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If that's the case, then why does nearly every company have a native app in addition to their website? Surely, they could save a lot of time and money by just n

If that's the case, then why does nearly every company have a native app in addition to their website? Surely, they could save a lot of time and money by just not building and maintaining the app.

DCH3416 2y ago
Because it's a pain in the ass to distribute. And there's not much for support integrated into mobile operating systems for seamless browser windows. MacOS is getting there kind of lately with safari being able to turn web pages into apps. But there isn't really built in mechanisms for that: https://www.macrumors.com/2023/06/14/how-web-apps-work-macos-sonoma/ https://www.macrumors.com/2023/06/14/how-web-apps-work-macos...
- ChocolateGod 2y ago
  Web apps will always on paper be slower (not including badly made applications on both) than native apps, and also bring in additional security issues (since code is loaded remotely) than native applications.
  - johnny22 2y ago
    apps built using the webview don't necessarily have to be loaded remotely. If you're building with capacitor, then nothing happens remotely until you choose. The part about being slower is still true though.
- anon7000 2y ago
  The funny part is that it’s actually not a pain in the ass to distribute. On iOS, saving the current link to the homescreeen installs the PWA (if available). You don’t have to do anything other than tap a button in the share menu. iOS treats it like an app, showing it in the app switcher and search, etc. People just don’t know it’s an option. And as you say, there are fewer native APIs available to it.
slothtrop 2y ago
Native apps make more money, because of phone data. A lot of effort is now put into facilitating cross-platform builds, a wrapper/container around a glorified web app is among the easiest ways
chasd00 2y ago
There's no adblock for native apps. Also, they can keep running/monitoring-you in the background easier.

If that's the case, then why does nearly every company have a native app in addition to their website? Surely, they could save a lot of time and money by just not building and maintaining the app.

DCH3416 2y ago

Because it's a pain in the ass to distribute. And there's not much for support integrated into mobile operating systems for seamless browser windows. MacOS is getting there kind of lately with safari being able to turn web pages into apps. But there isn't really built in mechanisms for that: https://www.macrumors.com/2023/06/14/how-web-apps-work-macos-sonoma/ https://www.macrumors.com/2023/06/14/how-web-apps-work-macos...

ChocolateGod 2y ago
Web apps will always on paper be slower (not including badly made applications on both) than native apps, and also bring in additional security issues (since code is loaded remotely) than native applications.
- johnny22 2y ago
  apps built using the webview don't necessarily have to be loaded remotely. If you're building with capacitor, then nothing happens remotely until you choose. The part about being slower is still true though.
anon7000 2y ago
The funny part is that it’s actually not a pain in the ass to distribute. On iOS, saving the current link to the homescreeen installs the PWA (if available). You don’t have to do anything other than tap a button in the share menu. iOS treats it like an app, showing it in the app switcher and search, etc. People just don’t know it’s an option. And as you say, there are fewer native APIs available to it.

slothtrop 2y ago

Native apps make more money, because of phone data. A lot of effort is now put into facilitating cross-platform builds, a wrapper/container around a glorified web app is among the easiest ways

chasd00 2y ago

There's no adblock for native apps. Also, they can keep running/monitoring-you in the background easier.