Earlier this month, Amazon.com (News 
- Alert) confirmed that it is in the process of testing a redesign for its website, a new look and feel that adds more white space to the typical Amazon layout by reducing the number of buttons and other navigational elements.
Of course, the rumor then was that Amazon was preparing its site for tablets, not an all-too-great coincidence as the online retailer recently released an HTML5 website called the “Amazon Kindle Cloud Reader” that mimics the native Kindle app built for Apple's (News - Alert) iPad.
With the rise in tablet and mobile device adoption, many more websites are going through a metamorphosis to accommodate for a tablet-friendly viewing experience.
In fact, a survey from CEM4Mobile found that most of the wireless device users are still using their mobile browser to access the mobile Internet – and not a specially designed app.
According to the survey, businesses that had both an app and a website found that just 10 percent of users visited them via the app, compared to 90 percent on their mobile browser.
It’s no wonder then that tablet-optimized sites are on the up and up.
According to ZDNet, industry experts are saying there are already many sites that are geared towards various computer devices, from the desktop to tablets and smartphones.
ZDNet says that Michael Yoshikami, CEO and founder of YCMNET Advisors, noted that iPad and Android (News - Alert)-powered tablets are “making a dent” in the PC space in terms of Web traffic, and he expects this to continue.
Despite the new tablet from Amazon and a host of other Android tablets available on the market, mobile Safari continues its reign as the dominant mobile browser according to recent data from Web analytics firm Net Applications. Mobile Safari grabs a respectable 53 percent of mobile browser usage share, while its closest competitor, Opera Mini, grabs only 20.77 percent. Coming in third is the Android browser with 15.73 percent usage share.
Much of the success of mobile Safari can be attributed to the popularity of the iPad. Recent studies show that most people with an iPad use it primarily as a Web browser.
By 2012, it is estimated that 84 million tablets are expected to sell in the US alone. Soon, tablets will be more commonly used than laptops.
Michelle Amodio is a TMCnet contributor. She has helped promote companies and groups in all industries, from technology to banking to professional roller derby. She holds a bachelor's degree in Writing from Endicott College and currently works in marketing, journalism, and public relations as a freelancer.Edited by
Jennifer Russell
