Alex Moore on Open Web Advocacy and Why “Innovation Doesn’t Come from the Gatekeepers”

In this RedMonk Conversation, senior analyst Kate Holterhoff is joined by Alex Moore, Executive Director of Open Web Advocacy (OWA), to unpack why the web has struggled to compete with native apps on mobile and what regulators are finally doing about it. Moore traces OWA’s origins from frustrated engineers to a global advocacy group. They explore the technical, economic, and competitive implications of blocking web apps on iOS, from developer productivity and install friction to security myths and the future of innovation. The discussion spans WebAssembly, PWAs vs. native apps, and major regulatory efforts like the EU’s Digital Markets Act, the UK’s DMCC, Japan’s Smartphone Act, and the US DOJ case against Apple.

Show notes: https://redmonk.com/videos/alex-moore-open-web-advocacy/

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Open Web Advocacy
02:48 The Formation and Goals of OWA
05:17 Apple's Dominance in Mobile Development
07:45 Web Apps vs. Native Apps: The Debate
10:39 The Future of Web Apps
12:55 Security Concerns and Apple's App Store
19:56 Conclusion and Future Outlook
22:14 Security in Native vs Web Environments
23:30 Advocacy Work and Legislative Landscape
24:02 Digital Markets Act and Its Implications
28:56 Global Movements: Japan and US Cases Against Apple
32:08 Getting Involved: Advocacy and Community Engagement
35:23 Call to Action: Pushing for Change in the Tech Landscape
37:52 The Future of Tinkering and Innovation