Following the release of the second beta version of iOS 17.4, it emerged that Apple had restricted the functionality of iOS web apps in the EU. Web apps could no longer launch from the Home Screen in their own top-level window that takes up the entire screen, relegating them to a simple shortcut with an option to open within Safari instead.
The move was heavily criticized by groups like Open Web Advocacy, which started a petition in an effort to persuade Apple to reverse the change, and it even caught the attention of the European Commission. Now, Apple has backtracked and says that Home Screen web apps that use WebKit in the EU will continue to function as expected upon the release of iOS 17.4.
Ability to add any app repositories would be much better.
Not better, but also good.
They wouldn’t be better than web apps in and of themselves, but having two options to reach users instead of one is better for the ecosystem, users, and devs overall.
It would be good, but not better. Why do people like apps so much? I hate them… Like, there is so much browsers can do these days, there is no point in having to install so much crap on our phones…
Why would I have to download an app that has so many permissions, syphon my data, run in the background and drain my battery, when 90% of the stuff can stay in the browser?
The only few advantages I can think off that an app can bring are the following:
Most use cases don’t require either of these.
I’m using Voyager browse and interact with Lemmy. It looks more or less exactly like Apollo and it’s a webapp. There’s a few small things that’s not exactly as a native app, like double tapping the top of a scrolling window to scroll to top, but it’s really minor. I bet most people wouldn’t know it was a webapp if they weren’t told.
It even works with the sharing intent so I can share to native apps. Pretty awesome.
Nah, they should keep that stuff on Android. I like that I only have one app store. I used custom roms, weird alternative app stores and all that stuff for years on Android, but I like that iOS is built on a different philosophy.
Also, I just realized today that if EU forces Apple to open iOS to more stores, shouldn’t they force MS and Sony to do the same for Xbox and Playstation?
What difference does it make to you if other iPhone users are given the option? You don’t have to use anything but the App store, just like how you don’t have to use anything but the Play Store on Android if you don’t want to.
Why would it be bad to have alternatives? Stick to the built-in store if you want to, but let others have the freedom to choose.
Any company locking people to their own platform should be forced to allow alternatives.