Mobile Apps: can I get a straightforward answer?

I know there has been lots of past talk about all the big upgrade things going on in the BoonEx world, including some talk a while back about the native mobile apps getting an upgrade/overhaul as part of 7.2.  Despite asking, along with others, I have yet to see a definitive statement about what is actually happeneing with the mobile app upgrade at this time.

I fairly recently launched my site and its beyond time to get my mobile apps coded and launched, but I've purposely been holding off as some of the upgrades in functionality have been rumored to be part of 7.2.  Obviously, if the upgrades are part of the new base package I would prefer that for several reasons.  If not, I'll pay for the coding work and worry about upgrade issues down the road, 

It would be really great if I/we could get a detailed answer about where things currently stand, and are planned for the future, with the mobile apps.  If the answer is "nothing at this time", thats even batter than not knowing.

Thx in advance for the real answer...

Test the app by downloading on ur cell. Add ur site in the app. You will get the answer. 

 I know what it currently does (and doesn't do).  I'm taking about imminent and/or planned future upgrades.

It may take time for boonex to update it because they are focusing now on stabilizing 7.2 and update boonex site, how ever if you cant wait just check this link Re brand or Cusotm Mobile apps either html5 Hybrid or improved default.

Please add me to the list of people interested in knowing where we stand and a rough time table.  I paid $400 for a premium membership with a mobile license some time back that I simply ended up having no use for once I see the source code for the apps.  I am not looking to down talk them because I couldn't do any better.  I don't have the knowledge.  I paid all that money just to find out I had to pay that same kind of money again to an app developer to the code and make it something worth while.  I literally handed over that much cash and have been sitting still waiting on a return.  The only difference is the "Powered by" message isn't going to show on my site for having a license.  I suppose I have a couple more perks now that 7.2 is out but I am hungry for a good app solution.  I've had the realization now that no matter what update comes out that I am still going to be in for another sum of money for someone to develop them or brand them rather.  I have a lot of people complaining about my site not being responsive.  7.2 and a responsive template will fix that soon enough.  What kind of feature rich value can be added by an application since the platform is now responsive?  I can already upload photos, videos, etc.  If I am a site user then I have to ask myself what is going to provoke me to download the app?  Thanks.

 Its more than just that.  I understand that I paid for the base program, just like Dolphin, and will pay more for additional mods & customizations, just like dolphin.

here is the crux of my question.  upgrades to the base mobile app have been mentioned over the past few months as being a major part of 7.2.  to date, this thread included, I can find nowhere any detail of if they occurred, and if they did what exactly was upgraded.

bluntly, I do not want to pay for some of the modifications I feel are necessary if they are going to be addressed by boonex either now or at some point in the foreseeable future.  I've spent plenty of $$ and will continue to do so, but throwing away money to custom code something that is already being worked on is just stupid.  Further, we all know that custom code can be problematic for future updates so if anything I want is actively on the boonex drawing board, I'd really like to know sooner than later.  it is a question for the future (time & $$) as much as it is for the now.

that's why I would really like someone in the know to answer.  Even if the answer is "we are doing nothing", its better than not communicating the truth.

I thank Andrew (or someone else that truly knows) in advance for a real and thorough answer.

Sorry for the long delay with reply. We have been focusing on 7.2 during the last 6 months, especially trying to make it responsive and as mobile-friendly as possible. And it will take a little bit more time to stabilise it. 

The "mobile-friendly" part is what was so important in terms of our further strategy with mobile apps development, and we absolutely have to get the site platform right first.  I'll explain why...

Web-masters want all sorts of functionality in the native apps - timeline, groups, events, chat, etc. Then, once you've done some modifications on your site, the changes may need to be reflected in the app itself. And the more you bridge the gap, the more end-users come to expect the apps to do everything the site does.

So, there may be 3 options here:

- make a super-complex app that is as configurable as the site.

- make a specialised app that does only 1 or two core things - like Chat or PhotoSharing. 

- make a 100% mobile-friendly site platform, and basically "wrap" it as an app using a js/css/html app-building framework like Cordova.

Long story short, we are favouring the latter approach, and therefore all the work we're actively doing for 7.2 effectively is the process of the mobile apps development. So, yes, we are getting closer to a significant update.

I agree with the latter. Make it 100% mobile-friendly. No app to install no updates needed. Use cordova with js/css/html but allow a shortcut to be created on user mobile screen. Will give appearance of true app capabilities without the hassle of install or updating. This will allow website to control mobile experience and social network owners to only modify and apply changes in one central location that reflects whether mobile or desktop.

Exactly right!

I appreciate your response Andrew.  As for the Cordova path I can see how that is the most effective to have full functionality. However unless I have misunderstood something then that option simply wraps the mobile site into an app rather than a browser.  Unless it does something different I am not relating to why I would even need the app and what value it would have being exactly the same as the site.  It's of course obvious that before it was the answer to thr platform not being responsive.

Paying so much money in the past just leaves me wanting a return on my investment with some added value.  Why would my members download the app instead of just visiting the site in their browser?  I don't know what that answer is but since 7.2 is responsive the apps have lost their monetary value unless they bring something to the table.  For me years ago I had already paid to remove branding.  Now with the additional $400 to have an app license I don't have and perhaps still won't have value for them again since it will essentialy be the site wrapped in an app skin.  I hope you can relate with the concerns I am attempting to portray.

 So with cordova you are making dolphin.pro available to only iOS & android or you will enhance the scope by making it available on Blackberry, Windows Phone, Palm WebOS, Bada, and Symbian??

 Andrew,

Thanks for taking the time to reply.  It really is appreciated, as is all the rest of what you have going on.

Your response is most helpful.  I guess its safe to assume that no real upgrades to the native apps will be taking place anytime soon so I will walk with you down path #3, while creating my own path #1.5

It maybe one one slight update will be made in the current mobile apps if some critical issues will be found especially with release of iOS 9. But it shouldn't be dramatic changes and I believe that they could be merged if you made some changes in the current version.