In addition to entirely overhauling the way we communicate, mobile technology’s lightning-quick rise to power has made us re-imagine content consumption. Traditional media such as watching TV, listening to music, playing video games, and browsing have all been impacted by the ‘on-demand’ nature of mobile computing; but beyond this, so has the way we do just about everything else—exercise, eat, pay our bills, shop, handle health problems, etc. As the saying goes, ‘there’s an app for that.’

This is the age of the app, and in this age consumers value comfort, ease of access, and simplicity in their applications. As we push forward, there will be many questions for how this model will affect traditional developments methods, including HTML5.

Who better to consult than someone who is on the frontlines of mobile application development? We took a moment to hear what Ry Walker, Co-Founder at Astronomer, had to say. And while there is no roadmap to the future—and HTML5 will most likely have a place in it, albeit a very different role—it would seem that the age of mobility, and the app store, is just getting started.  

For you, what has changed in your mobile software development in the last year?

The rise of alternative tools to pure native development: for example Meteor and React Native .

Which is changing faster, the power of the phones or the framework of the phone's software?

Wow, that’s a tough question. On one hand, the phones aren’t changing a lot, but how comfortable people are becoming using them would tip the balance to the phones for me, I’d say. I remember when I was the only one to pull out my phone to Google (News – Alert) things during dinner, now it’s a race, everyone does it!  I can’t credit the frameworks for that!

We have lots of HTML5 games being made, but the app store still dominates. Will this always be the way?

App stores solve huge problems (marketing, payment processing) at a reasonable price. I think the domination will continue.

For Enterprise developers taking advantage of mobility, what are downsides of app vs. browser distribution?

Obviously, waiting on Apple (News – Alert) is a bit of a pain, but it’s really become somewhat predictable and less painful (perhaps only due to familiarity). Native integration is valuable from a usability standpoint — we’re a fan of blending it with Cordova.

What are you looking forward to/hoping to learn at the upcoming DevCon5 conference in New York?

This will be my first trip to NY. I am looking forward to discovering the city and meeting great people, expanding my personal network.

Engage with industry leaders about this topic, and many other trending developments in the software development world, at the upcoming DevCon5: The HTML5 & Mobile App Developer Conference.