What Do the New iPhones Mean for Mobile Web Design?
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Yesterday, Apple held their much anticipated iPhone event (the video is available here). As expected, Apple released two new phones, the flagship iPhone 5S and a plastic, entry-level iPhone, the iPhone 5C. The iPhone 5C offers little in the way of new features (from the original iPhone 5), while the iPhone 5S shows its most notable upgrades in the areas of hardware performance, photography, and security. Both phones feature a 640×1136 retina display, unchanged from the iPhone 5. As new mobile devices are released, mobile web design evolves to make use of improved technological capabilities. So what effect do these new devices have on the future of mobile web design?
In terms of direct effects, not much; the web browsing capabilities of the devices are similar (if not identical) to those of their recent predecessor, the iPhone 5. However there are two important indirect effects which are worth examining.
Mobile Devices as a Percentage of Web Traffic Will Continue to Grow
As a low-cost smartphone, the iPhone 5C will attract members of the public currently using older smartphones, or feature phones. The 5C offers outstanding mobile web browsing capabilities. It only stands to reason that as users’ mobile web browsing capabilities grow, the amount of time they spend using their mobile devices to access the web will grow as well. Feature phones generally provide a tedious web browsing experience, while a modern smartphone (such as the iPhone 5C and 5S) is well tailored for a great web experience. As of last month, mobile devices accounted for just over 15% of total web traffic in the US. As more users acquire mobile devices which provide a great browsing experience, this percentage is certain to grow, making it even more imperative for every web site owner to offer up a mobile-friendly site, whether it be via a dedicated mobile site, or via responsive design (need help making your site mobile-friendly? Talk to us!).
More Users Will Benefit from Retina-enabled Web Design
High pixel density displays (branded Retina by Apple), fit more pixels into a smaller area than traditional displays, and have the capability to offer outstanding text and image clarity. In fact, if you’re viewing this post on a Retina-capable display, you’ll notice how sharp the above image appears; this is made possible due to high pixel density technology. High pixel density screens are particularly popular on mobile devices (including iPhone 4 and newer, and iPad 3 and 4, in addition to many non-Apple products). Both the new iPhone 5C and 5S feature Retina displays. As users switch from older, non-Retina phones to the new iPhones, the percentage of users browsing your site with Retina-capable devices will increase. Accommodating high pixel density screens with double resolution images will greatly enhance the appearance of your website. Here’s a quick intro to Retina web design I wrote about a year ago.
While the new iPhone 5C and 5S didn’t provide any major upgrades in the way of mobile web browsing over the previous generation iPhone, they will put cutting edge smartphones in the hands of more web users. For the web site owner, this makes providing a great user experience on all devices even more important. If you’d like some help navigating the waters of responsive web design, Give us a ring!