Mobile based systems are taking the place of web based systems. In my opinion, usability and availability can be included as the main reason. What can be the other reasons?
I think it means an app based in doing the computations in the device itself versus a service that requires the internet.
In this case, the difference is obvious. An app running in the device itself does not require a connection to the internet, but on the other hand, it might be inefficient to compute large chunks of data, consuming more time or battery
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Or perhaps he means the difference between a "native" application that uses the internet to present some information versus an application that is web-based, that is, using a "standard" (as standard as they can be) browser and web protocol, such as html5.
In this case, the differences are more blurry and to me there is no clear winner without stating a specific scenario. If html was/is powerful enough to present the data the way you want, you might have increased portability (specially in the future). But a native application is more capable to access the device resources in an efffcient manner.
"Mobile based Primary Health Care System for Rural India" is related with this discussion. I am doing a study on migrating health care system into Mobile app based system. Migrating from what? it can be usual handwritten based system or web based system. In many different developing country still uses this kind of approach.
Mobile based system vs web based system
What i mean here is web based system is, you have a computer/laptop connected to internet. user can easily access any web based system from PC. Like some DBMS system, MIS system, e-commerce based system. But now a days usages of mobile phone is increasing. I don't open yahoomail/gmail page, give ID/pass to check my mail. i just touch my smart phone for it. So mobile phone or mobile phone apps are getting popular. In today's perspective it is the easiest way to interact with mobile device.
Every organization developing there service for mobile computing.
We are now moving mobile based system for usability. We can use anywhere we want. We do not need to sit on my computer table or wait until i go to my home and open up my computer.
Thank you Lopez...but we do not use safari/opera for log in mail system... there are apps for it... But you are right that in backhand there is internet. But i am talking about how we are using.
@Peter..Thank you..I was not clear about some concept but you describe those thing well. I agree on comment "I thought you were talking about the replacement of classic always-on networking with infrequently timed message-based services based on SMS or low-bandwidth data via classic phone networks in net-remote areas".
what i am trying to do is making an idea on how to develop something like a patient management system which ca be accessible by patient, hospital, doctor etc... and this system is based on some standard like HL7...
by developing this the system can be more usable and Accessible.
I think fast access, such as a medical application when a codtor need to see some data about the patient and in the local.
Communicatiosn facilities are an obvious advantage, but if you think to provide services for people which does not have a fixed place or work.
Many "traditional applications" are migrating to its mobile versions, like facebook, gmail, yahoo. I think this is a big trend, and the service and graphical interface adaptation.
Collect and analysis of data are an advantages too.
Multimidia applications (cideo, music) are good examples.
You said usability and availability, and i agree with these.
I don't think mobile-based systems are taking place of web-based systems. I prefer to say web-based systems are growing and spreading. Mobiles screens and processing powers are getting bigger and faster and you see phablets more often. It means the need to a mobile-based browser/apps is decreasing and a standard browser/app can do the works. Having access to internet is the main concern.