The Lasting Legacy Of Mobilegeddon!

These days, we’re all well used to having our smartphones close to hand but not that long ago, this certainly wasn’t the case and, back in 1992, we just didn’t have the technology we have now - and the first-ever smartphone had only just been invented.

Rewind 25 years to the IBM drawing board and you’ll find the Simon Personal Communicator, the first phone to combine the functionality of a telephone (making calls) with a personal digital assistant, which allowed you to send faxes and emails.

It sounds primitive to us now, perhaps, but at the time this was the height of technology - although the price would have restricted many of us, no doubt, with Simons setting their owners back between $899 and $1,099!

But it is thanks to the humble Simon that we’re blessed with the incredible technology we have today - literally at our fingertips - making all sorts of amazing things possible.

Since 1992, of course, smartphones have gone on to even bigger and better things, and they’re now considered an essential device for 21st century living… and their growing popularity over the years led to one of the biggest shake-ups in search engine history, with Google deciding to launch its big mobile-friendly update in 2015.

Usher in the era of Mobilegeddon! In April of that year, Google posted on its Webmaster Central Blog that the rollout would be a global one, with searchers benefiting from high-quality, readable results - without having to tap or zoom in on the screen. 

Great news for searchers, but an unavoidable obstacle for businesses trying to establish an online presence and get ahead of the competition in results pages… mobile-friendliness would be used as a ranking signal… and those unoptimised sites would likely lag behind.

Although that was back in 2015, the case for mobile optimisation has never been stronger than it is now in 2022. For businesses, smartphones have come to represent a wonderful opportunity for reaching more people than ever before, allowing them to access new markets in record time… and all over the world.

Ofcom figures show that in 2020, UK online retail spend rose by 48 per cent, reaching an estimated £113 billion (compared to an average annual increase of 13 per cent over the previous four years).

The global pandemic may have helped drive digital adoption across the board, but it’s safe to say that the way of working and operating has now changed as a result - most likely for good.

As such, there’s no time like the present to make sure that your website has been fully optimised for mobile and that you’re making the most of the opportunities afforded by the internet and technology.

If you need any help with web development in Hull or further afield, get in touch with Blink today.