Progressive web apps are a relatively new technology. People are still getting acquainted with its features. Now every new bit of technology has its limitations. However, more often than none, we are unaware of the real limitations and fall trap to misconceptions and rumors. And because of these said misconceptions, we often steer away from the actual product.
But, not to worry! We are here to analyze some of the common myths and try to uncover the truth about PWAs.
Myth: PWAs work well only on mobiles
That is far from the truth. PWA is definitely developed with a mobile-first approach. However, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work well on desktops. It works just fine on websites. A mobile-first approach means that it is a default layer on which it is built.
A progressive web app is all about its innovative features for a webpage. Therefore essentially, it is a webpage with app-like features. That means whichever device supports a web browser will support a PWA with all its functionality. And guess what else? If your fridge can support Chrome or Android, it’s possible that it supports a PWA too.
Myth: PWA doesn’t have an app store presence
Many people think that PWAs are created with no security restrictions or limitations as such. And that means no major app market store accepts a PWA. They think developers have to create a hybrid app, and there is no guarantee that it will always work.
However, PWAs are, in fact, welcome on almost all app stores except Apple App Store. Moreover, tech giants like Google and Microsoft are heavily investing in PWAs and want to make them the next big thing. The way to publish them in stores may be different, but they are certainly welcome in most stores.
Myth: They can’t access hardware features
The word around the town is that one of the biggest advantages is that it cannot access the hardware reliably. They can’t access the most basic features like accessing cameras. And it is also a big worry when it is supposed to work on phones, and they won’t have the same functionality as native apps.
While some apps are not yet developed enough to expand the browser’s ability to access the hardware, most Chromium-based browsers have developed a lot in this aspect.
Myth: They are expensive
All the marketing and hype around PWAs seems to make people think that they are something only for the elite or out of your budget. And many developers are hesitant to try out PWAs, making people believe they are more difficult to develop.
But in reality, they are not at all expensive. It is, in fact, less than a typical budget for Android eCommerce apps. In the best-case scenario, they might even cost as much as a typical website.
So, these are some of the myths revolving around progressive web apps. There might be many more such myths. Granted, the PWAs have their limitations, but what you hear may or may not be true. What are some of the disadvantages of PWA that you’ve heard and would like to know if they are, in fact, true?