Mobile FAQ

Making Your Mobile Web App

How do I get started making a mobile web app?: You can begin making a mobile app by going to the Make an App page. You can preview the Mobile App Builder and its entire feature set to create a customized mobile web app.
Do I need to sign up for a plan to begin distributing my app?: After previewing the Mobile Web App Builder you will need to sign up for a mobile subscription plan to save your mobile web app and begin distributing it. We offer a variety of subscription plans to meet your business needs and budget. You can find more information on our mobile subscription plans on our Pricing page.
Can I trial a mobile subscription plan before committing to a full subscription?: Yes! All of our mobile subscription plans come with a free 14-day trial. During that time you will have access to all the benefits of your chosen mobile plan.

Which devices are compatible with my Widgetbox mobile web app?: At this time Widgetbox mobile web apps are compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and Android 2.0+ devices.
What about Blackberry compatibility?: Currently most BlackBerry devices are powered by a different browsing technology than iPhone and Android devices. In an effort to offer our customers the most dynamic app experience, we’ve chosen to build our mobile web apps with HTML5—a cutting edge technology supported on iPhone and Android devices. BlackBerry has announced support for HTML5 on newer device models. As BlackBerry moves to support this technology on future devices, we look forward to testing compatibility.
What happens if someone accesses my mobile web app on a non-compatible device?: If someone accesses your app on a non-compatible device, there is a good chance your app will still load, but it may load slower and some elements may be missing. If you have installed the redirect script to your website, it will only redirect for viewers it detects are on supported devices. Learn more about the redirect script.

What about Flash-based content such as YouTube Videos?: Flash is not supported by iPhone devices. However, you can still include traditional Flash content such as videos in your app because the Widgetbox Mobile Web App Builder optimizes your content to make it easy for iPhone devices to open and play your videos using a code other than Flash.
If I add new content to my website, will I also have to update my mobile web app?: Changes to your feed-based content such as blogs and Facebook updates, will dynamically update to your app anytime you make changes or add new content. For any changes to static content such as Google Maps, contact information, the about section, etc. you can easily update your content by editing your app on Widgetbox.
How fast will my mobile web app reflect changes to my content?: Widgetbox will reflect any content updates to your app within 15 minutes of you making the change. The 15 minute wait time allows us to save a version of your content to show in the event a feed is temporarily unavailable (see below).

If people type in my desktop URL when they are on their mobile device, how do I automatically direct them to my mobile web app instead?: After building your app, Widgetbox will generate for you a redirect script. Simply take this redirect script and place it into your website. This redirect code will detect if someone is accessing your site from a supported mobile device, and if so, will instead direct them to the mobile-optimized web app you’ve created. Learn more about the redirect script and installation.
What about QR Codes?: Quick response (QR) codes are barcodes that allow users to quickly bring up information on their mobile devices simply by taking a capture of the code with their phone’s camera. To help make it even easier to distribute your mobile web app, Widgetbox automatically will generate a unique QR code for your app.

Can Widgetbox help me design my mobile web app or include customized features?: The Mobile Web App Builder is designed to be a self-service tool that easily allows you to build your own professional-looking app. If you do require customized features or design assistance consider a custom pricing plan that includes customized technical and design support. Learn more about our different pricing options.
What happens if I encounter a problem with my site?: If you encounter any sort of technical difficulty with your app, we’re here to help. Contact our support team and we’ll get started with resolving your issue.

Is the mobile web app product different than the mobile site product you previously offered?: Yes, Widgetbox mobile web apps are a different product than mobile sites. Our mobile web app product is built on a different technology than the mobile site product and includes new features and functionality that were not available in mobile sites.
I created mobile sites before the launch of the Mobile Web App Builder. What happens to my mobile sites?: If you have already created a mobile site, you will still have access to that mobile site. You will also have the option to convert the content in your mobile site to a mobile web app to take advantage of new features.
Can I still make a mobile site?: Publisher Pro and Business Pro subscribers who previously had access to create Pro mobile sites still have the option to create new mobile sites. Mobile web apps include all the features that were available in mobile sites, as well as an upgraded feature set. New mobile web apps deliver a more complete mobile experience over mobile sites and offers an expanded set of features.