In December 2022, the European Union approved the Digital Markets Act (DMA) to promote competition and innovation in the digital market. This law includes measures that affect large technology companies, such as Apple.
The DMA requires Apple to be more open in the distribution of applications, web browsing, and messaging and mobile payment services. While this has been a challenge for the company, it has also given it the opportunity to become more competitive against more open platforms like Android.
In January 2024, Apple announced that it would stop supporting Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) within the European Union. The company argues that the DMA's requirement to allow alternative browser engines to Safari introduces too many technical complications, making it impossible to continue supporting PWAs in their current form.
However, it could be argued that this decision is an attempt by Apple to maintain its monopoly on the distribution of applications and services on iOS devices. The DMA does not explicitly require these restrictions, but only states that large technology companies cannot use their dominant position to impede competition.
Unlike Apple, Google does not have complete control over the distribution of applications on Android. Users can install applications from any source, including the Google Play Store, third-party app stores, or directly from the web. This means that web application developers can distribute their PWAs without having to go through the Google Play Store.
One alternative to PWAs is to use an app shell built on native technologies. An app shell is an empty container that is installed on the device as an application and is responsible for displaying a basic user interface while the web application loads in the background.
The advantages of using an app shell include a better user experience, access to device APIs, and wider reach. Modyo offers its customers a publishing and distribution model for Web applications based on App Shells built on React Native.
For more information about Modyo and its App Shell model, contact your Modyo technical or commercial executive.