Yep, Apple’s breaking iPhone web apps in the EU
www.theverge.com
Apple says web apps from third-party browsers are a security risk.

Apple is officially dropping iPhone support for web apps in the EU - The Verge::Apple will no longer support web apps in the European Union in iOS 17.4. The company says building the feature would be “impractical” on top of the other changes it’s been asked to make.

  • JackGreenEarth@lemm.eeEnglish
    43·
    9 months ago

    They can’t have a good excuse, as Android supports both Web apps and alternate browser engines. So it’s clearly just revenge at the EU.

  • Fubarberry@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    23·
    9 months ago

    So basically this is just apple getting stuck over their insistence to not allow additional web browsers on their iOS devices (if you install chrome/etc it’s just a skin over the safari web engine).

  • FrostyCaveman@lemm.eeEnglish
    19·
    9 months ago

    So fucking annoying to see support for PWAs diminish. We can’t fucking have nice things.

    Yes, I am mad.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldBEnglish
    6·
    9 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:

    Apple is officially axing support for progressive web apps for iPhone users located in the European Union.

    While web apps have been broken for EU users in every iOS 17.4 beta so far, Apple has now confirmed that this is a feature, not a bug.

    In an update to its developer website spotted by 9to5Mac, Apple says it’s removing homescreen apps for users in the EU because bringing them into compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) would involve “an entirely new integration architecture” that’s “not practical” to build on top of the other changes it’s been forced to make.

    In its post, Apple argues that web apps are built “directly on WebKit” — the engine used by Safari — allowing web apps to “align with the security and privacy model for native apps on iOS.” With the change to iOS 17.4, websites added to the homescreen now act only as bookmarks that open a new tab in your browser, rather than (potentially) standalone services capable of doing things like sending notifications and showing badges, a feature Apple just added to web apps last year.

    Progressive web apps on iOS are also capable of storing data separately from your browser instance, which comes in handy if there’s a site you want quick access to and don’t want to keep signing in.

    “Still, we regret any impact this change — that was made as part of the work to comply with the DMA — may have on developers of Home Screen web apps and our users.” Apple cites “very low user adoption” of homescreen apps as another reason for the lack of support.

    The original article contains 399 words, the summary contains 272 words. Saved 32%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

  • Rob@lemdro.idEnglish
    14·
    9 months ago

    Wait, if they allow 3rd party browser engines in the eu anyway? I got to ask,

    What. Is. the Benefit. of. dropping. web. apps. for. Apple? In theory it shouldn’t hurt them at all. Web apps, on Chromebooks tend to use less battery life… ohh. They would rather use apps to run down you Iphone batteries life faster.

    I suspect this will also be rolled out in other countries?

    • mryessir@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
      3·
      9 months ago

      I doubt that web apps use less power then native apps. Especially because native apps can be entirely compiled to the architecture. It always depend on the software in question.

      By dropping pwa they most likely prohibit an api to use any os interface at all. PWA additionally circumvent their store. And therefore steering developers back to their known ecosystem - which requires apple hardware to develop on. Additionally it may “preserve” the dedicated knowledge to develop against their os.

      • Rob@lemdro.idEnglish
        21·
        9 months ago

        I should had elaborated. When I close, say a web app for the Facebook website on my Chromebook, it’s closed. When you close the native Facebook app, it lurks and runs in the background.

        The webapps themselves aren’t necessarily less power consuming by themselves.

        Would PWA really circumvent their app store if it’s really just a site you could access on Safari anyways just made easier to use for a modern user base use to apps? It’s almost like bookmarking in a browser. Apple should totally target bookmarks in Safari next, because what if someone bookmarks the Epic Games store in the u.s or any other unapproved country. What if someone uses Safari bookmarks as their alternative to Apple apps entirely? Can’t have that on Iphone since something might not be approved by Apple.