Apple's Shifting Differentiation

> 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.

It's a nice idea in theory, but I don't see Apple putting in the effort to make this fruitful.

For example, we just saw an article rise to the top of HN in the last couple days about the pathetic state of Apple's developer documentation. Their focus seems to be less providing integrations into their hardware, and more providing integrations into their services. Meanwhile, developers increasingly distrust Apple because of bad policies and press around App Store review. It's a mess.

I agree that Apple could and should help app developers use this cool new hardware. I'm sure there are good people at Apple who're trying. But the company as a whole seems to be chasing other squirrels.

Very largely agree (and the chasing squirrels analogy made me laugh!) but of course the speed comes without any extra effort from Apple - so if your native app becomes attractive because its now that much quicker - say some form of video editing - then you're good to go.

Not quite. If your native app becomes attractive, Apple might replace you with a built-in clone and then use that as the reason to kick you out of the app store.

If I remember correctly, that's what happened with flux.