View source for Next up: A proper mobile Hattrick

{{editorial
| datetime = 2014-09-26 09:28:00
| author = HT-Johan
| text =<br>'''It's time again to review and reveal our roadmap for Hattrick. As we have now had a few major releases, such as the new Staff system and the new Cup system, that deal with game's functionality, we have now decided to once and for all solve the issue of mobile access to Hattrick. Our main project for the autumn will be a new mobile web for Hattrick, as well as apps for platforms such as iOS and Android. All free of course.
'''

Over the last few years it has become increasingly clear that the mobile web is becoming very important and that we are fast approaching a time when more people will access the Internet from phones and tablets rather than from desktop computers. We know this from our own personal experience, of course, but we can also see it clearly on the Hattrick site statistics: mobile traffic keeps increasing, overall desktop traffic keeps going down. And while our existing website works pretty well in a smartphone browser, it is very far from being designed with mobile in mind. That is something we want to change in the coming months.

First of all, we are not changing the existing website at all, we are building a new site (which replaces the current m.hattrick.org) which will be just another way to access the same game. But this site will be optimised for small screens and touch interface, and it will also be translated into proper downloadable apps for all the major smartphone platforms. We always wanted Hattrick to be a game that was easy to access and play when you had a spare minute, and today that means we have to our own apps.

You won't get all the functionality of the main website in the mobile interface, at least not in the first version. We already know the forums, National Teams and some other more community related stuff will be left out for starters. But it will have more functionality than the existing Hattrick app, and everything you need to actually manage your team will be there.

So why now, and what does this mean for existing mobile apps such as Hattrick's own for iOS and Android, or the various CHPP apps?

Well, the reason we are doing it now is that it is more needed than ever, and we can only conclude that the mobile user experience is simply not good enough in Hattrick today. We need to start over with a new design that has only mobile in mind. Hattrick's own apps for iOS and Android will be discontinued and replaced with the new apps, of course. We will start with iOS and Android, but other platforms may follow. And as for CHPP, we will continue to support and encourage our third party developers to do speciality apps for both mobile and desktop.

So when can you expect to see more of this new Hattrick Mobile? We plan to launch at the end of November.

For the past month, we have been heavy at work with programming the basic functionality for the new platform. In October, we are starting to implement the new design, and in early November testing will start. So far, things are proceeding according to plan, but of course we don't want to give any certain dates yet. It is our our humble expectation, however, that you will be able to sit through a nice family holiday meal at the end of December, exercising total control of your Hattrick team from your smartphone, without needing to leave the table between main course and dessert. Just as it should be!

Stay tuned.

HT-team}}