The tablet market is expected to grow to nearly 500 million by 2015 according to Business Insider, that’s only 6 years after the first tablet launched.
Apple’s iPad accounts for 68% of market (in sales) according to International Data Corp. A quote from Tim Cook, Apple CEO says it all: ”iPad has 68% market share, but makes up 91% of tablet Web traffic. I don’t know what these other tablets are doing!” Other players include Google Nexus and Kindle Fire. Even Hyundai has a tablet now! Apple is rumored to be building a 7.85-inch iPad to add to its collection of 9.7″ iPads. Google’s Nexus has a 7″ tablet as does the Kindle Fire. So it seems that screens are getting both bigger (TV’s/Monitors) and smaller (phones/tablets) at the same time.
So how do you keep up with all the sizing? It certainly dosen’t make sense to develop many different site versions. User experience (UX) is the underlying goal. While a mobile site is often a good choice (especially when designed to show ‘on the go’ information), it is not a catch all. Since there are no set sizes for tablets or mobile devices, it can be difficult to design for a tablet or mobile device only. Responsive design allows your website to adapt regardless of whether the user is viewing on their iPhone, Kindle Fire, laptop or desktop, etc. It bridges the gap between desktop and mobile, and ensures a positive user experience across the board. Some good examples of responsive websites include us, the Boston Globe and Smashing Magazine. Take a look across your devices and consider whether a responsive design is right for your website!
Cheers! -Dana