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What was widely speculated about in the past few days was confirmed a few hours ago. Specifically, we are talking about the functionality of web applications on iPhonech, which as we know it now, with the advent of iOS 17.4 will end. Web applications as such will still be possible to use, however they will no longer be able to be added to the phone's home screen, so the only way to launch them will be through bookmarks in SafariAs a result, they will lose the most interesting thing they had so far - the ability to de facto replace classic applications with options to launch them from the desktop in a modified version. 

Apple fans began to point out in large numbers that web applications from the desktop were not working after the recent beta release. iOS 17.4, although at that time they hoped that the Applu is a mistake. However, the Californian giant issued a statement on its developer website a few hours ago, setting everything straight. In the European Union on iPhonech support for web applications on the desktop is de facto ending due to the new Digital Markets Act, which will come into force at the beginning of March. Because of this law, it must allow iPhonech to set alternative browsers as default, which in addition do not have to be based on the WebKit engine. And it is this change that leads to the death of web applications. 

If you're wondering why, the answer is relatively simple - for security. Due to opening iPhones in the EU to third-party browsers without WebKit, it would have to Apple develop a new integration architecture, which is currently in iOS There is no comprehensive solution to address the security and privacy of web applications using alternative browsers. The catch is that this is practically impossible to do due to the rules on digital markets. And since web applications are not particularly used by users on the desktop, it is Apple in short, it is easier to cut them.

Expression Applu regarding desktop web applications, which he published on his developer portal, specifically reads as follows:

"To society Apple has complied with the Digital Markets Act, has done a huge amount of engineering work to add new features and capabilities for developers and users in the European Union – including more than 600 new APls and a wide range of developer tools.

System iOS has traditionally provided support for web apps on the home screen by building directly on WebKit and its security architecture. This integration means that web apps on the home screen are managed to be consistent with the security and privacy model for native apps on the system iOS, including storage isolation and enforcing system prompts to access privacy-sensitive features on individual sites.

Without this type of isolation and enforcement, malicious web applications could read data from other web applications and re-acquire their permissions to access a user's camera, microphone, or location without their consent. Browsers could also install web applications on the system without the user's knowledge or consent. Addressing the complex security and privacy issues associated with web applications using alternative browser engines would require the creation of an entirely new integration architecture that is currently in place in the system. iOS does not exist and was not practical to implement given the other DMA requirements and the very low prevalence of web apps on the home screen among users. Therefore, to comply with the DMA requirements, we had to remove the web apps on the home screen feature in the EU.

Users in the EU will continue to be able to access websites directly from their home screen via a bookmark with mini"We expect this change to impact a small number of users. However, we regret that this change – which was made as part of our DMA compliance efforts – may impact developers of home screen web applications and our users." 

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