Progressive Web Apps are taking the mobile app industry by storm. Originally introduced in 2015, they haven't been popular or had any real impact on the mobile app market until recent years. A mobile application (whether Native or Hybrid) is nothing more than a software application - basically, a computer generated program designed and developed to run on smartphones and tablets. Native Apps are exclusive to each platform for which they were developed; therefore, each platform (Apple, Google, Microsoft, etc.) are competing for their market-share of the app industry. It has become a multi-billion dollar industry, soon to reach the trillions. Here are some stellar milestones in the industry...

Origins:

• A Business Week article from 1993 predicts "the future information appliances will instantly make the connections to a world of digitized entertainment, communications, and data on the superhighway or over the airwaves".
• In 1997 the game "Snake" debuted on Nokia phone setting the bar for mobile games.
• October 2001 the first generation iPod introduced apps like "Solitaire" and "Brick".
• April 2003 Apple launches the iTunes Music Store with over 200K songs
• June 2007, third party developers started creating applications built into the iPhone; such as making a phone call, sending an email, or displaying a location in Google Maps
• Later in 2007 Native Apps for the iPhone emerged.

Phase 1: The Information Appliance Model (2008 - 2010)

• JUL 2008 - The App Store hosts 800 apps generating 10 million downloads.
• SEP 2008 - The App Store now hosts 3000 apps generating 100 million downloads.
• OCT 2008 - Google Play is launched and became the first real competitor to Apple.
• APR 2009 - Blackberry World came on the scene.
• OCT 2010 - Windows Phone Store emerged.

Phase 2: The Home Screen Era (2011 - 2013)

• MAR 2011 - Amazon App Store is launched.
• MAY 2012 - Angry Birds reaches 1 billion downloads.
• JUL 2013 - Google Play reaches 50 billion downloads.
• OCT 2013 - App Store hosts over 1 million apps.
• NOV 2013 - Snapchat rejects $3 billion bid from Facebook.

Phase 3: Apps As Service Layers (2014 - )

• JAN 2014 - 1.75 billion smartphone sales predicted and App Store sales top $10 billion.
• JAN 2014 - Facebook acquires WhatsApp for $19 Billion.
• MAR 2014 - Facebook releases new messaging app.
• MAY 2014 - Gmail reaches 1 billion downloads.
• MAY 2014 - Snapchat has 700 million photos shared daily.
• JUN 2014 - App Store peaks at 75 billion downloads.
• SEP 2014 - Game Apps are considered most popular downloads.
• OCT 2014 - Apps are used to steal personal data...

This is where PWAs enter the scene. The idea of "multi-screen" has become "every-screen". App developers have shifted from designing exclusively for desktop and mobile and are now designing a single experience (PWA) that stretches across any internet connected device. PWA's are strongly in play and are anticipated to be the future of the mobile app industry. The popularity of PWAs is that they can be accessed and downloaded from a regular HTTPS url without having to go through an App Store of any kind. Check out the major BENEFITS here.