iOS 17.4 Nerfs Web Apps in the EU (opens in new tab)

(macrumors.com)

48 pointsdattiimo2y ago36 comments

36 comments

20 comments · 8 top-level

chongli2y ago· 7 in thread

Can someone help me understand what the strategy is here? As an outsider, it seems like Apple is just defying the EU for spite. How does this change contribute to Apple’s bottom line?

2OEH8eoCRo02y ago

A crack in the app store walled garden would be an existential threat because it's their fire hose of cash. It's the whole reason they make so much more money than other hardware manufacturers. They will defend it aggressively.

uxjw2y ago

It's probably to prevent alternate app stores from offering PWAs that might bypass Apple's controls and fees.

_v7gu2y ago

They are racing to be number one in the EU fine rankings

JadeNB2y ago

This is a beta release—it seems very plausible that it's just a mistake, rather than some sort of elaborate-but-subtle act of defiance.

striking2y ago

> There are indications that iOS 17.4 is using SIM carrier information to geo-lock the changes to web app functionality singularly to users in the EU. Web apps in other regions around the world remain unaffected.

1 more reply

JadeNB2y ago

> This is a beta release—it seems very plausible that it's just a mistake, rather than some sort of elaborate-but-subtle act of defiance.

I was wrong. I still think that this was plausible, but, as a TechCrunch article https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/15/apple-confirms-its-breakin... now on the front page https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39388218 makes clear, it's not true.

jowea2y ago

Or they're testing the waters.

jitl2y ago· 3 in thread

I think what’s happening here is that the EU mandated browser choice, but Apple hasn’t had enough time to implement APIs for other browsers to handle launching PWAs. So to make things fair and equal between Safari and the other browsers and to ensure that your default browser choice is respected, they disabled the Safari frameless PWA mode. It’s EU mandated browser choice, and hopefully they’ll figure out hooks so you can have eg frameless Firefox launch when tapping a homescreen browser bookmark.

pretext-12y ago

The DSA was not written overnight. The agreement was made in 2022, the text is from 2020, preliminary versions probably available years before that. And even without having the exact wording Apple must have known their anticompetitive behavior wouldn’t be tolerated forever way before that. Mandatory Browser Choice exists since when, Windows XP times? There was enough time, there is no excuse.

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/?uri=COM%3A20...

akmarinov2y ago

Also if they allow PWAs from other browser engines- their whole appstore and core technology fee related shenanigans are useless

devilkin2y ago

They knew the DMA was coming for years. For a company with the resources like Apple to not have enough time is just a load of crap.

They don't want to, and will go out of their way to make their statement.

alphabettsy2y ago· 2 in thread

This smells like malicious compliance.

It’s also possible that given the timeline, this was the only way to comply with the law and allow a different default browser and it’ll be fixed in the future?

PlutoIsAPlanet2y ago

It's not even like Apple is hiding that they hate their DMA when they're announcing their compliances with it.

Looking forward to the EU Commission taking Apple to the ECJ over this, I strongly suspect the EU Commission will win, because even if it doesn't, it will just propose legislation changes to outlaw Apple's behaviour anyway.

rad_gruchalski2y ago

So much for „free market”.

> You can do it your own way

> If it’s done just how I say

4 more replies

gnabgib2y ago

Some dupes /w comments: [0](48 points, 7 days ago, 19 comments) [1](93 points, 2 days ago, 79 comments) [2](7 points, 10 hours ago, 2 comments, same URL)

[0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39236862 [1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39299007 [2]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39314074

buran772y ago

Hoping it's just a beta issue. Otherwise there goes the "for the user" pretense, reminding us that there are no "trustworthy" companies, only temporarily aligning interests.

Edit. Links below suggest a less than nefarious explanation but the reality of the point above stands.

ChrisArchitect2y ago

[dupe]

This and more discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39299007

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39236862

ilmiont2y ago

This does not seem to be accurate - see https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1755411290107863429

(I have not personally verified the behavior described in that tweet, but if it's true then a lot of the reporting and commentary around this story has left out important details and the actual change is positive for users. Intentionally configured PWAs still work; everything else opens in your default browser, without any potentially unwanted magic.)

danibx2y ago

PWAs pose a security risk. Any malicious site can masquerade as another app, such as your bank. If Apple is implementing this intentionally, then they are justified.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

36 comments

20 comments · 8 top-level

chongli2y ago· 7 in thread

Can someone help me understand what the strategy is here? As an outsider, it seems like Apple is just defying the EU for spite. How does this change contribute to Apple’s bottom line?

2OEH8eoCRo02y ago

uxjw2y ago

It's probably to prevent alternate app stores from offering PWAs that might bypass Apple's controls and fees.

_v7gu2y ago

They are racing to be number one in the EU fine rankings

JadeNB2y ago

This is a beta release—it seems very plausible that it's just a mistake, rather than some sort of elaborate-but-subtle act of defiance.

striking2y ago

1 more reply

JadeNB2y ago

> This is a beta release—it seems very plausible that it's just a mistake, rather than some sort of elaborate-but-subtle act of defiance.

jowea2y ago

Or they're testing the waters.

jitl2y ago· 3 in thread

pretext-12y ago

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/?uri=COM%3A20...

akmarinov2y ago

Also if they allow PWAs from other browser engines- their whole appstore and core technology fee related shenanigans are useless

devilkin2y ago

They knew the DMA was coming for years. For a company with the resources like Apple to not have enough time is just a load of crap.

They don't want to, and will go out of their way to make their statement.

alphabettsy2y ago· 2 in thread

This smells like malicious compliance.

It’s also possible that given the timeline, this was the only way to comply with the law and allow a different default browser and it’ll be fixed in the future?

PlutoIsAPlanet2y ago

It's not even like Apple is hiding that they hate their DMA when they're announcing their compliances with it.

rad_gruchalski2y ago

So much for „free market”.

> You can do it your own way

> If it’s done just how I say

4 more replies

gnabgib2y ago

Some dupes /w comments: [0](48 points, 7 days ago, 19 comments) [1](93 points, 2 days ago, 79 comments) [2](7 points, 10 hours ago, 2 comments, same URL)

[0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39236862 [1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39299007 [2]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39314074

buran772y ago

Hoping it's just a beta issue. Otherwise there goes the "for the user" pretense, reminding us that there are no "trustworthy" companies, only temporarily aligning interests.

Edit. Links below suggest a less than nefarious explanation but the reality of the point above stands.

ChrisArchitect2y ago

[dupe]

This and more discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39299007

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39236862

ilmiont2y ago

This does not seem to be accurate - see https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1755411290107863429

danibx2y ago

PWAs pose a security risk. Any malicious site can masquerade as another app, such as your bank. If Apple is implementing this intentionally, then they are justified.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse