The Web Is Dead. Long Live the Internet

This is certainly not a 50-plus specific blog post but it applies to them as much (if not more so) than other age groups. The title of the article in Wired and the graphic says it all.

If you want more explanation then this excerpt from the article makes it absolutely clear.

Over the past few years, one of the most important shifts in the digital world has been the move from the wide-open Web to semi-closed platforms that use the Internet for transport but not the browser for display. It’s driven primarily by the rise of the iPhone model of mobile computing, and it’s a world Google can’t crawl, one where HTML doesn’t rule. And it’s the world that consumers are increasingly choosing, not because they’re rejecting the idea of the Web but because these dedicated platforms often just work better or fit better into their lives (the screen comes to them, they don’t have to go to the screen). The fact that it’s easier for companies to make money on these platforms only cements the trend. Producers and consumers agree: The Web is not the culmination of the digital revolution.

We live in interesting times.

However, there is a different take on what is happening. This article from WARC,contributed by Comscore, suggests caution:

"What we're seeing is a disconnect between the hype around apps and the number of people who are actually using them. Brands need to think outside of the app space if they really want to engage with a mass-market audience. Apps are by no means the dominant channel, although it would be unwise to abandon them altogether."

I think both views are right. Sure the Web is vital and will be for ages but the balance of power is shifting. Not as fast some think (including me) but the direction and the end position is clear. Dick Stroud