Home Screen Advantage

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Apple’s decision to remove full Progressive Web App (PWA) capabilities and home‑screen web apps for EU iOS users is widely seen as a hostile response to the EU’s Digital Markets Act, aimed at protecting App Store control and service revenue. Commenters debate how many people actually use PWAs, but note they are crucial for lightweight, cross‑platform, privacy‑respecting apps and for businesses previously steered by Apple toward web-based solutions. The change reignites broader arguments over platform lock‑in, user freedom to install software, Apple’s privacy and security justifications, and whether EU regulators will force Apple to restore or open equivalent web app APIs to third‑party browsers.

Site usability and browser experience

  • Several commenters find the linked site nearly unreadable on phones or ultrawide monitors due to layout causing horizontal/“zigzag” scrolling; others report it displays fine in their setups.
  • Workarounds mentioned: browser reader modes, dev-tools tweaks, and iOS Safari extensions/readers.
  • Debate over how meaningful iOS Safari “extension support” is, given the inability to run popular blockers like uBlock Origin.

What PWAs are and communication issues

  • Multiple readers had to look up “PWA” (progressive web app); some criticize the article for not expanding the acronym.
  • Distinction emphasized between simple web apps (in a tab) vs installed PWAs with app-like behavior and OS integrations.

Apple’s removal of Home Screen PWAs

  • Many see the change (especially in the EU) as “malicious compliance” with the DMA: removing OS APIs so third‑party engines cannot offer PWAs.
  • Others argue the actual user base for Home Screen PWAs is small and question the real-world harm.
  • Some hope the EU will treat this as violating the spirit of interoperability rules; others doubt regulators will move quickly, though one link notes early EU scrutiny.

Storage, privacy, and data loss concerns

  • Technical debate: Apple’s 7‑day eviction for script‑writeable storage without user interaction predates this change, but PWAs installed to the Home Screen were exempt.
  • With PWAs now degraded to plain bookmarks, that exemption disappears, so local data in web apps becomes fragile.
  • Critics argue this effectively removes persistent storage for PWAs, incentivizing more server‑side storage and accounts.

Platform control, openness, and development friction

  • Large subthread contrasts iOS and Android: sideloading ease, need for a Mac and/or paid dev account on iOS, time-limited sideloads, and build servers.
  • Some argue iOS’s restrictions and tied tooling are classic monopolistic tying; others say maintaining cross‑platform toolchains is simply costly and Apple is still primarily a hardware company.
  • Philosophical split: some want phones to be locked-down appliances like consoles; others see it as “nonsensical” that the device owner cannot freely install software.

Demand and quality of PWAs

  • Several say typical users neither know nor care about PWAs and often ignore web versions until an app-store app exists.
  • Others value PWAs for instant install, low storage, and better sandboxing, especially for “should-have-been-a-website” apps (tickets, utilities, etc.).
  • Experiences differ: some report PWAs frequently lose data; others find them a superior alternative to heavy Electron- or WebView-wrapped apps.