Audio for the Mobile Web

By Janine Warner, David LaFontaine, and Lee Andron from iPhone and iPad Web Design For Dummies

Getting sound to come out of an iPhone or iPad seems like a no-brainer, right? After all, they were designed to play sounds and even sync with users’ iTunes audio libraries.

If you haven’t already added audio content to the mix on your website, take a look at some possible innovative uses for audio that mobile users might want to have at their fingertips — for convenience, to pass the time productively, to better answer a question, or to solve a crisis situation while they’re away from the home or office, for example:

Nature: Include examples of birdcalls or wild animal noises to help birdwatchers identify birds (or grouchy mama bears) by sound while in the field.
Travel: A bed and breakfast might provide audio directions for motorists who are driving, who can’t (and shouldn’t) take their eyes off winding country roads to continually check the small print on a mobile screen.
Religious: Members of a congregation can hear the latest sermon, hymns, or meditation.
Health: Demonstrate exactly what a dangerous whooping cough sounds like as opposed to one resulting from the common flu.
Music: Short teaser clips of musical works can incentivize fans to download higher-quality versions.
Health and fitness: A personal trainer talks users through a special workout program that they can follow at the gym.