Using a web app skirts around App Store restrictions, but is less user-friendly
After some tension with Apple, Facebook has launched its Facebook Gaming service for iOS devices, via a web app users will have to access through a web app.
Facebook previouslyran into some troublewhen attempting to bring its Facebook Gaming app to iOS devices, but has been able to sidestep the App Store’s restrictions via its web app.The web app, which can be accessed through an iOS equipment’s web client, allows users to experience a number of free and free-to-play games without the need to download anything.
Apple’s decision to prevent third-party apps from acting as a game distribution platform is hotly contested by developers large and small.
Services like Amazon’sLunaand Microsoft’sXbox Game Passhave sidestepped the issue by simply not using a downloadable app on iOS devices, and Facebook is following suit.
Instead of installing anything, you bookmark theFacebook Gaming homepagein your mobile web web app and visit the link to start playing.
While this does get around the App Store’s restrictions, a web app won’t be as easy for the average consumer to discover or use, since they’d have to know to go through their online window in the first place.The Vergepoints out that Apple’s Safari web online window, which is the default for iOS devices, poses more problems.
Safari automatically prevents push notifications, has sound muted by default, and quite simply can’t handle graphics as well as native apps can.
