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Comment by candiddevmike | Hacker News Reader

> I may be in the minority but, as a user, web apps on mobile is the last thing I need. Also, as a developer web apps as a preferred way of developing for mobile is the last things I need.

I would bet in the future most apps are web apps, either JavaScript PWAs or WASM. The economics of cross platform development are too great. I think most users won't care, or may even appreciate this due to the size savings (a PWA today is almost always a lot smaller than a fat app on my experience).

As a developer, I would rather write web apps that can use standard web interfaces for camera/files/icons/notifications than having to learn all of the platform specific stuff, and as a bonus I'll get a lot of accessibility benefits for free.

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> I would bet in the future most apps are web apps, either JavaScript PWAs or WASM

People have been saying this since 2004 when I started working in mobile. Only difference was the tech that would make it happen, it was WAP then.

There will always be a place for native apps, be it on a phone or a computer.

> I would bet..

That is speculation on user behalf, isn't it? I am a user and I care.

> ..than having to learn all of the platform specific stuff..

It is a rational argument. However, Chrome is a platform too. More and more of the web only works (well) in Chrome. More and more of the web is what Chrome says it is.

> I am a user and I care.

You care how an app is developed and delivered to your device?

The web offers a native experience in most cases, sometimes even better. Besides, giving PWAs more abilities doesn't remove native apps.

> More and more of the web is what Chrome says it is.

It's pretty ironic that you support Apple in locking down what you can do and apps you can run and what Safari supports, while blaming Chrome for being the dominant browser.

> You care how an app is developed and delivered to your device?

Why is that so shocking? The moment when users stop caring about how stuff works you get the very situation the article is complaining about.

>The web offers a native experience in most cases, sometimes even better. Besides, giving PWAs more abilities doesn't remove native apps.

Why are you telling me what my experience is like?

Do I think that you should have a fair chance at experiencing apps in your preferred way? Yes.

Do I think that your way is actually better based on the points made in this article? No.

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