Microsoft confirms PWAs won't be fully functional on Windows 10 Mobile

Today, it was discovered that Microsoft had begun uploading progressive web apps into the Windows Store. Apps like Skyscanner, Oyster and Men’s Wearhouse, among others.

Unfortunately for excited Windows 10 Mobile users, these apps will not be fully functional due to lacking essential parts in the Edge engine necessary to make a true progressive web app.

Microsoft Edge Mobile on Windows does not have access to service workers for example, which means that you won’t be able to get notifications in your action centre like you were using a native app.

Edge for Windows 10 Mobile, in addition to lacking service workers, doesn’t support offline caching, either, so you’ll need to be online for the app to work.

While Microsoft does have flags for those in Edge mobile, they were only fully enabled in the true Windows 10 RS3 and upcoming RS4 updates (Fall and spring creators updates respectively), which means that desktop users got them, but mobile users did not.

Twitter is currently in beta now just for Insider Fast. Whether a dev deploys to mobile is up to them – certain features like Push and Service Worker won’t work on in-market W10M devices.

— Kyle Pflug (@kylealden) April 7, 2018

While Microsoft could have somewhat softened the app blow for Windows 10 Mobile users by offering progressive web apps, it decided that it was not worth the effort.

The sad thing? It’s probably right.