> There are indications that iOS 17.4 is using SIM carrier information to geo-lock the changes to web app functionality singularly to users in the EU. Web apps in other regions around the world remain unaffected.
> > There are indications that iOS 17.4 is using SIM carrier information to geo-lock the changes to web app functionality singularly to users in the EU. Web apps in other regions around the world remain unaffected.
Right, we know that they're doing things in the EU specifically because they're required to do so; their insistence on using geo-locking for that is grudging but not sinister. It would be sinister to say "let's intentionally remove web app functionality, only for EU users", but I don't see anything in the story that makes it implausible that what actually happened is that somebody rushed out shoddily written code for EU users, and it had this unintended effect.
This may seem like special pleading for Apple, but, as chongli's comment https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39321362 to which I responded pointed out, why would they want to do this? Apple is many things as a company, but small minded and spiteful (as opposed to simply dictatorial) against its users isn't usually one of them. At the very least, to present that as the only possible explanation seems to be over-reaching.
I don't usually go back into my comment history to reply to someone with new facts, but it took only six days for Apple to tell us how they really feel.
> And so, to comply with the DMA’s requirements, we had to remove the Home Screen web apps feature in the EU.
They are small minded, they are spiteful, and you are specially pleading on their behalf. I don't blame you for being wrong. I just hope you learn not to trust companies, as their interests will almost certainly never be aligned with yours.