Why are there so many apps that could be websites?
Seriously. I don't want to install something on my phone when the dev is just using a WebView, if that's what it's called. When the app is basically just a website with the browser hidden.
What's the reason for that? To attach the customer? To sell the app for money? Is there more ad revenue that way? Do you reach more people?
(Are there any good reasons for it, too? Security, maybe?)
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This is definitely part of it. The company I work for sells a service to companies, that their employees need to use. We built a web app, it works perfectly fine. However, people ask for 'an app' because they want to install it from their phone's app store instead of opening the website once through a link in their email and creating a bookmark.
So we added a PWA manifest and clear instructions on how to 'install' our web app (it's literally the same thing otherwise, no added functionality). Yet the users still complain that they want an app...
I'm surprised users find the app store that compelling for a one-time "install" with updates not a factor. Do they cite any other reasons for wanting a different approach?
No, it's just "can't find it in the app store" and "want to have it on my home screen"...