Are you wondering why more and more major companies are ditching traditional app stores in favor of innovative solutions? The answer lies in Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), which offer a seamless user experience without the overhead of native apps. In this article, we'll explore the top brands using PWAs to revolutionize their mobile experiences.
What Are Progressive Web Apps?
A PWA is a leaner version of a classic app that loads fast, works offline, and updates automatically in the background. Unlike native apps, PWAs use one codebase for all platforms, reducing bugs, development time, and update hassles. But before we dive into the top brands using PWAs, it's essential to understand their limitations. If your app requires deep access to device hardware (like AR or Bluetooth features), a native app might still be the best choice.
PWA Examples: Tech Giants
Tech giants are no strangers to PWA innovation. Google, for instance, has adopted PWA logic across many of its core services, including Google Maps Go, Google Photos, YouTube Music, and Google Drive. These PWAs offer offline access, push notifications, and fast load times without the need for a full native app installation.
Meta also leverages PWAs to provide accessible experiences in regions with limited connectivity. Facebook Lite is a prime example – a lightweight PWA version tested on Android that covers all the basics like browsing, posting, and messaging without requiring a full app install. Instagram also runs as a PWA-lite on mobile browsers like Chrome.
Apple has built out web apps with PWA capabilities, too. iCloud Web Apps offer native-like syncing services like Mail, Calendar, Notes, Drive, and iWork apps – all accessible via Safari on desktop or iOS. Apple Music's web version streams music, explores playlists, and searches without installation, although offline mode isn't supported yet.
PWA Examples: HoReCa
In the hospitality industry (Hotels, Restaurants, Catering), quick service really matters. Trivago built a PWA that delivers fast search and booking, even in low-bandwidth environments. MakeMyTrip redesigned its mobile experience as a PWA and saw a 38% increase in conversions due to offline support and fast load times.
Starbucks launched a PWA that lets customers browse the menu, customize their drinks, and place an order using just 1% of the data required by their native app. Dunkin' also switched to a PWA approach, allowing users to quickly build their order and check out without downloading anything.
Airbnb optimized its app mini-version as a PWA, significantly reducing loading times (from 11.9s down to just 4.69s.). This led to better user involvement and an all-time high number of swiping right moments – with a 25% conversion rise and 2.5x performance improvement.
PWA Examples: Real Estate & Property Management
Speed and ease of use are key when users search for a new home or investment. Housing.com uses a PWA that allows mobile users to quickly browse listings, filter results, and explore maps – ideal for users located in data-sensitive regions like EU or USA. 99acres also improved user engagement through its PWA solution.
These top brands demonstrate the power of Progressive Web Apps in revolutionizing their mobile experiences. By leveraging PWAs, they've been able to deliver fast, reliable, and seamless user experiences across devices – without the overhead of native apps.