Mass-market mobile web browsing: today and the future

Mass-market mobile web browsing: today and the future

Mobile web browsing is becoming a cornerstone of mobile content. Proxy-based products promise Web access on a majority of handsets, and can also facilitate faster delivery and help overcome bandwidth contention.

Table of contents

Executive summary
In a nutshell
Key messages
Recommendations
The case for the web on mobile
WAP was never enough
What do we mean by full web access on mobile?
Enable it and they will come
Uptake via operators is slower but growing steadily
Mobile browsing methodologies
The problems of browsing on mobile devices
Local rendering remains a high-end device option
Mobile websites risk repeating the failings of WAP
Bridging the web-to-mobile gap effectively
Web optimisation already plays an important role
Transcoders are quick but compromise experience
Browser proxies provide more control of experience
What makes a good mobile browsing platform?
Core criteria for operators and vendors
Clientless approach simplifies rollout for operators…
…but do not sacrifice user experience for simplicity
Reliable support for complex content is next hurdle
A cautionary tale for operators
Operators tamper with the web at their own risk
Proxy-based browsing will not be rendered redundant
Value will not vanish overnight

Table of figures

Figure 1 Pages transcoded by Opera Mini per month
Figure 2 Proportion of mobile handset shipments based on Linux, Symbian and Windows Mobile
Figure 3 Limitations of browsers over a cellular connection
Figure 4 Shipments of Java and BREW enabled devices 2007-2012