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Apple's Shifting Differentiation

(stratechery.com)
292 points kaboro | 2 comments | 11 Nov 20 13:21 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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klelatti ◴[11 Nov 20 14:35 UTC] No.25058716[source]▶
> it is possible that Apple’s chip team is so far ahead of the competition, not just in 2020, but particularly as it develops even more powerful versions of Apple Silicon, that the commoditization of software inherent in web apps will work to Apple’s favor, just as the its move to Intel commoditized hardware, highlighting Apple’s then-software advantage in the 00s.

I think Ben is missing something here: that the speed and specialist hardware (e.g. neural engine) on the new SoCs again give developers of native apps the ability to differentiate themselves (and the Mac) by offering apps that the competition (both web apps and PCs) can't. It's not just about running web apps more quickly.

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Hamcha ◴[11 Nov 20 15:03 UTC] No.25058922[source]▶
Apple is also working against itself in that department. As far as I know a webapp does not need to be approved by Apple to go live.
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zepto ◴[11 Nov 20 16:08 UTC] No.25059488[source]▶
The assumption that Apple wants to approve all apps is wrong.

Apple sees App Store apps, and web apps as having different advantages, and it is in their interest to have the best platform for both.

It’s not just me saying this, they keep saying it too, and proving it by investing in making web apps run better.

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1. oarsinsync ◴[11 Nov 20 16:35 UTC] No.25059796[source]▶
> Apple sees App Store apps, and web apps as having different advantages, and it is in their interest to have the best platform for both. It’s not just me saying this, they keep saying it too, and proving it by investing in making web apps run better.

The method to pin a webapp to the home screen is substantially worse than it used to be.

There was a period where javascript running in Safari ran significantly faster than javascript running in a webapp opened from the home screen, or in any other app opening a web view. Is that still the case, or did they decide to share that function?

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2. pvg ◴[11 Nov 20 16:46 UTC] No.25059948[source]▶
It hasn't been the case for years.