iOS 16.4 will improve web apps
Apple released the first beta of iOS 16.4 and included a feature that lets developers send notifications to web apps.
Since the iPhone’s creation, users could always add web apps to their devices by visiting a website, opening the Share menu, and tapping “Add to Home Screen.” But the web app experience has mostly stayed the same — until now.
Apple is adding Web Push to Home Screen web apps, which lets developers send push notifications to users as long as a user requests the action via a system popup. For example, tapping on the web app’s “subscribe” button.
Then, like with any native app, the user may control these permissions for each web app in the Notifications Settings. Apple notes that developers don’t need to be a member of its developer program to use Web Push, they only need to allow URLs from “.push.apple.com.”
Additionally, Safari will no longer be the only browser in iOS 16.4 and onward to let users add web apps to the Home Screen. Instead, Apple says that third-party browsers will also receive the same ability.
