What does it look like for the web to lose? - Chris Coyier

Say, somehow, the web is dealt some massive blow, and native apps have all the momentum. What does it look like for the web to lose? As in, for native apps to somehow become the default choice for organizations building digital products.

https://chriscoyier.net/2023/01/04/what-does-it-look-like-for-the-web-to-lose/

This is a good list of items to keep an eye on and it is true that without the web, the native community will lose out on a lot. Now this doesn't mean everything can and should be a web app. It also does not mean that native apps are web apps because they use URIs to "fetch data" / run a service.

The web has 2 roles to play imho: 1) fastest way to prototype a service and test it with the public and 2) fastest way to scale a service. Where it falters (at least on iOS and quickly on Android) is have a set of platform approved APIs that allows one to build a polished experience.

In product management, there is often discussion around mVP - Minimum Viable Product and mDP (my personal preference) - Minimum Delightful Product. The web is a wonderful platform to test MVP for sure. I worry that the web is currently unsuited for the mDP depending on your bar.

However, where currently the web fails well short, especially on mobile (and we can debate the why in a future discussion) is the MDP - the Maximum Delightful Product. This is where discovery (app stores), fluidity of the UX, haptics, speed, offline capabilities, notifications all come together and deliver a well, maximum delightful experience. The web fails on the mobile here for a few reasons.

I hope the web can get better there! On desktop, esp on Apple's M-series of devices, the web (esp on Chrome) is a delight. It's so darn powerful and some amazing experiences are created there - Figma being a wonderful example. I want web on mobile to get there and I am rooting for it.