Apple iPhone loses access to progressive web apps, blames EU for deleted features

Apple has long made no secret of the fact that the company is anything but happy about the Digital Markets Act, which is forcing Apple to allow alternatives to the App Store and its own WebKit browser engine on the iPhone. The changes planned for March include a new "Core Technology Fee" of EUR 0.50 per installation, which will also affect free and inexpensive apps and has therefore already drawn the ire of developers.

In a developer FAQ, Apple has now confirmed that with iOS 17.4, progressive web apps (PWAs) will no longer work as usual. Previously, websites that could function as PWAs could be added to the home screen, allowing data to be saved locally on the iPhone away from the browser instance, notifications to be sent and a counter for unread messages to be displayed. In future, however, users will only be able to add bookmarks to the home screen instead of PWAs. Some developers have used PWAs to avoid Apple's fees, such as Facebook Gaming, while others have spared themselves the hassle of programming an iOS app.

According to Apple, however, the changes demanded by the EU pose a security risk for PWAs, as the company would no longer be able to prevent such apps from accessing the cameras, microphones and location without the user's consent or even taking over the permissions of other web apps and reading their data. As Android has supported PWAs with multiple browser engines for years, it is questionable whether Apple is simply trying to prevent developers from circumventing the new fees.