The second beta version of iOS 17.4 is available for developers and It’s causing more discussion than expected. The update is destined to remain in Apple’s history, because the company – forced by Digital Markets Act approved by the European Union – allows for the first time the downloading applications from alternative stores, therefore different from the App Store. But apparently there are also new features of which the company led by Tim Cook has not provided any details: this version of the software, in fact, depower web apps on iPhone.
Apple has basically always allowed users to add websites to the iPhone’s home screen so they can open them as if they were normal applications (with all the limitations of the case). In recent years the Cupertino company has also studied solutions to improve the experience with web apps: with iOS 16.4, for example, the push notification support complete with badge icon.
iOS 17.4 is not an ally of PWAs on iPhone
But what happened to these upgrades so appreciated by users? There is nothing official yet but based on what was discovered by the developer Maximiliano Firtman (via 9to5mac), this version of the software has removed PWA support for all users residing in European Union countries.
The news quickly made the rounds on the web, sparking a… rain of criticism for Apple. In fact, like many others, Firtman initially thought that PWAs did not work in the iOS 17.4 beta due to a bug. In reality, however, this is not the case, because with the release of beta 2 of the software the system now shows a warning informing users that the web apps “they now open from your default browser“. While it is still possible to add WAs to the Home screen of iPhones, their websites will simply open in the user’s chosen default web browser.
Additionally, all data stored by web apps is automatically deleted when the update is installed it is no longer possible to receive push notifications.
Although the discovery attracted numerous criticisms, Apple has not released any comment on the matter. It is therefore not known the reason that pushed the Californian company to make this decision.