, each app store and operating system need a completely separate development only adds up to the cost.

Customer engagement

Customer engagement in progressive web apps is higher as compared to native ones. According to Report, companies that switch to PWA notice an increase from at least 20% by up to 250%, a significant difference that often translates to increased revenue for businesses. Some companies that saw improved customer engagement are as follows:

• Twitter – 30% more pages per session;
• UBER – 200% more repeat visits;
• MakeMyTrip – 150% more mobile sessions;

Because 75% download zero apps on their phone, it is no surprise that progressive web apps, which allow them to access their favorite website smoothly and comfortably from their phone, are significantly more engaging.

The future of PWA apps

Gartner predicts that PWAs will replace 80% of mobile apps by 2022. PWA is a technology that rises daily, and many experts believe it's the future of mobile development. Along with Twitter, Pinterest recently decided to adopt a PWA instead of gatekeeping their app or maintaining a mobile website. Their developers realized that their web presence only converted one percent of users, and the remaining 99 percent wanted to avoid opening another app or downloading Pinterest to their phones. The decision to keep the content within the browser was evident and immediate.

Many data-driven apps that don't need to be built and deployed as native will undoubtedly be created as PWA. An example of that is Business-to-Employee apps.

There's no reason to invest money and time into building native apps if they're perfect PWAs candidates. Research shows that users must download or keep such apps on their devices. Because of this, businesses will be looking for ways to lower the cost and barrier of mobile development. That's the leading cause of companies moving towards PWAs.

Data received from apps like Twitter and Pinterest shows significant changes & benefits for products released as PWAs, further encouraging other businesses to invest in the platform. Many companies will have no choice if they want to reach and retain users but to lower the barrier using their app by building PWAs." Some developers will adopt progressive web apps early on; In contrast, others watch timidly on the sidelines. Whether you take a risk as an early adopter or hope your customers stick around as you fall behind, the choice is yours.

Conclusion

Originally proposed by Google in 2015, Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are touted as the next big thing because of the relative simplicity of development coupled with seamless user experience and cutting-edge technologies synthesizing web applications and mobile applications.

The advantage of progressive web app development is that it eliminates futile downloading and installation stages, thus improving user retention and performance without the complication of maintaining a mobile application. Are you looking for PWA apps for the project? Get in touch with our Quokka Labs expert soon; we are experts in building various applications that take advantage of PWA technology to take your business to the next level.