Why Native?
20210723
It has been nearly a year since our Co-founder and Executive Director, Sue Yoxall, penned the article “Why add a native app to your digital channel offering?”. World events at that time highlighted the importance of a strong digital strategy, yet many comments Sue made remain relevant 12 months later.
Building a fully native app opens the doors for operators to make full use of the range of functionalities that operating systems, such as Android and iOS, have to offer. Both systems release yearly updates, which include new, exciting features, from privacy enhancements to augmented player experience tools. For example, in September 2021, Apple released iOS14, and with it introduced the use of Widgets and App Clips, in addition to changes to its stance on Privacy and Tracking. Android, meanwhile, released its yearly update, Android 11, with Redesigned Notifications and Voice Access improvements, among other enhancements.
Native features offered from these operating platforms are a great way to further engage with players and to improve the swiftness of user journeys. For example, biometrics such as Face ID can be used for easy sign in, elevating a player’s experience with a quick user journey to their source of entertainment. Another example would be the native payment features, allowing customers to check out quickly and pay using either Google Pay or Apple Pay. Features like these are designed to allow for a smooth transition through the app, from sign in to pay & play. Finally, the use of widgets offers a new way for players to personalise their experience with a brand by opting to see targeted information, e.g. lottery jackpot or winning numbers on their home screen.
The power that native features have on engaging with a player and elevating their mobile experience should not be overlooked. When comparing apps that offer a native experience to those that are wrapped websites, it is clear to see through app store ratings which is preferred among players. Well-constructed native apps are well received by players as evidenced by the many positive customer reviews which note how easy and slick they are to use.
From a submissions point of view, creating a more ‘nativised’ iOS app became paramount following Apple’s 4.2 and 4.7 guideline changes that came into force in June 2020. Guideline 4.2 requires apps to be native and not just a repackaged website, while 4.7 mandates operators to either build games natively or embed HTML5 games into their application code, since sideloaded content is no longer permitted. This has rapidly changed the field of play for real-money gaming apps worldwide.
Finally, when looking at the statistics, it is important to note that a huge proportion of time is spent interacting with mobile devices. Delving deeper, on average 90% of users’ time on a mobile phone is spent on an app, compared to 10% on a web browser. Not surprisingly, in Q2 2020, year on year app downloads jumped 31.7% as the world was plunged into lockdowns. This further cements the need for your digital strategy to satisfy the growing customer appetite for the high-quality experience that native apps can bring.
