This is the first time I've actually heard the opinion that someone thinks we need more apps instead of more functional websites.

These are not features of functional websites, these are features that make every website an "app" and deprecate the idea of a traditional website. Google is embrace, extend, extinguishing the web as we know it. If Apple gives in, it's over, every website will just be an app and want access to your contacts, and your family history, and whether or not you are on Santa's naughty list or whatever.

I think it reflects the general HN sentiment that native apps > progressive web apps.

Functional websites would be wonderful.

Instead we get “webapps”.

Better PWA support gives users (and developers) more optionality with app distribution. Apple building out these APIs would not take away from their native apps.

The UX of visiting a site and with a single click of a button having an app on my home screen sounds great. I'd also like to have the option of side loading a native app too. And if those options sound unappealing, you can keep using the App Store if you want the assurance of using an 'officially approved' app.

A lot of very prominent apps are written using web technologies anyways. Take a look at the continued popularity of React Native (and Flutter as well).

> A lot of very prominent apps are written using web technologies anyways. Take a look at the continued popularity of React Native (and Flutter as well).

And it shows through their laggy interfaces and non-native UI/UX. The people don't like apps built with web tech; developers and LLMs like them because they're a shortcut.

> The people don't like apps built with web tech

Then why do most people spend > 90% of their time in a browser (or web-powered app) on desktop?

Irrelevant, we're talking about mobile here.

How is that irrelevant? Isn't it important to ask the question "why did this thing work on desktop, but not on mobile?"

No choice.

Funny you would say that. Because businesses and users have only one choice on iOS: native apps, because the web app isn't viable (and/or available) on iOS.

Yeah, it’s great.