iOS 17.4 drops web apps in the EU

The functionality affects users within the European Union, Macrumors wrote. The change was discovered by security researcher Tommy Mysk and Open Web Advocacy. This puts web applications at a significant disadvantage in Europe. The new iOS beta prevents these apps from opening in their own window that fills the entire screen, and instead opens in Safari, making them a simple shortcut.

When a user in the European Union opens a web app, they'll receive a system message asking whether they want to open it in Safari or cancel. The web app “will open in your default browser from now on,” the message adds. When opened in Safari, the web app opens as a bookmark, without dedicated windows, notifications, or data storage.

Progressive Web Apps are designed to provide a user experience reminiscent of “real” apps, with users being able to add them directly to their home screen without the need for an app store. This development is controversial because Apple has historically suggested that developers unwilling to follow its App Store guidelines could instead focus on web apps.

Apple's decision to change PWA functionality specifically in the EU could be interpreted as an attempt to navigate the regulatory landscape set out by the DMA, but it may simply want to prevent users in Europe from using web apps with alternative browsers.