Re:Why did the web take over desktop and not mobile?
by heavyset_go on Saturday September 11, 2021 @01:58PM
(#28494158)
webOS was from the same ~2009 era, powering the Palm/HP Pre models, and its apps were developed in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It had a huge selection of 3rd party and open source apps developed using web technologies.
This was the case for the first iteration of the iPhone, as well.
The truth is that the web didn't flourish on mobile because the two mobile operating systems giants knew that they could make a killing by keeping a stranglehold on the mobile app distribution market with their app store models. And they did so successfully for a decade, making tens of billions of dollars each year from said stranglehold.
Giving the web equal footing on their mobile operating systems like webOS did would put those billions of dollars of yearly revenue at risk.
This was the case for the first iteration of the iPhone, as well.
The truth is that the web didn't flourish on mobile because the two mobile operating systems giants knew that they could make a killing by keeping a stranglehold on the mobile app distribution market with their app store models. And they did so successfully for a decade, making tens of billions of dollars each year from said stranglehold.
Giving the web equal footing on their mobile operating systems like webOS did would put those billions of dollars of yearly revenue at risk.