We first spotted signs of Apple blocking web apps in iOS 17.4 within Europe, a move which was later confirmed and explained by the company.
But while Apple argues that it made the move in order to comply with antitrust legislation, it may instead lead to the company facing a fresh antitrust investigation …
A brief history of web apps on the iPhone
When the iPhone first launched back in 2007, what were known as progressive web apps were the only way for a third-party developer to launch an app. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs extolled their virtues at the time:
The full Safari engine is inside of iPhone. And so, you can write amazing Web 2.0 and Ajax apps that look exactly and behave exactly like apps on the iPhone. And these apps can integrate perfectly with iPhone services. They can make a call, they can send an email, they can look up a location on Google Maps.
And guess what? There’s no SDK that you need! You’ve got everything you need if you know how to write apps using the most modern web standards to write amazing apps for the iPhone today. So developers, we think we’ve got a very sweet story for you. You can begin building your iPhone apps today.
That, of course, quickly changed, after Steve was persuaded that native apps would deliver a far better experience.
All the same, web apps were the company’s first line of defence when it came to complaints about the App Store having monopoly control over iPhone apps.
Web browsers are used not only as a distribution portal, but also as platforms themselves, hosting “progressive web applications” (PWAs) that eliminate the need to download a developer’s app through the App Store (or other means) at all.
Apple blocking web apps in Europe
Apple subsequently blocked web apps from being used within Europe, and said that this was to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
Top comment by Ken
Similar to Amazon. Allow companies in it's digital storefront. Keeps data like returns & problems about product to itself. Then produces competing produce refined with that data. Beats the competition. Pure control means you win every time. It would be funny if devs start leaving the platform.
One element of this said that Apple was no longer allowed to insist that competing browsers use WebKit (which stopped them being any faster or more capable than Safari). Apple said its reading of this was that it had to also block web apps, as those use WebKit by default.
Now faces antitrust investigation for this
Not everyone was convinced about Apple’s motives, believing the company instead wanted to do everything possible to punish the European Union for the DMA. The Financial Times reports that the company is now facing an investigation over this move.
The EU has taken the first steps towards a formal investigation into Apple, over a decision to cut off access to some applications that bypass its app store as Brussels steps up scrutiny over the iPhone-maker’s business.
The bloc’s competition regulators sent questions to developers last week seeking to determine the impact of Apple’s decision to disable so-called “progressive web apps” in the EU, in a move seen as a precursor towards an in-depth probe […]
Apple declined to comment but pointed to an earlier statement that said: “We expect this change to affect a small number of users. Still, we regret any impact this change – that was made as part of the work to comply with the DMAmay have on developers of Home Screen web apps and our users.”
Apple’s overall response to the DMA seems destined to end up in court.
Photo: Felix Wong/CC4.0
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