Apple has announced that it will restore the functionality of home screen web apps on iPhones in the European Union (EU), after facing backlash from users and regulators. The company had previously removed the feature in the second iOS 17.4 beta, citing the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) as the reason.
What are web apps and why did Apple remove them?
Web apps, also known as progressive web apps (PWAs), are websites that can be installed on the home screen of a device and act like native apps. They can offer features such as dedicated windows, notifications, and local storage, without requiring users to download them from an app store.
Apple has supported web apps on iOS since 2007, but with some limitations. For example, web apps can only use Apple’s WebKit browser engine, which powers Safari, and not other engines such as Google’s Chromium or Mozilla’s Gecko. This means that web apps may not work as well or offer the same features as they do on other browsers.
The EU’s DMA, which was proposed in 2020 and is expected to come into force in 2024, aims to prevent large tech companies from abusing their market power and stifling competition. One of the provisions of the DMA requires gatekeepers, such as Apple, to allow users to choose their preferred browser and to support alternative browser engines on their platforms.
Apple claimed that this provision would force it to abandon web apps on iOS, as it would not be able to ensure the security and privacy of users if they used web apps from other browser engines. The company said that it would need to build a new integration architecture that does not exist on iOS and was not feasible to implement given the time and resources required.
How did users and regulators react?
Apple’s decision to remove web apps from iOS in the EU was met with criticism and disappointment from users, developers, and advocates of the open web. Many argued that web apps offer a more accessible, affordable, and diverse way of creating and consuming content on the web, and that Apple was using the DMA as an excuse to limit user choice and innovation.
The EU regulators also took notice of Apple’s move and launched a preliminary inquiry into the matter. The European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, reportedly sent questionnaires to developers and other stakeholders to assess the impact of Apple’s web app removal on the market and the users. The Commission also hinted that it could open a formal investigation if it found evidence of anti-competitive behavior by Apple.
What made Apple change its mind?
Apple has not revealed the exact reason behind its reversal, but it has updated its developer support document to say that it will continue to offer the existing web app capability in the EU, after receiving requests from users and developers. The company also said that web apps will continue to be built on WebKit and its security architecture, and align with the security and privacy model for native apps on iOS.
Some speculate that Apple may have reached an agreement with the EU regulators to avoid a potential probe and a hefty fine. Others suggest that Apple may have realized that web apps are not a significant threat to its app store business, and that removing them would only harm its reputation and user satisfaction.
Whatever the case may be, Apple’s announcement is good news for web app fans and developers in the EU, who will be able to enjoy the same web app experience as before when iOS 17.4 arrives early this month.