Progressive Web Apps: why businesses are adopting PWAs en masse in 2026

PWAs in 2026: reaching maturityProgressive Web Apps have reached a level of maturity that makes them a credible alternative to native applications. Browser advances, particularly in Chrome and Safari, have closed most of the historical limitations of PWAs.Why businesses are migrating to PWAsA single codebase for web and mobile cuts development costs by 40 to 60%. Updates are instant, without going through the stores. Web search engine optimisation (SEO) is natively supported. Installation is optional and requires no heavy download.The new capabilitiesThe Web Push API is now supported on iOS Safari. Access to the file system, sensors (gyroscope, accelerometer) and Bluetooth expands the possibilities. Offline mode with smart synchronisation enables use without connectivity.Successful use casesStarbucks, Twitter Lite and Pinterest have shown impressive results: higher engagement, lower bounce rates and improved conversions. In Africa, PWAs are particularly relevant given connectivity constraints.Source: Alex Russell, Chrome engineer at Google, Web.dev Live 2025 conference