Ask HN: Do you think the web is really dying?

#1

Post by dbosch » Tue, Dec 05, 2017, 11:47 PM UTC

Apps have won the mobile platform. Can we expect the web to rise again?

Re: Ask HN: Do you think the web is really dying?

#2

Post by whb07 » Wed, Dec 06, 2017, 1:49 AM UTC

Source? Mobile has won over desktop sure, but I don’t know if the bulk of web traffic in mobile is on dedicated mobile apps.

Source: most sites I consume are via Chrome/Safari on mobile.

Re: Ask HN: Do you think the web is really dying?

#3

Post by ademup » Wed, Dec 06, 2017, 2:39 AM UTC

Globally? Lol, no. Personally Yes: to the extent that I visit 17 sites every day and all of these most frequently link to each other. Eg: HN pointing to AnandtTech. 20 years ago I browsed 50+ unique sites every week, hundreds a month with very little overlap. The early StumbleUpon was amazing.

Re: Ask HN: Do you think the web is really dying?

#4

Post by BjoernKW » Wed, Dec 06, 2017, 11:59 AM UTC

In terms of consumer products perhaps apps have won although the web definitely is far from dead in that area as well. Most apps also draw upon web resources / services / APIs in one way or another. So, it's no clear-cut either-or distinction.

Regarding business software mobile apps for the most part have a supporting function. The vast majority of B2B software products is web-based.

Re: Ask HN: Do you think the web is really dying?

#5

Post by claudiulodro » Wed, Dec 06, 2017, 3:58 PM UTC

I think the web is the only viable platform for new things.

If you look at the data[1], the most usage is on apps but nobody is downloading new apps. Everybody is using the Facebook, LinkedIn, Reddit, Uber, etc. apps they already have and they are not interested in finding new apps.

Most of those apps have a ton of links to content on sites around the web (FB, Pinterest, Reddit app, etc.) That's really the platform of the late 2010s: Web content.

Even Hacker News is a platform for by web content!

[1] https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/25/majority-of-u-s-consumers-...

Re: Ask HN: Do you think the web is really dying?

#6

Post by LarryMade2 » Thu, Dec 07, 2017, 4:39 AM UTC

Really? What about mobile web?

Mobile apps has a lot more work to enter and also get adoption. Responsive web can cross the lines from mobile to desktop.

Though it might be more about what sort of Apps you are referring to.