One amazing video that shows the potential of the physical web

Michael Mahemoff‘s recent article on how Progressive Web Apps have Leapfrogged the Native Install Model reminded me of a video I discovered while researching my new Adapting to Input talk.

I keep revisiting the video because it shows how the physical web can provide a substantially better experience than the native app install process.

Here’s the video from Matthew Sibigtroth:

Let’s compare the install process for the physical web versus what it would likely take using native apps.

1. Look in drawer for physical web beacons.
2. Select physical web beacon.
3. Web page launches. Prompts for pairing with toy.
4. Select toy to complete pairing.
5. Control toy.

There are two challenges in this process that will be solved with time. First, people need to know about physical web beacons. Second, the physical web and web bluetooth specifications are new and cross browser support is limited.

In fact, this process will likely be streamlined further in the future when the phone automatically notifies the user about nearby beacons.

1. Confirm that the toy has an app for your platform.
2. Open app store.
3. Search for toy. Hope the toy has a unique name so you can find the app easily.
4. Install the app and enter app store password if necessary.
5. Wait for app to download.
6. Open app.
7. Pair with toy.
8. Control toy.

Three fewer steps may not seem like much, but the total process is much slower. Apps are usually several megabytes in size making that step alone take much longer than the comparable step for the physical web.

Put a different way, it only takes 18 seconds from when the person first touches the screen to when the toy can be controlled. And that is with the person going slowly so that the people viewing the video can see each step.

It took me nearly 8 seconds on my phone to simply find, launch, and get to the home screen of the app store.

Yes, that will be faster for other people depending on placement of the app store icon, how recently they used the store, and network speed. But it is hard to envision that process ever being faster than simply following the physical web beacon.

The easier install process of the physical web and progressive web apps makes for an exciting future.