If you doubted the importance of responsive/adaptive mobile friendly websites...

[Fatbat]

Google Webmaster Tools is now sending automated messages out alerting site owners if their sites aren't mobile friendly and warning that they will be ranked accordingly to mobile users. Given that mobile accounts for about 50% of web use now, not optimizing your sites will certainly result in a dramatic drop in search related traffic.

Fix mobile usability issues found on xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.com
To: webmaster of xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.com
Google systems have tested 63 pages from your site and found that 100% of them have critical mobile usability errors. The errors on these 63 pages severely affect how mobile users are able to experience your website. These pages will not be seen as mobile-friendly by Google Search, and will therefore be displayed and ranked appropriately for smartphone users.

Best be getting with the times folks.

 

[blank_czech]

Question: How many of you regularly browse the mobile version of websites on your phone?

I rarely use my phones browser. It's usually if there isn't a mobile app of the site that I want to use. Instead of using Wickedfire, I use that forum app. Instead of using Reddit, I use one of the Reddit readers. It's a similar deal for the weather, and many of the other things I can simply open a tab for on my desktop. For me, entering in URLs on my phone can be a bit of a pain. Websites often load slower than the apps, or won't load with a shitty connection, whereas an app seems to work fine.

 

[acidie]

Question: How many of you regularly browse the mobile version of websites on your phone?

All the time and that applies to everyone I know too.

 

[boatBurner]

Web apps designed to behave like a native app on mobile devices are the new normal as of last year. As web tech keeps getting cooler, it's going to make less and less sense to have two versions of your web app developed.

Question: How many of you regularly browse the mobile version of websites on your phone?

Mobile browser > native apps for me in most cases, unless the native app is significantly better in some way.

 

[scum bag]

damn

good thing only 6% of my traffic is on mobile

 

[AngryFiver]

Question: How many of you regularly browse the mobile version of websites on your phone?

I rarely use my phones browser. It's usually if there isn't a mobile app of the site that I want to use. Instead of using Wickedfire, I use that forum app. Instead of using Reddit, I use one of the Reddit readers. It's a similar deal for the weather, and many of the other things I can simply open a tab for on my desktop. For me, entering in URLs on my phone can be a bit of a pain. Websites often load slower than the apps, or won't load with a shitty connection, whereas an app seems to work fine.

I don't use my smartphone's browser either. I hate having to read small print on a small screen.

 

[RalphySeo]

I only use and optimize for Lynx.

 

[Kelowna]

Ya we have had to hire 2 designers to get working on making our spam look good on phones, this is causing a shitload of work over here, check your site here...

https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/

 

[pocketrockets]

All the time and that applies to everyone I know too.

This!

I rarely use the app version vs just reading the mobile version.

 

[pocketrockets]

Here is a platform comparison from StatCounter for the last 3-months for North America. Obviously, this is going to vary depending on the industry niche and demo but it gives a good overall idea of what is going on.

And here are the top 9 browsers in North America for the last 3 months-

 

[Fatbat]

Question: How many of you regularly browse the mobile version of websites on your phone?

Just to clarify, you understand that there should just be one version of your website, that happens to function on all devices? There shouldn't be two versions, one for mobile and one for desktop.

 

[blank_czech]

It looks like I am going to start doing my non-essential browsing on my phone for a few weeks. I had no idea people were browsing on their phones so much.

 

[pocketrockets]

Also, if you are using Wordpress but want to keep your current theme and desktop version but also provide a mobile friendly version, you can install the WPtouch plugin-

https://wordpress.org/plugins/wptouch/

Google even recommends it on their developer page. Super simple.

 

[boatBurner]

First Impressions using React Native

 

[acidie]

Welcome to the future gents. Take a seat at the table or press your nose up against the window. The choice is yours.

 

[(O_o)]

Anyone using a font size less than 14px is srsly fucking up a mobile users experience.

 

[blank_czech]

 

[Flash4Ever]

Anyone using a font size less than 14px is srsly fucking up a mobile users experience.

It's not a problem if you embrace responsive design.
Forget px and use em, forget fixed layouts and adopt fluid ones.
CSS media queries are not hard to use:

@media screen and (max-width: 768px) { YOUR  MOBILE STYLES }

 

[Fatbat]

Try Walmart

They're main site is responsive down to tablet type resolution, and they should have device detection in place that directs mobile users to the above URL. If it didn't work for you when you typed in their regular domain then they fucked it up, or just don't get it. The whole point above was to not use a mobile. subdomain, but lots do it despite the fact it's not a best practice. Nevertheless, it's still better than nothing.

 

[pocketrockets]

On the iPhone, I'm automatically directed to their mobile version. And on the very bottom of the screen there is a link to the "full version" of the website.