Apple Changes Stance on Home Screen Web Apps in the EU

Apple has reverted course and will once again allow Home Screen web apps in the EU; however, the apps will still need to be built directly on WebKit.

Last month, Apple announced it was discontinuing Home Screen web apps in the European Union because the Digital Markets Act requires support for alternative browser engines. Rather than undertake the effort to build 'an entirely new integration architecture' to securely enable support for them, the company simply removed the functionality.

Today, Apple updated its developer FAQ on changes for Europe with the following statement...


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Previously, Apple announced plans to remove the Home Screen web apps capability in the EU as part of our efforts to comply with the DMA. The need to remove the capability was informed by the complex security and privacy concerns associated with web apps to support alternative browser engines that would require building a new integration architecture that does not currently exist in iOS.

We have received requests to continue to offer support for Home Screen web apps in iOS, therefore we will continue to offer the existing Home Screen web apps capability in the EU. This support means Home Screen web apps continue to be built directly on WebKit and its security architecture, and align with the security and privacy model for native apps on iOS.

Developers and users who may have been impacted by the removal of Home Screen web apps in the beta release of iOS in the EU can expect the return of the existing functionality for Home Screen web apps with the availability of iOS 17.4 in early March.
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You can read the full update on apps distributed in the European Union at the link below...


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