I won't download your app. The web version is a-ok

everdrive

And if the only option is an app, then I'm not interested in your product / store / company.

denysvitali

I understand the user point of view, but some web UIs nowadays are so bad and the app so good that I'm not sure this always holds true. I do agree that this seems to be exception rather than the rule - so having both is actually nice IMHO.

wbobeirne

The author touches on this in the last section, but I'd reframe this a different way. The natural conclusion for a company who wants to funnel you to the app is, "the web version is a-OK? Let's make the web version worse." I'd rather see this framed as, "if you don't have a high functioning web version, I don't need to use your service." Gimping my preferred medium will lose me as a customer. If enough people draw that line, "enshittifying" your web app should hurt your metrics, not help. That way maintaining a good web version is looked at as a long-term necessity, not a top of funnel.

7777777phil

This sentiment will probably resonate with a lot of people here. I literally won’t use a service if they try to force me onto their app..

darepublic

dozens of apps on the smartphone is gross. an indicator for me of an elderly / technically illiterate smartphone user is the presence of a ton of apps, most of which were used long ago and seldomly.

cogman10

I wish PWAs were more of a thing. That is actually what I'd use instead of installing a company app.

crsl

I also find that because the web version is worse in order to push you to download the app, it is a good way to not get sucked into endlessly scrolling. Get in, do what you need, and get out because of bad experience.

8cvor6j844qw_d6

Web browser is a sandbox by default. Worst a sketchy site does is eat a tab, less if you run an adblocker. Native app? Background processes, hardware ID shenanigans, your contacts, location. The whole buffet.

WhiteOwlLion

I use Twitter/X on web because the iOS so bad.

villgax

The government is supposed to be pushing for web as the default.

ryandrake

I've got an old-ish phone, so in most cases, I can't download your app even if I wanted to. You deliberately set your minimum iOS deployment version to be higher than what my phone can even install. So I have to go to your web site or just stop doing business with your ass. Just because your developers decided that developing for older phones is too hard to figure out, or it takes too much effort, and they'd rather just cut us off.

akshatjiwan

That's my stance as well. Unless the website is completely broken or the devs force me to download the app by blocking features on the website I prefer the web. With responsive design becoming mainstream I'm fine with using my browser for 90% of my internet work. In some cases like Google docs it's painful to use the web version so I just use the app. EDIT: I wish they'd add a console to mobile web browsers though.

dbvn

Somehow the one feature I need to use is the one feature broken on the website... every time.

jedberg

While I sympathize with the author, and feel the same way, I think Apple/Google have some blame here. They make certain simple things only possible in the apps, because the APIs are not exposed via the web. Notifications is a big obvious one. Not sure if they've changed it since I last looked into it, but having an app installed was the only way to send a notification to someone for a long time.

peterspath

I have it the other way around. I want local first app. Don’t want everything in the cloud apps. Luckily there is choice :)

jcalvinowens

It's a waste of resources too. I've seen startups waste soooooo much time and effort on simple native apps that could trivially be webviews, it's tragic .

chistev

My Google Chrome app is by far the most used app on my phone. If you catch me at a random moment on my phone, chances are I'm on Chrome. Sometimes the mobile app experience is better than the mobile browser for me, though. Examples are Twitter, Spotify, Upwork, Google Keep Notes. If I'm on my computer I don't even download the apps, I just use the browser. It just feels more convenient. I haven't thought much about why they all feel good on my laptop browser while some apps offer better experience on mobile. Edit: It's also why I keep procrastinating on getting into mobile app development. I just generally prefer web experience. With some exceptions as already stated here.

appsoftware

I don't understand it from the app developers point of view. Having to pay app store cuts over basic card processing fees. I understand the appeal of access to a market, like selling on eBay gets you eyeballs. But once you have a customer using their app, what does the app give you that a PWA doesn't unless you need access to specific sensors / file system access patterns etc?

empyrrhicist

If a website disrespects "request desktop site" and still tries to force you into an app... ugh. Had this happen yesterday when someone sent me a link to something on AllTrails. If the service was good and the website was usable, I might have even considered getting the app for offline features. Not anymore - screw companies that do this.

Gimpei

My gripe is how iOS allows these companies to constantly bug us to use their stupid apps. I ended up installing the NYTimes app, not because I use it, but just to shut it up. I switched to duck duck go because I was sick of being bugged to install chrome. How many times do I need to say no?