The push for mobile-first makes good sense, but the mobile landscape is fraught with difficulties, as highlighted by Semil Shah in TechCrunch.
Mobile has low barriers to entry, particularly in apps, and a proliferation of aspiring players in most every mobile category. Reaching scale in mobile is elusive, and many startups might wind up as profitable ongoing ventures, without a huge exit, disappointing investors.
As Shah points out, citing VC Andy Weissman: investors in mobile services and apps may “wait and see” which services are scaling best.
You can read Shah’s full piece here, also crediting Albert Wenger from Union Square Ventures.