Will Browser Apps replace Native Apps?
More Software Delivered in a Browser, but Native Apps Still Needed
Jan 16, 2009
“There will still be a need for native apps and browser-based apps…it depends on which one provides the best user experience,” said Sundar Pichai, vice-president of product management at Google, during a recent panel discussion on browsers at a Churchill Club event in Palo Alto, Calif.
Although Google is best known for its search engine, it recently introduced its own browser, called Chrome, in September 2008. Google also stimulated the market for browser-based applications when it launched its Google Apps service last year, at which developers can create new software applications – or “apps” for short -- and host them on Google’s servers, an approach known as “cloud computing.” Users can then access the software from their Web browsers.
Browser Apps Catching On
Browser-based software is quickly replacing the previous software distribution model in which customers purchased a software license and installed the software directly onto their computer, either downloading it from the Web or installing it from a CD-ROM disk. In this case, the application that runs on the computer is called a “native” application.
Accessing software through a Web browser is an attractive alternative for companies because they are spared the expense of servers and storage hardware; basically all they need are computers with a Web browser and a broadband connection. The company that hosts the applications takes care of software upgrades and maintenance, too.
Security Questions Remain
But there are limitations to accessing software through a browser, said Steve Wildstrom, a technology columnist for Business Week magazine and moderator of the panel discussion, which also included representatives from Microsoft, the Mozilla Foundation and other browser makers.
There are some applications not well suited to running in a browser, such as image editing, which runs much better natively, Wildstrom argued.
There are also security concerns, he added. Some businesses are rightly reluctant to have sensitive information stored outside their firewall at the cloud computing provider’s data center. There are also browser-related risks, such as cross-site scripting and phishing, which can be avoided using native apps.
Some applications do run better natively, such as 3-D video games, acknowledged Mike Shaver, vice president of engineering at Mozilla, creator of the Firefox browser. But over time, he said, browser technology will advance to the point where more complex applications can also be delivered online.
“We’re going to see those barriers fall,” Shaver said. “What you’re seeing now is just the tip of the iceberg.”
IE 8 More Secure
Shaver’s comments were echoed by competitor Dean Hachamovitch, general manager for the Internet Explorer browser at Microsoft.
“Browser applications are getting richer,” Hachamovitch said, predicting that browser-based applications for image editing are not too far off.
He also said Microsoft is addressing browser-related security risks, such as cross-site scripting attacks and phishing, in its upcoming Internet Explorer 8 browser, now in beta. Also, cloud providers are improving data center security to address customer concerns.
