Apple cripples Progressive Web Apps (PWA) for EU users

[Tim Curtis]

Hi,

Just a a heads up.

moOde is a PWA (Web App) and Apple has apparently intentionally crippled Web Apps for users in the EU in their latest IOS update. I'l leave the googling and research into this fiasco up to the reader.

From my perspective Apple who touts itself as a company dedicated to making users lives better just royally screwed over the segment of their users that depend on Web Apps.

Not good.

-Tim

[the_bertrum]

If I've read the articles correctly, this means that putting moOde as a "home screen" app won't work on Apple devices anymore?

[Tim Curtis]

Correct, according to what I read, Web Apps can still "Add to Home Screen" but they will now open in full Safari with Browser bars and the rest of the ugliness instead of opening and looking like a proper app as they always did.

I think the way Apple is screwing their Web App users in EU is just appalling.

[Nutul]

I think the way Apple is screwing their Web App users in EU is just appalling.

I have the update pending, so I'll tell you what's going on once it installs, as I'll probably force it tonight.

But why, WHY only us Europeans?!?

[TheOldPresbyope]

I think the way Apple is screwing their Web App users in EU is just appalling.

I have the update pending, so I'll tell you what's going on once it installs, as I'll probably force it tonight.

But why, WHY only us Europeans?!?

See, for example, https://9to5mac.com/2024/02/15/ios-17-4-...ean-union/

Apple is blaming the Digital Market Act.

Regards,
Kent

[steve4star]

I think the way Apple is screwing their Web App users in EU is just appalling.

I have the update pending, so I'll tell you what's going on once it installs, as I'll probably force it tonight.

But why, WHY only us Europeans?!?

I am on beta 17.4, and moode runs from my Home Screen ok. 
However I am using Duck Duck Go as my default browser instead of Safari ?

See, for example, https://9to5mac.com/2024/02/15/ios-17-4-...ean-union/

Apple is blaming the Digital Market Act.

Regards,
Kent

[Tim Curtis]

I think the way Apple is screwing their Web App users in EU is just appalling.

I have the update pending, so I'll tell you what's going on once it installs, as I'll probably force it tonight.

But why, WHY only us Europeans?!?

See, for example, https://9to5mac.com/2024/02/15/ios-17-4-...ean-union/

Apple is blaming the Digital Market Act.

Regards,
Kent

Just more BS from Apple. They also claimed that it was "too difficult" to code IOS Web App support for Browsers other than Safari. Thats a shocking statement from Trillion dollar Apple who employs some of the best, most talented  software engineers in the world and who invented IOS.

What I see from whats been published about this mess is a giant, global monopoly retaliating against EU regulators forcing competition on them, but in this case their actions are only hurting their own users in the EU.

[the_bertrum]

I've had a somewhat cynical attitude to Apple's approach to "user friendliness" for years now. The approach always felt to me like "don't worry your pretty little head about how it works, just let us do it how we think is best". Makes for simpler support I suppose.

[Nutul]

See, for example, https://9to5mac.com/2024/02/15/ios-17-4-...ean-union/

Apple is blaming the Digital Market Act.

So, let me understand. You can sandbox any application, but cannot sandbox a third-party browser.
What a load of s***.

P.S.
will this affect also MacOS...? If not, is MacOS less "secure" as any browser can present you a PWA?
(assuming that MacOS already allows third-party "real" browsers, and not just webkit-with-a-dress)

[suzywong]

It will be interesting to see whether the UK gets lumped in with those perfidious Europeans, coz we’re not in the EU any more.

….perhaps Boris got something right after all.