With 61.9% of mobile users and 65.1 % of mobile orders on ecommerce sites coming from iOS, the share of mobile traffic eligible to take advantage of a wide range of Progressive Web Apps (PWA) features more than double with the recent launch of Apple’s iOS 11.3.
That is according to the 2018 Q1 Mobile Commerce Insights Report from Mobify, which suggests that the latest version of Safari on iOS supports service workers, a key technology that is one of the foundations of a PWA, now widely recognized as the best way to create fast, seamless mobile web experiences.
PWA features enabled by iOS 11.03 include faster subsequent page loads due to enhanced caching capabilities; full-screen, immersive launch from home screen experience; support for Payment Request API for Apple Pay; and the ability to browse while offline.
Such PWA features enable retailers to drive more engagement and revenue from the iOS audience through app-like experiences previously limited to downloaded native apps. Mobify, the #1 provider of Progressive Web Apps for ecommerce worldwide, helps innovative retailers such as Lilly Pulitzer and Lancôme achieve mobile revenue increases of 33% and 36% respectively with PWAs built on the Mobify Platform. With most users and orders on iOS today, retailers can now provide the high-converting PWA experience to this larger audience.
“Well-crafted PWAs have always worked across iOS and Android, but with the latest Apple Safari release now supporting service workers, iOS users will gain an even better shopping experience,” says Mobify CEO Igor Faletski.
A Progressive Web App provides a more frictionless experience for mobile shoppers looking to search, buy, and checkout quickly. Service workers are a core PWA technology that provide greater control over caching, which enables fast subsequent page loads. According to the Mobile Commerce Insights Report, the mean subsequent page load speed increase for an iOS PWA without service workers is 4.8x, while with service workers it is predicted to be 15.6x.
With support for launches from the homescreen, PWAs give retailers an icon-based launching pad that typically generates six times more revenue per user, twice as many sessions per users, and twice as many pageviews per session, according to the Mobify report.
Also included in iOS 11.3 is support for the Payment Request API for Apple Pay. A vendor-agnostic standard that allows retailers to implement Apple Pay on iOS, the approach eliminates checkout forms by using a single API call to transfer payment information between the retailer and the end user.
This reduces friction and errors in the checkout process, a factor Mobify’s early analysis shows can cut checkout abandonment rates in half and result in a 40% faster time to checkout.
“Savvy retailers and brands have recognized that mobile is an essential part of the overall shopping experience,” says Faletski. “With iOS now more fully onboard the PWA train, there’s no better time to offer shoppers a customer-first experience through a Progressive Web App.”
