Apple explained why iOS 17.4 removed support for Home Screen web apps in the European Union, and how this affects iPhone developers and users.
Changes in iOS 17.4 to comply with the Digital Markets Act
Under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), iiOS 17.4 introduces several changes for the iPhone and the App Store in the European Union. These changes also add support for alternative web browsers and third-party app stores. However, one direct consequence of these changes is the removal of Home Screen web app support in the EU.
Apple’s explanation
for the removal
Apple confirmed that the omission was not a mistake. There were rumours that it was an iOS 17.4 bug.
To address the “complex security and privacy concerns associated with web apps that use alternative browsers”, the Cupertino company would have needed to create “an entirely new integration architecture that does not exist in iOS today”.
Apple states that this project “was not practical to deliver, given the other DMA requirements and the low adoption of Home Screen web apps by users. As a result, we had to remove web app functionality in the EU in order to comply with the DMA requirements.”
Impact on developers and users
Apple says EU users can still access websites directly from the Home Screen through a bookmark, without any effect on site functionality. The company believes that this change affects only a small group of customers. Even so, Apple regrets any impact that this change, introduced as part of its effort to comply with the DMA, may have on users and web app developers.
At the moment, iOS 17.4 is available to developers and beta testers, and a public release is scheduled for early March.
