Is it Mobile first — Desktop second for the Publishing industry?
Blurring the line of multiple screens, adaptability to extend functionalities to Mobile, has the time come for a Mobile first — Desktop second?
Well at least that is what the stats are suggesting. I Googled about the number of Mobile users and all the page 1 search results came up with the answer that Mobile first it is, and this is no less for the industry that I serve.
Timeline
Mobile first for the Publishing industry is not a far fetched dream is it a glaring reality and must I mention that the “Time is ripe for publishers to take the leap from desktop to Mobile”.
Responsive Web Design has become a part and parcel of web design standards for Multiple screens and it is perfectly timed with the downhill travel of cost of Mobile phones, integration of HTML CSS and customer centricity.
Consumer behaviour is changing rapidly and personalization is one of the key to stay relevant to the audience. The change from print to digital has seen the fall and rise of many large publishing houses and the industry is once again going through major changes, and a good chunk of businesses are yet to make the move.
Digital Media companies are going Content first, Responsive design comes preferred as a single source of content is viewed uniformly across many view ports therefore, needing the content up focused for a more user-oriented design that keeps the audience captured.
Disruption will continue to BE. Technology with diversity of connected devices will continue to outsmart the brightest of minds. The only way to hold on is to make a move before the breaking point or for that matter to be ready to deal with a stir. Because technology won’t hold up.
Behind the scenes
Browser detection is less used due to browsers being able to “pretend” to be another browser by editing their User Agent string which happens when you click on “desktop mode” and view changes from Mobile to Desktop.
There is also Device detection but this becomes unmanageable as the number of devices grows, portrays what make the device is of.
Grow out the False hope
The history of web on mobile phones has been following the desktop and coming with the terms that it might not be the optimal solution. We need to retrace back our steps and build for the ascending screen size to maintain suitability.
The newer mobile application platforms mobile application platforms are doing exactly that and leaving desktop based browser running to be at par with the next revolution.
Think about this : Developer’s options in mobile and the arena to play with is no match for a desktop app, possibilities are endless. Developers get to tinker with precise location data from GPS; user orientation from a compass; gesture enabled multi-touch input from one or more; device positioning from an accelerometer and many more.
Creating Mobile first lets you to architect the perfect user experience by exploring all of this capabilities keeping in mind about the space constraint. Because we should not forget.
The smaller the screen the more focus is on the content that appears, it is now context-rich.
Focus
A typical handset is rectangular, unlike a wide PC screen, mobile devices are narrow, it makes you to create content that respects hierarchy . This is obviously not possible in a PC where relevant content competes for focus of the consumer in the form annoying flash ads, or moving headlines.
When you design Mobile first, you remove the clutter to come to an agreement upon what matters most. And this is what should be applied for the desktop too. The logic is that publishers with their news remain relevant, use user given information to tailor make the experience separately for each user while keeping up the standards of your publishing platform
While I think the world is moving to Mobile, what is your opinion in the same? Is it the right way to go?
