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Q6 Why Are Mobile Systems Increasingly Important? 139

Android, and Windows. In general, unlike native applications, you can assume that a Web ap-
plication has one code base and one development team.
Because Web applications can be developed by less skilled, lesser-paid employees and be-
cause only one code base and one development team are necessary, they are considerably cheaper
to develop than native applications. However, this statement assumes applications of equivalent
complexity. A simple native application can be cheaper to develop than a complex Web application.
Users obtain Web applications via the Internet. For example, when you go to www.picozu.
com/editor the required html5, css3, and JavaScript files are downloaded automatically over the
Web. Updates to the application are automatic and seamless. You need not install (or reinstall)
anything. This difference is an advantage to the user; it makes it more difficult, however, to earn
money from your application. Amazon, for example, will sell your native application and pay
you a royalty. However, unless you require users to buy your Web application (which is possible,
but rare), you’ll have to give it away. To companies like AllRoad Parts, royalty revenue from their
application is not important. To you, it might be.
Which Is Better?

You know the answer to that question. If it were clear-cut, we’d only be discussing one alternative.
It’s not. The choice depends on your strategy, your particular goals, the requirements for your ap-
plication, your budget, your schedule, your tolerance for managing technical projects, your need
for application revenue, and other factors. In general, Web applications are cheaper to develop and
maintain, but they may lack the wow factor. You and your organization have to decide for yourselves!

Q6 Why Are Mobile Systems Increasingly Important?

Mobile systems are information systems that support users in motion. Mobile systems users ac-
cess the system from any place—at home, at work, in the car, on the bus, or at the beach—using
any smart device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or PC. The possibilities are endless.
Mobile systems users move not only geographically but also from device to device. The user
who starts reading a book on an iPad on a bus, continues reading that book on a PC at work, and
finishes it on a Kindle Fire at home is mobile both geographically and across devices.
As shown in Figure 4-21, the major elements in a mobile system are users in motion, mobile
devices, wireless connectivity, and a cloud-based resource. A mobile device is a small, light-
weight, power-conserving, computing device that is capable of wireless connectivity. Almost all
mobile devices have a display and some means for data entry. Mobile devices include smart-
phones, tablets, smartwatches, and small, light laptops. Desktop computers, Xboxes, and large,
heavy, power-hungry laptops are not mobile devices.
You will learn about wireless connectivity and the cloud in Chapter 6. For now, just assume
that the cloud is a group of servers on the other end of a connection with a mobile device. When
downloading a book for a Kindle, for example, the cloud is one or more servers on the other end
that store that book and download a copy of it to your device.

• Web sites
Wireless Connectivity
Mobile • Services (IM, email, etc.)
Device • Application code
• Data sources
Users in
Figure 4-21 Motion
Elements of a Mobile Information
System Resources in the Cloud