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Ask HN: Who has had a successful PWA product?

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Re: Ask HN: Who has had a successful PWA product?

#81

Post by throwaway9143 »

joshstrange wrote: post #78
meiraleal wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you ok? Your hate for PWAs seems a bit excessive. Nowadays it's possible to build binaries for iOS and Android using PWAs and it'll behave just live your Cordova projects. Don't be stuck in the past.

Please read my full comment: > I love the web, in fact all my “apps” are built with web tech and I offer them all as websites/PWAs I'm well aware you can build binaries and ship a PWA, I literally do that. I don't hate PWAs, I dislike people that refuse to ship anything but PWAs and I especially dislike being told I don't care about the "open web". If you want to be a martyr and _only_ ship PWAs be my guest but prete…

>I dislike people that refuse to ship anything but PWAs

What a weird thing to get all bent out of shape over. People do things a different way than you, get over it. If someone wants to only ship PWAs, why does that bother you so much? Because they're hurting users, and you're trying to protect them?

Re: Ask HN: Who has had a successful PWA product?

#82

Post by throwaway9143 »

joshstrange wrote: post #72
throwaway9143 wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"customer don't care what language/framework you are using" is a strange way to support a claim they do care about having a native app over a PWA. The first statement highlights that the user just wants something that works as advertised, and doesn't care about the framework. But the second statement highlights that, despite their disinterest in the technology, they care deeply about the app's delivery tech (PWAs vs…

> But some of us also want support tech that fulfills the goals of the open web. You don't seem to care about that, but others do. Telling everyone its basically a lost cause is a silly and pointless endeavor, because PWAs are the long game, and you're playing the short game. Get off the cross, we could use the wood. Spare me. I love the web, in fact all my “apps” are built with web tech and I offer them all as websi…

>If you actually care so much about PWAs then stop writing PWAs that your users hate using and go be a full time advocate for that instead.

I do care about PWAs, and so I am advocating, right now. I don't know why you come across as so angry about people who advocate for PWAs. Pushing companies to adhere to open web standards is a good thing, otherwise we'd still be stuck in IE6 world.

Re: Ask HN: Who has had a successful PWA product?

#83

Post by codazoda »

dualogy wrote: post #20

> had some success ($500 MRR) with shareware, 20 years ago Don't trigger my nostalgia! Fun times, been there done that 2005-2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080118184913/http://www.sudoku... — then sold it on to another "micro-ISV" (the popular term for indie software maker back then)

So much nostalgia! I miss the used book stores and the shareware racks of floppies (which I think another user mentioned).

Re: Ask HN: Who has had a successful PWA product?

#84

Post by goosejuice »

scarface_74 wrote: post #69
goosejuice wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Easier with Android. Apple requires many hurdles, at least for US. You'll also then have to revenue share. Depends on your audience on whether this will actually be worth the investment. Being on the app store doesn't necessarily make you visible anyhow. It's just easier to install for apple users.

If you have a SaaS app, there is nothing stopping you from charging more in app to make up the difference and charging less outside the store

Good point, but I think app store presence would be more important in d2c rather than b2b SaaS.

In that situation I don't think charging more would go over well with consumers.

Have you seen this done?

Re: Ask HN: Who has had a successful PWA product?

#85

Post by goosejuice »

knallfrosch wrote: post #30
goosejuice wrote: post #6

What's the alternative? Certainly multi platform native only makes sense at a certain scale. Your question might be too light on details to provide much advice.

Releases should be automated anyway. Once you set up the necessary pipelines, there is not that much work involved. I think our only pain point (team of ~7 devs) is keeping a Macbook around for iPad builds and debugging. But I guess you will need Macbook to debug any Safari issues too.

Are you referring to builds of a PWA wrapper shipped to the App store? If you don't mind sharing, how did your approval process go? Any hangups?

Re: Ask HN: Who has had a successful PWA product?

#87

Post by goosejuice »

palsecam wrote: post #45
nefarious_ends wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Safari hit the share button then scroll down and hit Add to Home Screen.

This. Safari (and Firefox) does not have https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/BeforeInsta... So you can’t have a custom button/way to prompt players to install. However, they can install a PWA manually, by themselves; there is the option somewhere in their browser menu.

Installing the app on iOS is a pain point for users. If you have a significant iOS user presence it's a concern.

If Apple supported this API it would be much easier to convince stakeholders that PWA is enough.

You can do browser detection and show a dismissible pop up with instructions but it will still just confuse some users and others with scoff at the need to do that.

Re: Ask HN: Who has had a successful PWA product?

#88

Post by goosejuice »

joshstrange wrote: post #73
lostfocus wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's why there are efforts to get platform companies to allow putting PWAs into their app stores. I think on Android it's already possible with a thin wrapper and with regulatory pressure it might be necessary for other platforms to enable that as well.

You can put PWAs in all the app stores today with a thin wrapper, I know, I do it for all my apps.

What is your preferred method of wrapping? No resistance from Apple? I've read of many instances of wrapped PWAs not getting approved for the app store. I guess mileage may vary

Re: Ask HN: Who has had a successful PWA product?

#89

Post by its-all-waves »

joshstrange wrote: post #73
lostfocus wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's why there are efforts to get platform companies to allow putting PWAs into their app stores. I think on Android it's already possible with a thin wrapper and with regulatory pressure it might be necessary for other platforms to enable that as well.

You can put PWAs in all the app stores today with a thin wrapper, I know, I do it for all my apps.

Not for Apple/iOS!

Re: Ask HN: Who has had a successful PWA product?

#90

Post by joshstrange »

its-all-waves wrote: post #89
joshstrange wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can put PWAs in all the app stores today with a thin wrapper, I know, I do it for all my apps.

Not for Apple/iOS!

I have over 10 apps in the Apple App Store store using Capacitor without any issues.
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