In the App Era, Do Mobile Browsers Still Have a Chance?

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With the emergence of native apps, the in-depth development of H5 technology, and the construction of an interactive entertainment information system, discussions on the status, role, functions, and user experience of mobile browsers have become increasingly heated. How can mobile browsers change their single browsing function to ensure that they will not be replaced by native apps? As the most basic entrance for ordinary users to access the mobile Internet, what kind of transformation will browsers face in an attempt to maintain their position in the industry?

The three giants BAT, which dominate the browser market, seem to be thinking about similar issues. A typical case is that Baidu's mobile browser, which has the greatest development potential among the three giants, has added a "Tucao" entrance to the first screen of the browser in combination with the "Tucao" characteristics of young users, and specially set up a "Tucao Energy Pool" section to integrate hot topic news, topic PK information and voting information. Such attempts, on the one hand, create a comprehensive, interesting and vivid interactive information system for young groups, and more importantly, the concept of mobile "browsers" is also being redefined. Browser products are facing a new change from one-way browsing to two-way interaction.

Pure browsing relationship "seeking change"

Traditional browsers have always been based on a single browsing function. There is only a browsing process between users and information, but no interaction occurs. In other words, traditional browsers are like traditional media such as newspapers and television. Users are more passive in browsing, and have no way to express their own opinions. Although browsers can support users to "wander" between different websites, the browsing behavior itself has no interactive process. The relationship between users and browsers is that of user and user. Even if users have something to say about a piece of information, they have no space to express their opinions.

With the full arrival of the mobile Internet era, mobile browsers have become popular. Although almost all browser software have launched corresponding mobile app versions, the pure browsing relationship between users and information has not changed.

However, one thing worth noting is that the difference between using mobile browsers and traditional desktop browsers is that users are more likely to consume information in a fragmented manner. In this fragmented information consumption process, users are no longer satisfied with a single browsing function, but are more looking forward to being able to comment and express their own opinions on the information page they are browsing in real time.

It can be said that from the PC era to the mobile Internet era, mobile browsers, as one of the basic tools for people to surf the Internet, have always played the role of browsing tools. Whether browsing information or browsing goods, browsers are more like behind-the-scenes staff, and are not "remembered" by users in front of the information stage. They always quietly provide browsing services to users.

Just like the barrage function of video websites, the complaining function of mobile browsers came into being as user needs changed, and the pure browsing relationship between browsers and users also changed accordingly.

Catering to the needs of the younger generation

In the first half of this year, Baidu Mobile Browser launched the Tucao function, which provides users with information interaction and participation experience after browsing. Through the "Tucao Energy Pool" and other function settings, it provides users with an interactive space to express their own opinions. UC and QQ browsers have also launched similar functions.

By providing this kind of interactive opportunity, not only has the experience of young people using Baidu Mobile Browser been improved, but the browser's position in the user group has also evolved from a tool to a platform. Compared with browsers that are purely tools, by adding interactive functions, browsers have also become a platform for content production. While "changing its appearance", it has also effectively catered to the needs of the younger generation of users.

In fact, the transformation of mobile browsers is a trend. Analysys believes that people born in the 1990s are pouring into society in large numbers and will join the mainstream consumer group. With the progress of society and the continuous innovation of the macro environment, the information acquisition function of mobile browsers cannot meet the needs of contemporary young people and individual groups. In order to win a place for young users and meet the various needs of the flexible and individual people born in the 1990s, the personalized services of mobile browsers are constantly innovating.

Pioneering interactive browsing

According to the 2014-2015 China Third-Party Mobile Browser Market Research Report released by iiMediaResearch, in 2014, thanks to the growth of low-end and mid-range smartphone users in China, the number of third-party browser users in China reached 457 million, and third-party mobile browsers were highly favored by mobile Internet users. Among them, Baidu Mobile Browser, UC Mobile Browser, and QQ Mobile Browser under the three Internet giants BAT accounted for more than 80% of the third-party mobile browser market.

The research report pointed out that the layout of the BAT Big Three in the general scenario market was slightly homogeneous in the past, so developing richer and more entertaining features to meet the needs of the post-90s user group will definitely become an important growth point in the future competition among the Big Three in the browser market. After Baidu Mobile Browser took the lead in launching the "Tucao function" and focusing on the "funny" pan-culture, other browser brands also began to transform in the direction of entertainment. For example, UC Browser is trying "entertainment" and "creating a funny mobile browser" in its transformation. QQ Mobile Browser mainly focuses on the "video" field to achieve user interaction in the form of bullet screen.

From this point of view, "saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new" in mobile browsers has become a trend. Baidu's mobile browser, which uses interactive, entertaining, and funny elements to stimulate users' enthusiasm for participation and allows users to participate in post-browsing interactions, can be said to have pioneered the interaction of content and information in mobile browsers.