Tablets apps must be personal, expert says

Application developers for tablet computers must respect the personal nature of the form factor and design software accordingly in order to gain an audience, according to mobile technology writer James Kendrick.

Writing for technology publication ZDNet, Kendrick says the fact that tablets are held in hand rather than placed on a table makes them more personal than traditional PCs. Therefore, it is important that apps be designed in a way that adheres to this natural posture.

One of the most important considerations when designing a tablet app, Kendrick says, is screen orientation. Apps must be adaptable to the user's preference. This means that designing an app that only operates in landscape may be frustrating to some users, or it may indicate, as Kendrick writes, that the developer is not skilled enough to "figure out how to gracefully make the app display rotate."

"The personal experience is what attracts people to the tablet form, and nothing is as jarring as the tablet app that forces the user to hold the tablet in a way that is not natural," Kendrick writes.

According to a study by Flurry Analytics, smartphone and tablet users spend 94 minutes per day using applications. In contrast, they spend 72 minutes on the mobile web. As app usage continues to grow, developers may be wise to place a greater focus on the user experience.