Hopefully by now our series of mobile apps articles have given you a great understanding of the way mobile apps work, how they can grow your business, what to expect from Golf Web Design when you get a mobile app, and why you should get one for your golf course. In this article, we’re going to wrap it up by explaining where we think mobile apps are headed.

The future of mobile apps and smartphones is an exciting one. Everyday, there is more and more talk about the next iPhone, the next Android operating system, the next big thing, etc., etc…  We hear talks about the iPhone 5 now and then as well as various other new technologies that are emerging.  The best part of all this is when the actual technologies become a reality.  So far we have seen huge advacements in the current smartphones that we all carry around.  We’re basically carrying around small computers in our pockets. Tablets are another new technology that are becoming more popular. Some golf professionals are already using the new iPad 2 to teach their students.

Mobile apps continue to push the envelope as they take advantage of what phones can do.  Just a few years ago, a GPS-based yardage book wasn’t even a possibility! Now, it’s commonplace for an app to tell you where you are, where your friends are, and how to get there! The ability for phones to do “new tricks” means that we can make our apps do the same. One example is how some of our golf courses are currently using Push Notifications to broadcast golf course specials to their members and guests.

As we progress towards the future, Golf Web Design will be taking advantage of these new features that smartphones will have embedded within them.  Such new features like phone to phone interaction and interactive yardage guides will soon become the norm.

Another new exciting realm that will soon become more robust are web apps.  Web apps are basically smartphone optimized websites that act almost just like a native app. There are some great advantages that web apps have over native iPhone or Android apps:

• Web apps can work across all mobile phones – no need for a iPhone app AND an Android app
• There’s no approval process – web apps can instantly go “live”
• Web apps are cheaper to build

There are definitely some major drawbacks to web apps as of right now, but as you can see, there are some fantastic qualities they have too. So if you have any questions about what we can do for you in the way of a web app, please contact Golf Web Design.

We appreciate any feedback you have about mobile apps, web apps, tablets and other technologies that can help your facility.  Mobile phones are the future and we’re ready to take advantage of what they can do. Soon everyone will have a smartphone and we want to make sure your golf course is ready to take advantage of this incredible platform.