2024 was the most eventful year for iOS PWAs in Europe. Recap below.
The timeline
- March 2024: Digital Markets Act enters into force. Apple ships iOS 17.4 allowing alternative browser engines in the EU.
- February 2024: ahead of the change, Apple announces removal of installed PWAs on EU home screens. Outcry.
- March 2024: Apple reverses course. PWAs keep working in the EU, but only with WebKit (no alt engines for installed ones).
- October-November 2024: iOS 18 stabilises behaviour. Installed PWAs behave similarly to the rest of the world.
What works today
- Add to Home Screen: ok.
- Push notifications: ok from iOS 16.4 (requires install, no browser-only).
- Service Worker offline: ok, with iOS' historical limits (tighter storage quota vs Android).
- Background sync: still not available.
What does NOT work yet
- Web Bluetooth, Web USB, Web NFC: blocked.
- Background fetch and periodic sync: missing.
- Unlimited storage: quota much tighter than Android.
For PWA evaluators
If your app needs hardware access (NFC for event check-in, Bluetooth for devices), iOS remains a barrier. For web-first apps with notifications and basic offline, PWAs work and are far cheaper than React Native. For 60% of our SMB clients' projects, PWA is the right pick.