> It’s telling that this is the feature that Apple refused to share. And it makes sense: the idea that users could install safe and secure apps that Apple can’t tax, block or control is terrifying to them.
I think that’s what this decision is all about. When Safari was the only browser engine on iOS, PWAs didn’t threaten the App Store because Safari delivers a degraded experience with them.
With alternative browser engines mandated by law, Apple faced the possibility that Chrome or Firefox might make PWAs easy to discover, easy to install, and feature-complete. They might have begun to see serious adoption and investment. I think Apple did not want to risk letting that happen.
I think that’s what this decision is all about. When Safari was the only browser engine on iOS, PWAs didn’t threaten the App Store because Safari delivers a degraded experience with them.
With alternative browser engines mandated by law, Apple faced the possibility that Chrome or Firefox might make PWAs easy to discover, easy to install, and feature-complete. They might have begun to see serious adoption and investment. I think Apple did not want to risk letting that happen.