The web as an OS

The web is evolving. It’s no longer just a collection of static sites.

Web APIs and Progressive Web Apps (PWA) have turned the web into a dynamic ecosystem that feels more like a suite of applications than traditional websites. You can now run sophisticated apps directly in your browser—without downloading anything.

Even Apple, with its massive native app ecosystem, is investing heavily in the web. iCloud, Apple Maps—they all work seamlessly across Firefox, Chrome, and Safari. Apple isn’t alone here. They see where things are heading.

New browsers like Arc are taking this a step further. They see the browser itself as the operating system. They’re targeting power users, offering tools to manage workflows in a way that feels more like using an OS than a browser.

And it’s not a new idea. Chromebooks have been betting on the web-as-OS concept for over a decade. Web apps are all they need.

All of this makes me wonder—what is the future of the web?

Is it becoming the new OS?