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Why do mobile platforms have the confidence to do this? I'd imagine businesses would gravitate towards web apps if native apps require restrictions like these.

Why do mobile platforms have the confidence to do this? I'd imagine businesses would gravitate towards web apps if native apps require restrictions like these. Discoverability over app stores is a benefit for sure but is it that much easier to get featured on an app store compared to SEO and online advertising for a web app?

threeseed 6y ago
Consumers hate mobile web apps. They've been around for over a decade in various incarnations and they are always clunky, poorly designed and developed for the lowest common denominator. And often what developers are vocal about wanting is anti-consumer e.g. most people like a single point for all subscriptions/payments.
- FpUser 6y ago
  >"And often what developers are vocal about wanting is anti-consumer e.g. most people like a single point for all subscriptions/payments." And then they get into dispute with Google and get their account terminated as the result along with their only email etc etc. Thanks but no thanks. I do not know about most but personally I prefer freedom of choice.
- thrwn_frthr_awy 6y ago
  I believe the counter argument is platforms are purposefully crippling or at least not advancing their mobile web experience in order to keep native apps a better experience. Personally I don't believe the case since even on the desktop web-based apps are a poor experience. Slack has such a weird desktop UI all because it isn't a true native app.
  - pjmlp 6y ago
    That isn't the case for Android or Windows, both Google and Microsoft are pretty heavy on PWAs, including providing access to native APIs if you package them for the stores.
- pjmlp 6y ago
  I have seen mobile Web apps much better than clunky Cordova stuff that the same consumers worship as native. While I am on the native side, what brings money home are cross platform projects, and for CRUD stuff mobile Web is just fine, provided one doesn't download a SPA over 3G to display static text.
brmgb 6y ago
Both Google and Apple control the browser on their mobile OS through tie in (having Chrome as default is mandatory if you want to ship Android - Apple doesn't allow other browser). Both have ensured that's the actual experience of using web app remain terrible on their platform. The mobile market is not at all a competitive market and it's really starting to show.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- izacus 6y ago
  > Both Google and Apple control the browser on their mobile OS through tie in (having Chrome as default is mandatory if you want to ship Android - Apple doesn't allow other browser). This is not true at all - e.g. Samsung ships their own browser as default on all their devices.
  - brmgb 6y ago
    > This is not true at all Come on, not true at all ? Admittedly Samsung might be able to ship with their browser as default. I don't remember what browser was the main one when I bought my last phone. They most definitely have to have Chrome installed (and probably as the system web view) like the rest of the Google apps if they want to ship with the Play Store. I don't think it significantly impacts my main point.
    - izacus 6y ago
      Yes, it has to be installed, but there's a world of difference between having do be default like Safari on iOS and being present while another browser is the default.
    - tpxl 6y ago
      While Google mandated their apps, AFAIK Chrome wasn't one of them. My Note 1 has plenty of google garbage, but no chrome.

threeseed 6y ago

Consumers hate mobile web apps. They've been around for over a decade in various incarnations and they are always clunky, poorly designed and developed for the lowest common denominator. And often what developers are vocal about wanting is anti-consumer e.g. most people like a single point for all subscriptions/payments.

FpUser 6y ago
>"And often what developers are vocal about wanting is anti-consumer e.g. most people like a single point for all subscriptions/payments." And then they get into dispute with Google and get their account terminated as the result along with their only email etc etc. Thanks but no thanks. I do not know about most but personally I prefer freedom of choice.
thrwn_frthr_awy 6y ago
I believe the counter argument is platforms are purposefully crippling or at least not advancing their mobile web experience in order to keep native apps a better experience. Personally I don't believe the case since even on the desktop web-based apps are a poor experience. Slack has such a weird desktop UI all because it isn't a true native app.
- pjmlp 6y ago
  That isn't the case for Android or Windows, both Google and Microsoft are pretty heavy on PWAs, including providing access to native APIs if you package them for the stores.
pjmlp 6y ago
I have seen mobile Web apps much better than clunky Cordova stuff that the same consumers worship as native. While I am on the native side, what brings money home are cross platform projects, and for CRUD stuff mobile Web is just fine, provided one doesn't download a SPA over 3G to display static text.

brmgb 6y ago

Both Google and Apple control the browser on their mobile OS through tie in (having Chrome as default is mandatory if you want to ship Android - Apple doesn't allow other browser). Both have ensured that's the actual experience of using web app remain terrible on their platform. The mobile market is not at all a competitive market and it's really starting to show.

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
izacus 6y ago
> Both Google and Apple control the browser on their mobile OS through tie in (having Chrome as default is mandatory if you want to ship Android - Apple doesn't allow other browser). This is not true at all - e.g. Samsung ships their own browser as default on all their devices.
- brmgb 6y ago
  > This is not true at all Come on, not true at all ? Admittedly Samsung might be able to ship with their browser as default. I don't remember what browser was the main one when I bought my last phone. They most definitely have to have Chrome installed (and probably as the system web view) like the rest of the Google apps if they want to ship with the Play Store. I don't think it significantly impacts my main point.
  - izacus 6y ago
    Yes, it has to be installed, but there's a world of difference between having do be default like Safari on iOS and being present while another browser is the default.
  - tpxl 6y ago
    While Google mandated their apps, AFAIK Chrome wasn't one of them. My Note 1 has plenty of google garbage, but no chrome.