Apple just lately launched iOS 17.4 beta to adjust to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) antitrust laws, which pressured the corporate to permit different app shops on the iPhone. The replace additionally brings some modifications associated to internet browsers – and a few dangerous information too. Customers within the EU who’ve put in the beta have observed that they will now not set up and run internet apps on their iPhone.
Net apps now not work for iPhone customers within the EU
From the very starting, Apple has allowed customers so as to add web sites to the iPhone House Display, in order that they can be utilized as internet apps. Over the previous couple of years, Apple has added many options to enhance help for internet apps. For instance, iOS 16.4 allowed PWAs to ship push notifications with icon badges.
However all these enhancements appear to have gone now – a minimum of for these in Europe. As famous by developer Maximiliano Firtman, iOS 17.4 beta removes help for progressive internet apps (PWA) from the system for customers situated within the EU.
At first, Firtman believed that PWAs weren’t working within the iOS 17.4 beta as a result of a bug. Nevertheless, with the launch of iOS 17.4 beta 2 earlier this week, the system now exhibits an alert telling customers that internet apps “will open out of your default browser any more.” And though you’ll be able to nonetheless add web sites to the iPhone House Display, they merely open within the person’s default internet browser.
This has lots of penalties for customers. For instance, all knowledge saved by these internet apps is robotically deleted with the replace. Web sites can even now not ship push notifications to customers.
iOS 17.4 and the DMA
Apple is but to touch upon these modifications, however they appear to be associated to the DMA. One of many necessities set by the brand new EU laws is that Apple should let builders create internet browsers with their very own engine. Presently, each internet browser out there on iOS have to be primarily based on Apple’s WebKit.
In consequence, iOS 17.4 not solely lets builders launch internet browsers with different engines within the EU, however the system now asks which internet browser the person desires by default. Nevertheless, because the internet apps are additionally primarily based on Safari and WebKit, Apple might have opted to take away PWAs within the EU in order that it wouldn’t be accused of additional leveraging its personal engine.
It’s nonetheless unclear at this level whether or not Apple will give you a workaround or whether or not PWAs might be a factor of the previous for these residing within the EU.
iOS 17.4 is predicted to be launched to the general public within the first week of March.
Learn additionally
FTC: We use earnings incomes auto affiliate hyperlinks. Extra.
