>>>I think Lianja will more likely be inconsequential and out of touch, I'm afraid.
>
>Just like Amazon, eBay, Priceline etc who made their fortunes in the browser era but now promote native apps for prevalent devices?
>
>The device being left behind in this trend is WP which is why MS familiars like to push browser front ends so it's not as obvious (and because it allows claims that NET works on iOS and Android). But everybody else started to focus on native apps years ago. Even as simple an app as Angry Birds never could have succeeded as a browser app for phones, though people have since written browser versions as trick shots and lost money on them. If in doubt, consider why so many young cool dudes and dudettes prefer Apple notebooks to Windows if the browser is where it's at. Is Safari so much better than IE? No, that's not the reason. The reason is because the user experience and software written to make the most of it, is preferable. Which is exactly why these big firms quietly are delivering native apps to shine on devices that matter, rather than web pages.
I am pretty much with you on this. I never bought inn all this 'web apps are future' (and 'desktop is dead') kind of shouting.
Not only for smart phones where native apps superiority is obvious, but in general for business apps as well. Unless web coverage is actually goal of app, I cannot see how web app can be superior to desktop (native) one.
I believe this trend you noticing in smartphones / smart pad arena will eventually come back to windows development as well.
Especially if/when PCs like this overtake market ;
http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/20/3787750/best-all-in-one-pc-desktop-windows-8-touchscreenWhich I am betting is going to happen. They are to expensive now for everybody to have but this is IMO
first real move for the better in PC/desktop arena since invention of the mouse. Eventually everybody will have
one of these at our desks. Hence word 'desktop'; It does not get more 'desktop' then that :) and It might very well bring
desktop apps (with nice touch UI twists) back into fashion one day.
