Will your web app stop working on iPhones in March‪?‬ Fourcast

Update: Apple backed off of their plans to break PWAs. More details from the OWA.

The deadline for compliance with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) will arrive in a few days and with it an uncertain future for progressive web apps. The DMA forces gatekeepers like Apple to open up their platforms to competition. This means that for the first time, browser engines other than Safari’s WebKit will be allowed on iOS.But the situation isn’t as simple as it seems. Apple is also removing access to Home Screen web apps for all browsers including Safari. This may mean that existing web apps that rely on Home Screen web app features will no longer work as intended in just a matter of days. We spoke with Bruce Lawson of the Open Web Advocacy (OWA) about its efforts to address Apple’s treatment of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs). The conversation covers the origins of OWA, the Digital Markets Act, the impact of Apple’s actions on PWAs, and what actions web developers can take to support the OWA’s efforts. Articles and websites referenced in the interview:


Open Web Advocacy
It’s Official, Apple Kills Web Apps in the EU
Open Letter to Tim Cook
Survey for Web Developers
Apple’s decision to drop iPhone web apps comes under scrutiny in the EU
EU Digital Markets Act