Those kind of patterns sound like they are business-motivated and not form over function. Look at sites like Facebook or Reddit that are perfectly suited to mobile web but aggressively push users to apps. Apps make for a walled-in experience and more engagement. And they let companies push more and more features you didn't ask for.
Yeah, it's hard to imagine why it would make business sense not to push app installs as hard as possible. Take a look at logcat once in a while and notice how often apps you haven't used in weeks are still phoning home sending who-knows-what, not to mention occasional attempts at "re-engagement" from push notifications and much more.
It's no good for consumers, but I don't think many investors would be happy to hear that a company is just leaving those data and opportunities on the table.
Facebook wants you to use the app so that they can deliver an all encompassing ecosystem. It’s a gateway to more functionality ina controlled environment.
Reddit just wants you see ads. The percentage of Reddit users that block ads must be astronomical.
That and there isn't really a universal adblocker for mobile yet, so there is no way to get around them shoving poorly targeted ads in your face relentlessly.
