Ask HN: Can the ARM Macs/PCs end the web as we know it?

17 pointsdragosbulugean5y ago31 comments

It seems that the new macs are able to run mobile apps, and it won't take long until android does the same on windows pcs.

Is there a chance that in 10 years everybody is using native mobile apps on desktops?

Chuckling...

31 comments

bryik5y ago

So the choice would be: build an Android app and an iOS app, or build a web app? Eh, I'd rather build a web app.

omarforgotpwd5y ago

What would users like to use more?

tokn5y ago

If you’re ever in the position where you have to market an app you’ll soon discover actually just getting users to commit to installing something which they’ve never heard of is a massive hurdle - compared to clicking a link in a browser.

1 more reply

leoh5y ago

lol — have you tried to engage, in a serious way, with the JavaScript ecosystem? It is a _dumpster fire_ to produce anything that is reasonably as interactive and complex as an iOS Application.

I do agree, however, with the idea that some things ought _not_ be apps, especially things that are dead simple, for which it _truly is_ easier to develop a web application.

emteycz5y ago

Lol, seems like you haven't tried to engage with the web ecosystem in a serious way. Web apps with TypeScript and React/Vue/Svelte are the easiest, most productive way of making software that runs immediately anywhere, and the ecosystem has everything (don't forget about Wasm).

SwiftUI is nice, but needs a lot more years until it reaches the level of React.

Android libs are a joke.

(I write enterprise React applications last 6 years, and used to work with WinForms before that.)

1 more reply

auganov5y ago

You could flip it around and ask - given that phone chips are approaching desktop level performance, how native do you need to go? We're already seeing native apps become less "native". Using high level frameworks that provide a common core between platforms is pretty standard nowadays.

IMO the biggest driver already is and will be app store/platform policies. Fundamental hardware constraints are secondary.

mikece5y ago

“Always bet on the web.”

PWA trumps mobile apps — until or unless it can be articulated why a PWA/hybrid app won’t work, but that is the small minority of app cases.

tdeck5y ago

Unfortunately PWA seems to have almost no adoption at all. I'm not sure why that is. Native features missing? Developers want to fingerprint you? Distribution mechanisms insufficient? All I know is PWA seems to have stalled.

frompdx5y ago

One issue with PWAs is that Apple has hobbled what they can do on iOS. I think this prompts a lot of would be adopters to skip PWA and go straight to packaging their app with electron.

coldtea5y ago

>PWA trumps mobile apps

In what sense? Most people use mobile apps than browse the web through mobile -- and most surf from mobile vs PC.

(The fact that said mobile apps might be web-based is an implementation detail).

blueflame75y ago

Because then you don't have to download and install an app

1 more reply

cnasc5y ago

Apple hobbles PWAs on iOS, so unless app creators want to ignore the most profitable segment of the mobile marketplace PWAs aren’t a solution

postalrat5y ago

It's true that apple hobbles PWAs on their mobile devices. But not everyone uses those devices and most apps don't make money off the initial purchase.

4778468d5y ago

No.

ARM has a huge problem with compatibility and secrecy.

Buy a random intel machine .... will it run Windows and Linux? YES.

Buy a random ARM device..,, will it run Linux? Maybe, probably not, even if it does, probably there’s problems and issues caused by the CPU vendor keeping aspects of its design secret.

ARM is a very very long way from replacing Intel.

koenvdb5y ago

I always forget that not being able to run Linux immediately means that there is a lot of secrecy. It can never be put on Linux.

nt2h9uh238h5y ago

According to Apples M1: Intel software runs FASTER on ARM than on Intel

thesuperbigfrog5y ago

>> it won't take long until android does the same on windows pcs

Chromebooks run android apps today.

Windows computers will run android apps with BlueStacks or a similar emulator.

Until mobile apps can do EVERYTHING that desktops apps do, desktop apps are here to stay.

TechNerds5y ago

This ColdFusion Video goes into a deeper explanation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuF9weSkS68

adamnemecek5y ago

Why not just go back to desktop apps instead of mobile desktop apps?

silly-silly5y ago

This is what will be happening.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

31 comments

bryik5y ago

So the choice would be: build an Android app and an iOS app, or build a web app? Eh, I'd rather build a web app.

omarforgotpwd5y ago

What would users like to use more?

tokn5y ago

1 more reply

leoh5y ago

lol — have you tried to engage, in a serious way, with the JavaScript ecosystem? It is a _dumpster fire_ to produce anything that is reasonably as interactive and complex as an iOS Application.

I do agree, however, with the idea that some things ought _not_ be apps, especially things that are dead simple, for which it _truly is_ easier to develop a web application.

emteycz5y ago

SwiftUI is nice, but needs a lot more years until it reaches the level of React.

Android libs are a joke.

(I write enterprise React applications last 6 years, and used to work with WinForms before that.)

1 more reply

auganov5y ago

IMO the biggest driver already is and will be app store/platform policies. Fundamental hardware constraints are secondary.

mikece5y ago

“Always bet on the web.”

PWA trumps mobile apps — until or unless it can be articulated why a PWA/hybrid app won’t work, but that is the small minority of app cases.

tdeck5y ago

frompdx5y ago

One issue with PWAs is that Apple has hobbled what they can do on iOS. I think this prompts a lot of would be adopters to skip PWA and go straight to packaging their app with electron.

coldtea5y ago

>PWA trumps mobile apps

In what sense? Most people use mobile apps than browse the web through mobile -- and most surf from mobile vs PC.

(The fact that said mobile apps might be web-based is an implementation detail).

blueflame75y ago

Because then you don't have to download and install an app

1 more reply

cnasc5y ago

Apple hobbles PWAs on iOS, so unless app creators want to ignore the most profitable segment of the mobile marketplace PWAs aren’t a solution

postalrat5y ago

It's true that apple hobbles PWAs on their mobile devices. But not everyone uses those devices and most apps don't make money off the initial purchase.

4778468d5y ago

No.

ARM has a huge problem with compatibility and secrecy.

Buy a random intel machine .... will it run Windows and Linux? YES.

Buy a random ARM device..,, will it run Linux? Maybe, probably not, even if it does, probably there’s problems and issues caused by the CPU vendor keeping aspects of its design secret.

ARM is a very very long way from replacing Intel.

koenvdb5y ago

I always forget that not being able to run Linux immediately means that there is a lot of secrecy. It can never be put on Linux.

nt2h9uh238h5y ago

According to Apples M1: Intel software runs FASTER on ARM than on Intel

thesuperbigfrog5y ago

>> it won't take long until android does the same on windows pcs

Chromebooks run android apps today.

Windows computers will run android apps with BlueStacks or a similar emulator.

Until mobile apps can do EVERYTHING that desktops apps do, desktop apps are here to stay.

TechNerds5y ago

This ColdFusion Video goes into a deeper explanation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuF9weSkS68

adamnemecek5y ago

Why not just go back to desktop apps instead of mobile desktop apps?

silly-silly5y ago

This is what will be happening.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse