Twitter has both a browser-based mobile web app and native mobile apps. The native ones work better. Why then do the browser-based ones exist? I suggest a few reasons people might use them here:
1. because they haven't yet installed the apps and wish to use the site without doing so
2. they've arrived by a search on Google and just flick through a few tweets before deciding whether or not to launch the native app and continue for longer
3. they want to have a tab open for twitter but quickly tab to other sites to save time
For similar reasons I think it is important that publishers (and others) develop browser-based ebook reading platforms alongside native ones. I outline some of these reasons here:
1. people might land on the book via a web search and want to start reading online, make a few notes (e.g. for later syncing) before making a download (and/or purchase)
2. they might be searching multiple books from multiple publishers with multiple different browser-based readers and so want several tabs open at once
3. they might be at work on a lunch break and want to take up where they left off with reading a book but not have their ereader with them
4. they might be willing to try out new ereader features by following a link but not want to download every ereader app that arrives on the market
These are just a few scenarios and plenty more could be imagined on desktop and mobile devices. Amazon already sees value in browser-based reading, and further: is the idea of browser-based ebook reading so different from Apple, for example, developing a range of browser-based apps for iWork, Calendar, Mail, etc. when they have desktop equivalents that have more features? I would argue that there isn't, and with the arrival of Firefox OS, which only runs web apps, there is yet another reason to see web versions of ereaders as an essential part of the ecosystem without needing to see them as a replacement for native apps.
1. because they haven't yet installed the apps and wish to use the site without doing so
2. they've arrived by a search on Google and just flick through a few tweets before deciding whether or not to launch the native app and continue for longer
3. they want to have a tab open for twitter but quickly tab to other sites to save time
For similar reasons I think it is important that publishers (and others) develop browser-based ebook reading platforms alongside native ones. I outline some of these reasons here:
1. people might land on the book via a web search and want to start reading online, make a few notes (e.g. for later syncing) before making a download (and/or purchase)
2. they might be searching multiple books from multiple publishers with multiple different browser-based readers and so want several tabs open at once
3. they might be at work on a lunch break and want to take up where they left off with reading a book but not have their ereader with them
4. they might be willing to try out new ereader features by following a link but not want to download every ereader app that arrives on the market
These are just a few scenarios and plenty more could be imagined on desktop and mobile devices. Amazon already sees value in browser-based reading, and further: is the idea of browser-based ebook reading so different from Apple, for example, developing a range of browser-based apps for iWork, Calendar, Mail, etc. when they have desktop equivalents that have more features? I would argue that there isn't, and with the arrival of Firefox OS, which only runs web apps, there is yet another reason to see web versions of ereaders as an essential part of the ecosystem without needing to see them as a replacement for native apps.
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