The PWA Singularity: How Browsers Are Becoming the Operating System
- The distinction between "website" and "app" is dissolving—Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) blur the line completely
- Browsers can now run Photoshop, video editors, 3D engines—no installation required
- The URL is becoming the universal launch code for all software
- We're moving toward device-agnostic computing: software in the cloud, streaming to any screen
- Apple's iOS Safari restrictions are the main barrier; regulation is forcing gradual opening
The distinction between a "Website" and an "App" is dissolving. Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) allow websites to install to home screens, work offline, access hardware sensors, and send push notifications. Chrome is essentially an Operating System. The browser is eating native software.
This comprehensive guide examines the convergence of web and native: what's possible today, what's emerging, and where we're headed as the URL becomes the universal launch code for all software.
The Browser Is the OS
Google Chrome is not just a browser—it's effectively an Operating System. With WebAssembly, it can run Photoshop at near-native speed. With WebGL/WebGPU, it can render 3D games. With Web Audio, it can process audio. With WebRTC, it can handle video calls. The need for native OS APIs is diminishing rapidly.
What Browsers Can Do Now
PWAs: The Bridge Technology
Progressive Web Apps represent the bridge between websites and native apps. They retain web advantages (URLs, no install, cross-platform) while gaining native capabilities (home screen, offline, notifications).
| Capability | Website | PWA | Native App |
|---|---|---|---|
| Install Required | No | Optional | Yes |
| Works Offline | No | Yes | Yes |
| Push Notifications | No | Yes | Yes |
| Home Screen Icon | Bookmark only | Yes | Yes |
| App Store Required | No | No | Yes (30% fee) |
| Cross-Platform | Yes | Yes | Separate builds |
| URL Shareable | Yes | Yes | App store link only |
| Update Speed | Instant | Instant | Review delays |
Major PWA Success Stories
The Apple Problem
Apple's iOS Safari implementation of PWAs is deliberately inferior. This isn't technical limitation—it's business strategy. Every PWA success is an app that bypasses the 30% App Store tax.
- Push Notifications: Only partial support as of iOS 16.4—years behind Android
- Background Sync: Severely restricted compared to native apps
- Storage: Aggressive eviction policies, 7-day expiration in some contexts
- Browser Engine: All iOS browsers must use WebKit (Apple's engine)—no Chrome/Firefox engine allowed
- Install Prompt: Hidden and non-intuitive compared to Android
- Web App Scope: Various navigation limitations in standalone mode
Apple controls 60%+ of US mobile revenue. Their PWA hostility significantly slows web app adoption in Western markets.
EU designates Apple as "gatekeeper" subject to competition requirements. Forces change.
Apple allows alternative browser engines in EU. First time since iPhone launch.
Apple tries to remove PWA support in EU, backtracks after developer outcry.
Regulatory pressure continues. Expect slow, reluctant Safari improvements globally.
The Future: Device-Agnostic Computing
We are moving toward a device-agnostic future where your software lives in the cloud and streams to any glass surface you own. The URL is the universal launch code.
- Any Device: Same apps on phone, laptop, TV, car, fridge
- Zero Install: All software accessible via URL instantly
- Automatic Sync: State follows you across devices
- Always Updated: No version management, always latest
- No Storage: Devices become thin clients
- Universal Access: Share any app with a link
- Offline: Cloud-dependent = connectivity-dependent
- Privacy: Cloud storage means data isn't truly yours
- Apple: Gatekeeper resistance slows adoption
- Performance: Some tasks still need native
- Adoption: Users trained to expect app stores
- Discovery: No centralized web app store
Technologies Enabling the Shift
NEM5: Web-Native by Design
NEM5 games embody this web-native philosophy. Every game runs in any modern browser—desktop, tablet, or phone—without downloads, without app stores, without gatekeepers. The URL is the only install you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
For many use cases, yes. Simple utilities, content apps, e-commerce, news, social—these work perfectly as PWAs. Apps requiring deep OS integration (system utilities, hardware drivers), maximum performance (AAA games, video editing), or platform-specific features will remain native. The future is likely hybrid: PWAs for broad reach, native for specialized needs.
On Android Chrome: visit the site → menu → "Add to Home Screen" or tap the install prompt if offered. On iOS Safari: Share button → "Add to Home Screen." On desktop Chrome: address bar install icon → "Install." Once installed, PWAs appear alongside native apps and launch in standalone windows.
Yes, using Service Workers. PWAs can cache assets and data locally during first visit, then serve from cache when offline. The developer chooses what to cache—it can range from basic offline pages to fully functional offline applications. IndexedDB stores structured data locally. Some PWAs work entirely offline after initial load.
Several reasons: (1) Platform-specific features—Apple Pay deep integration, native share sheets, certain sensors. (2) App store visibility—users look in stores for apps. (3) Push notification reliability—iOS Safari push is new and limited. (4) Perception—"real apps" feel more legitimate to some users. (5) Inertia—companies have existing native teams and codebases. PWA adoption is growing as these gaps narrow.
Probably, but slowly and under regulatory pressure. Apple's App Store generates $20+ billion annually. Every PWA that succeeds is revenue lost. EU's Digital Markets Act is forcing improvements (browser engine choice, potentially better PWA support). US regulatory action may follow. Expect gradual, reluctant progress over 3-5 years rather than sudden embrace.
Conclusion: The Web Wins
The fundamental advantages of the web—URLs, no installation, cross-platform, instant updates, no gatekeepers—remain compelling regardless of platform politics. What changes is capability, and capability is expanding rapidly.
WebAssembly brings native performance. WebGPU brings modern graphics. PWAs bring app-like experience. The remaining gap is Apple's deliberate sabotage—and even that is crumbling under regulatory pressure.
We're moving toward a future where every application is a URL. Where software exists in the cloud and streams to any screen. Where the device in your hand is just a window, and the capability is infinite.
The URL is the universal launch code. The browser is the universal runtime. The future is already here—it's just not evenly distributed. Yet.
- Russell, A. (2021). Progressive Web Apps. web.dev
- Google Developers. What are Progressive Web Apps? developer.chrome.com
- Mozilla Developer Network. Service Worker API. developer.mozilla.org
- European Commission. Digital Markets Act. Official Journal of the EU.
- Open Web Advocacy. Bringing Competition to the Browser Market. open-web-advocacy.org