2012 was a pretty crazy year in the world of computers. For the first time in over a decade, the volume of PC sales projected for the year was lower than that predicted in 2011.
So, if PC sales are declining, what type of devices are consumers purchasing instead? Well, it’s been said that in 2013 tablet sales are expected to exceed 100 million units, and may, for the first time, top the number of notebooks that are sold.
Apple’s iPad has been a huge success since it was launched and is now the device of choice for many consumers who like to shop online. Last year also saw Amazon and Google gaining market share with their respective tablet devices, Kindle HD and the Nexus 7; however, Apple continues to dominate the market.
Smartphone usage also continues to grow at an extraordinary rate, with many more mobile users choosing to ditch basic feature phones; with mobile web usage set to overtake desktop usage in 2014, now more than ever, it’s vital that your business has a mobile web presence.
It’s no longer acceptable to develop a website that won’t be accessible via mobile devices; however not every business owner has the budget to create a separate mobile version of their desktop site (in fact it might be wise not to consider this option due to the negative impact it could have on your business’s search rankings). Another option is the creation of a dedicated mobile app however with new mobile devices regularly being launched, often with their own operating characteristics, this may not be the most cost effective solution available.
So, given the drawbacks of all these options, what is the best solution for a business looking to have a mobile presence?
Responsive web design is now being adopted by many organisations as standard. It uses flexible images and fluid grids to automatically detect the screen size of the device that is being used to visit a website, changing its size and behaviour accordingly, making it accessible to all platforms. This means that once a site has been developed, it will be compatible with newer devices as they come on the market, making it a future-proof option.
Given the rapid adoption of tablets and smartphones and their ever-changing screen sizes, and the fact that internet users increasingly prefer to consume information and make purchases on these devices, I think it's inevitable that 2013 will be the year of responsive design.
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