Apple has walked again its choice to remove home screen web apps in the European Union (EU). After initially blaming its choice to ditch them on the Digital Markets Act’s (DMA) requirement to assist non-WebKit browsers, Apple now says European customers will return to having fun with the identical internet app expertise from earlier than when iOS 17.4 arrives early this month.
“Now we have acquired requests to proceed to supply assist for Residence Display internet apps in iOS, subsequently we’ll proceed to supply the prevailing Residence Display internet apps functionality within the EU,” Apple wrote Friday in an up to date developer support document. “This assist means Residence Display internet apps proceed to be constructed straight on WebKit and its safety structure, and align with the safety and privateness mannequin for native apps on iOS.”
Progressive web apps (PWAs) act very similar to native apps with options like devoted home windows, notifications and native storage. Apple eliminated them for European clients within the second iOS 17.4 beta, as a substitute asking if customers wish to open the web site in Safari.
On the time, the corporate claimed internet app assist might compromise safety, given the DMA’s requirement to assist non-WebKit browser engines. “Addressing the advanced safety and privateness considerations related to internet apps utilizing various browser engines would require constructing a wholly new integration structure that doesn’t at the moment exist in iOS and was not sensible to undertake given the opposite calls for of the DMA and the very low person adoption of Residence Display internet apps,” the corporate wrote in February.
The Open Internet Advocacy group chimed in rapidly to criticize Apple’s now-reversed transfer. “Apple has had 15 years to facilitate true browser competitors worldwide, and practically two years because the DMA’s closing textual content,” the group wrote in February. “It might have used that point to share performance it traditionally self-preferenced to Safari with different browsers. Inaction and silence speaks volumes.”
The EU didn’t sound a lot happier concerning the internet app elimination. European Fee officers said in late February they have been probing Apple’s choice in what sounded just like the build-up to a proper investigation. The Monetary Instances reported that regulators despatched builders questions concerning the influence of Apple’s PWA elimination.
No matter could have occurred between then and now to alter Apple’s thoughts, it’s remaining tight-lipped. As an alternative, the corporate is framing its reversal as a easy response to “requests” it acquired to proceed providing dwelling display internet apps. Maybe EU officers assured the iPhone maker the corporate wouldn’t must assist PWAs from different browser engines, or perhaps the corporate merely wished to go off a proper probe (and the dangerous PR it might generate). Regardless, solely European iOS 17.4 beta customers are with out internet apps, and so they’ll have them again as soon as the software program’s closing model arrives.
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