Anyone have any thoughts on this piece about how the web is overshadowing native apps on the desktop? (This is from Brent Simmons, the developer of NetNewsWire, one of the most popular native Mac apps ever.) I’m particularly fascinated that the web has been so successful on the desktop (although really only in the last five years ago for use cases I personally care about, like creative apps) — but on mobile native apps are far more popular than the web. Both of these things are strange to me: That native is so much more popular than the web on mobile, and that it took so long for the web to make inroads for so many important uses cases on desktop. https://inessential.com/2020/08/15/desktop_means_web

Try using reddit, or slack, on mobile web. You are constantly badgered to install the app. Which makes sense for surveilance capitalism, because mobile apps can spy on you far more effectively than web pages can. App installation is generally easier and lower friction on mobile as well.

Reddit's web interface on mobile is so bad after the last redesign that I've started to think they're intentionally ruining it to get people to install the app. 😕