Once you decide to mobile-enable your enterprise information systems, the key question you need to address is whether to provide mobile access via Mobile Web (browser-based interfaces) or by offering downloadable applications ("apps").

This is a longstanding debate and proponents of both approaches will point to numerous benefits.

By using mobile web, you get the benefits of a standard based approach using which you can target a broader population of mobile devices. Downloadable apps --  they include device specific native applications as well as those based on so called RIA (Rich Internet Application) technologies like Flash - promise a richer user experience optimized to specific devices. 

As with any technology, there's no single answer for all scenarios. As with desktop environments, I believe multiple approaches will co-exist on mobile devices as well.  The question is how to discern when to go browser versus app.

In our recently released advisory briefing, Mobile-Enabling Enterprise Applications: Browser or Downloadable Apps?, we explore this very topic and provide some guidance on when to use which approach. The table of contents for the advisory is as follows:

• Key Takeaways
• Introduction
• The Case for Web Apps
• HTML5 Brings New Mobile Browser Capabilities
• The Case for Downloadable Apps
• Conclusion

The advisory briefing is available to all of our research stream subscribers.