Why Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are Losing their Hype in 2021

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) have been hyped as a revolutionary technology offering numerous benefits like cross-platform compatibility, offline functionality, and cost-effective development. However, as we move into 2021, their initial enthusiasm seems to have cooled down. Despite their potential, several factors contribute to this decline in excitement. Let's delve deeper into these reasons and understand why PWAs are facing challenges in maintaining their initial hype.

Limited Native Functionality

One of the primary reasons for the waning interest in PWAs is their limited native functionality. While PWAs offer native-like experiences, they do not have the same deep access to device features as native apps. This is especially true on Apple devices, where Apple's restrictions significantly impact the adoption of PWAs.

Limited Push Notifications on iOS

Unlike native apps, PWAs cannot fully leverage push notifications on iOS, a critical feature for many businesses to engage users. Push notifications are a powerful tool for user retention and engagement, and their restrictive nature on iOS makes PWAs less appealing to developers working in the iOS ecosystem.

Access to Native APIs

PWAs lack full access to device functionalities such as Bluetooth, camera controls, or geolocation services, limiting the types of applications that can be effectively built. This limitation makes PWAs less suitable for complex or performance-heavy applications, which often require deeper integration with device hardware.

App Store Dominance

Although PWAs bypass app stores, the app store ecosystem remains incredibly powerful, offering significant advantages for both businesses and developers. The visibility in app stores leads to increased downloads, user trust, and monetization opportunities.

Lack of Discoverability

Most mobile users are conditioned to search for apps on app stores like Google Play or the Apple App Store, not through web searches. This lack of discoverability is a major hurdle for PWAs, as they miss out on app store rankings, reviews, and recommendations, crucial factors that drive user engagement.

Monetization Through App Stores

Native apps can generate revenue through in-app purchases or subscriptions via app stores. While PWAs can implement their own payment systems, they often lose out on the app store-integrated monetization features preferred by many developers and businesses.

Perception of Inferiority

Despite the impressive functionality of PWAs, there is a widespread perception among users and developers that PWAs are not on par with native apps. This perception, driven by factors such as user expectations and developer hesitation, has dampened the enthusiasm for PWAs.

User Expectations

Mobile users are accustomed to native apps and may perceive a web-based app as inferior in terms of reliability or functionality, even if that’s not necessarily true. This user-centric bias contributes to the decline in interest for PWAs.

Developer Hesitance

Some developers still prefer the reliability and performance guarantees that come with developing native apps, especially for complex or performance-heavy applications. This hesitance further delays the widespread adoption of PWAs in certain sectors.

Apple's Reluctance to Fully Support PWAs

Apple's limited support for PWAs on iOS has been a key factor in slowing down their adoption. Although PWAs work on iOS through Safari, Apple has restricted features like push notifications and home screen installation, making PWAs less appealing on iPhones and reducing their overall adoption.

Subtle Resistance

Apple's subtle resistance to fully supporting PWAs extends beyond just iOS. By promoting its app store, Apple seeks to protect its app store ecosystem, which generates significant revenue through app sales and in-app purchases. This focus on app stores makes it challenging for PWAs to gain widespread traction.

Marketing and Consumer Awareness

Many consumers simply don't know what PWAs are or how to access them. This lack of marketing and widespread recognition further hinders the adoption of PWAs. Native apps benefit from app store promotions, media coverage, and user habits, making it harder for PWAs to gain visibility.

Lack of User Education

Most users still don't understand how to "install" a PWA on their home screen, and the absence of an app store-based installation flow makes PWAs feel unfamiliar. This lack of user education impedes the adoption of PWAs, as users are accustomed to a streamlined app installation process.

Harder to Market

Due to the lack of automatic visibility from app store rankings and charts, PWAs require more effort to market effectively. Developers and businesses need to invest more in educating users and marketing PWAs independently.

Native Apps Are Getting Better

As native app development frameworks like React Native and Flutter mature, they offer more efficient and cost-effective ways to build cross-platform apps. These tools have improved to the point where businesses can achieve native-like performance with a single codebase, making them an appealing alternative to PWAs.

Cross-Platform Efficiency

Frameworks like Flutter allow developers to build apps for both iOS and Android with a shared codebase, addressing one of the key reasons PWAs were popular: cross-platform compatibility. However, these frameworks also provide better access to native APIs, push notifications, and app store distribution, bridging the gap between PWA advantages and native capabilities.

Improved Performance

Native apps, especially those built with modern frameworks, offer smoother animations, better performance, and greater stability compared to some PWAs. PWAs can sometimes struggle with performance, particularly on slower networks.

Slow Adoption by Major Companies

While some large companies like Twitter, Pinterest, and Alibaba have embraced PWAs, overall adoption by major brands has been slow. Companies often take cues from the actions of major industry players, and the slow movement of these big players toward PWAs means the technology hasn't gained the high-profile success stories that often fuel industry trends.

Conservative Approach

Many large companies still see native apps as the safer bet, particularly when it comes to user retention, push notifications, and performance. The movement of these big players toward PWAs has been slow, dampening enthusiasm for the technology.

Conclusion

While PWAs offer immense value—particularly for businesses looking for cost-effective development and wide accessibility—several factors have contributed to their limited adoption. Platform limitations, app store dominance, and the perception of superiority that native apps continue to hold are significant hurdles. As long as companies like Apple remain hesitant to fully support PWAs and native app development tools continue to evolve, the widespread adoption of PWAs is likely to remain slow.

However, PWAs are still highly useful for certain use cases, especially in markets where app stores are less critical or where businesses prioritize web-based traffic and cross-device compatibility over app store presence. With continued improvements and growing recognition, PWAs could see a resurgence in the near future.