30-second summary:
- Progressive web apps (PWAs) offer app-like experiences without requiring users to download anything from an app store
- PWAs are also much less of a burden for developers than native apps, which require ongoing updates, review management, and shared profits with app stores
- Nick Chasinov, Founder and CEO of Teknicks, outlines a few of the major business benefits of using PWAs
If Apple was threatened by “Fortnite” trying to bypass the App Store[1], it’s not going to be happy when progressive web apps take off. PWAs disrupt the tech giant’s granular control over the Apple App Store because they offer app-like experiences without the need to download an actual app. They’re designed for the everyday website user but provide many features that are exclusive to native apps.
Although many companies love the idea of building a native app, this approach can be a hassle for developers. You have to update them, manage reviews, attract downloads, and pay most stores a 30 percent cut of every sale — this includes paid apps and in-app purchases, which can add up quickly. Apple raked in $64 billion[2] from the App Store in 2020.
That’s part of the reason Google is an advocate[3] for PWAs, encouraging developers to build and distribute them. The search engine also leads Project Fugu[4], which aims to expand browser capabilities and help web apps “do anything native apps can[5]“. This dream could become a reality: Almost 65 percent of internet users[6] already rely on Chrome, and its open-source Chromium foundation lets other browsers use its PWA technology.
Since the pandemic has been sending more people online than ever before, much of the focus in 2021 will remain