Here's a response from a couple days ago on /r/buildapc
"Perhaps one day. But think about it this way: Us launching an app means we now have to maintain two different codebases every time we want to add a feature, redo a UI layout, etc. And with the website, if we want to change it we just do it and everyone gets the latest on the next page load. But with an app, now we have to maintain backwards API compatibility for any apps that people have on their phones but haven't updated. Also, when there's a bug in the site UI, I fix it and push it live sometimes in minutes. For apps it can take weeks for fixes to go through the app store approval process. In a nutshell, an app needs to have a very compelling use case that the site doesn't solve in order to justify its considerable extra development cost.
EDIT: We are releasing a responsive layout on PCPartPicker in the next few weeks. We’ve been working on it for over a year. It is bringing feature parity with desktop to mobile users. We chose this over an app a while back because it let us develop once for all platforms."
Let's make a deal - when our responsive layout goes live in a couple weeks, check it out and let me know how it feels on mobile. If you still want an app then and that app can provide functionality that the responsive site cannot (offline access excluded), then message me and let me know what that is. If there's a good use case that our responsive layout can't solve, I'm happy to consider it. Here’s what we have on our roadmap consuming time and resources that I need to weigh when evaluating its importance. (A mobile app isn’t so much as do we or don’t we, but what would get delayed if we did?)
responsive layout (been in works for well over a year, and about to go live any week now. will launch initially with our new cycling site that is in a private beta of sorts right now, going live in a week or two.) office renovation (not getting cancelled, major construction likely to start in a few months. Permitting with the city is just about to happen. While we’re not building it ourselves, we are setting up the new studio in it which will take time. front, soon to be studio) comprehensive benchmarks integrated into part selection (code infrastructure mostly done. Building renovation will be setting aside a portion of space for hardware. Not small - think like 100+ systems running concurrently all day, gathering loads of data with in-house data acquisition hardware. Waiting on the final word from MEP, but I'm 99% sure we're going to need the power company to upgrade the amperage to our building to pull this off.) on the site, a better ability to place what parts go where. Mixing and matching different GPU combinations. Also opens the door to later configuring water cooled systems, or other esoteric configurations. I hope to add the ability to detect situations like when a card will run at a reduced rate like x4 instead of x8, x16, depending on what slot it is in (and then ideally offer recommendations if there's a better configuration). other small but important features that add up, like usb type c front panel support on cases, website dark mode, etc.
WOKE-UP-NEXT-MORNING-FOLLOW-UP-EDIT:
Once our cycling site goes out I'll look into adapting our upcoming responsive layout into a progressive web app. I appreciate all the suggestions and feedback, and app-wise it sounds like this would make the most sense for us. It would let us (eventually) deliver a few additional app-like features while not forcing us to throw away or rewrite what we just spent the last couple years working on. also forgot to add - in the office renovation happening this summer we're setting up a hemi-anechoic room for sound testing various equipment under load (fully built systems, cases, case fans, GPUs, cpu coolers, etc.). We brought in acoustic consultants to help spec it out. It'll be a highly isolated room with a low noise floor. This'll probably be one of the last things renovation-wise we get around to fleshing out. But when it happens, you can expect to have the acoustic profiles of parts we test to start showing up on our product pages.
Shitty_Paint_Artist on April 9th, 2019 at 02:02 UTC »
PCPartPicker has replied in this thread here
Here's a response from a couple days ago on /r/buildapc
"Perhaps one day. But think about it this way: Us launching an app means we now have to maintain two different codebases every time we want to add a feature, redo a UI layout, etc. And with the website, if we want to change it we just do it and everyone gets the latest on the next page load. But with an app, now we have to maintain backwards API compatibility for any apps that people have on their phones but haven't updated. Also, when there's a bug in the site UI, I fix it and push it live sometimes in minutes. For apps it can take weeks for fixes to go through the app store approval process. In a nutshell, an app needs to have a very compelling use case that the site doesn't solve in order to justify its considerable extra development cost.
EDIT: We are releasing a responsive layout on PCPartPicker in the next few weeks. We’ve been working on it for over a year. It is bringing feature parity with desktop to mobile users. We chose this over an app a while back because it let us develop once for all platforms."
ZenDragon on April 9th, 2019 at 02:44 UTC »
Relevant xkcd as always.
pcpartpicker on April 9th, 2019 at 03:00 UTC »
Let's make a deal - when our responsive layout goes live in a couple weeks, check it out and let me know how it feels on mobile. If you still want an app then and that app can provide functionality that the responsive site cannot (offline access excluded), then message me and let me know what that is. If there's a good use case that our responsive layout can't solve, I'm happy to consider it. Here’s what we have on our roadmap consuming time and resources that I need to weigh when evaluating its importance. (A mobile app isn’t so much as do we or don’t we, but what would get delayed if we did?)
responsive layout (been in works for well over a year, and about to go live any week now. will launch initially with our new cycling site that is in a private beta of sorts right now, going live in a week or two.) office renovation (not getting cancelled, major construction likely to start in a few months. Permitting with the city is just about to happen. While we’re not building it ourselves, we are setting up the new studio in it which will take time. front, soon to be studio) comprehensive benchmarks integrated into part selection (code infrastructure mostly done. Building renovation will be setting aside a portion of space for hardware. Not small - think like 100+ systems running concurrently all day, gathering loads of data with in-house data acquisition hardware. Waiting on the final word from MEP, but I'm 99% sure we're going to need the power company to upgrade the amperage to our building to pull this off.) on the site, a better ability to place what parts go where. Mixing and matching different GPU combinations. Also opens the door to later configuring water cooled systems, or other esoteric configurations. I hope to add the ability to detect situations like when a card will run at a reduced rate like x4 instead of x8, x16, depending on what slot it is in (and then ideally offer recommendations if there's a better configuration). other small but important features that add up, like usb type c front panel support on cases, website dark mode, etc.WOKE-UP-NEXT-MORNING-FOLLOW-UP-EDIT:
Once our cycling site goes out I'll look into adapting our upcoming responsive layout into a progressive web app. I appreciate all the suggestions and feedback, and app-wise it sounds like this would make the most sense for us. It would let us (eventually) deliver a few additional app-like features while not forcing us to throw away or rewrite what we just spent the last couple years working on. also forgot to add - in the office renovation happening this summer we're setting up a hemi-anechoic room for sound testing various equipment under load (fully built systems, cases, case fans, GPUs, cpu coolers, etc.). We brought in acoustic consultants to help spec it out. It'll be a highly isolated room with a low noise floor. This'll probably be one of the last things renovation-wise we get around to fleshing out. But when it happens, you can expect to have the acoustic profiles of parts we test to start showing up on our product pages.