Apple has reversed its decision to block web apps, also known as Progressive Web Apps (PWA), on iPhones in the EU. The company updated its developer page saying that after receiving many requests to support PWAs, it will bring back the functionality in the upcoming public release of iOS 17.4.
PWAs can act like native apps and access different functions of your device without taking up too much space on your phone. These applications may also send you notifications and keep you signed in to the Service. Because web apps don’t have to be distributed through the App Store, they also don’t have to pay any fees to Apple for in-app purchases or wait through the company’s review process.
Last month, Apple reduced the functionality of PWAs as simple website shortcuts with the release of the second iOS 17.4 beta, as security researcher Tommy Mysk and Open Web Advocacy first pointed out. The company then updated its developer page to say that due to security risks such as malicious web apps reading data from other web apps and camera access, it decided to end support for apps on the home screen.
The iPhone maker cited compliance with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) as part of the reason for the decision. This act forced Apple to open up the browser ecosystem and not limit developers only to WebKit, allowing them to choose a different engine.
Apple also said that PWAs have “very low user adoption” so there may not be a big impact on users. But regulators didn’t like the move and began investigating the issue by sending questions to developers, as reported by the Financial Times. Separately, the group Open Web Advocacy published an open letter to Tim Cook to lift the ban on web apps, signed by hundreds of organizations and individuals, including Mastodon, Internet advocate Cory Doctorow, and Vercel’s CTO Malta Ubl.
Apple’s reversal only applies to WebKit-based web apps, as noted by 9to5Mac. Users will not be able to take advantage of this feature if the browser chooses to use another mechanism.
Reaction of the European Commission
The European Commission welcomed Apple’s decision and said more than 500 citizens, companies and public entities had filed their complaints after the company first blocked the web apps last month.
“A large number of these stakeholders depend on home screen web apps to run their business, communicate with employees, customers and citizens, or receive key information and updates,” an EC spokesperson told TechCrunch.
The European Commission also added that Apple’s move to block web apps under the guise of DMA compliance was “neither necessary nor justified”.
We understand that some of the web apps that Apple’s moves may have shut down included apps for public school and hospital scheduling systems and information apps from transportation companies.
Full text of Apple’s update:
Previously, Apple announced plans to remove home screen web app capabilities in the EU as part of our efforts to comply with the DMA. The need to remove this capability was driven by the complex security and privacy issues associated with web applications supporting alternative browser engines that would require building a new integration architecture that does not currently exist in iOS.
We’ve received requests to continue offering support for Home Screen Web Apps on iOS, so we’ll continue to offer the existing Home Screen Web Apps capabilities in the EU. This support means that home screen web apps continue to be built directly on WebKit and its security architecture, and align with the security and privacy model for native iOS apps.
Developers and users who may have been affected by the removal of Home Screen web apps in the EU beta release of iOS can expect the return of existing Home Screen web app functionality with the availability of iOS 17.4 in early March.
The story has been updated with comments from the European Commission.