I run a fairly popular mobile web app and the most common request is for me to release it as a native app. I try to tell them that the app would just be a web wrapper and that they wouldn't get any different experience than from running it in the browser, but it doesn't matter. Even after showing them that they can install the PWA they just say "I'll come back when you release it as an app".
My point is that users don't care if just showing a website in a WebView is misused technology. They want an app regardless and telling them "a website is a website" is futile.
I would say it's a big misconception, when users want native app they don't want webview, native apps on each platform have a certain look and feel, as well as baseline performance, which they are used to. WebView will never be able to provide these key things, and it is prominently noticeable to most they are using one or another. So don't try to fool your users, then they want native they want native, and React Native is a perfect thing to build it using same technology as the Web, just with these crucial Native elements.
No, that's not correct at all. They want my web app as an app in the App Store/Google Play, even if it's just a WebView wrapper. I don't want to dox myself but it's more of a game than a regular application and all elements are custom graphics so there wouldn't be any native elements regardless.
Your case might be outstanding, surely there will be a situation where this is perfectly applicable, say you need such an app where utility prevails over the design, or maybe your html5 game works perfectly in the web view. For sure, you can take one of the custom browser solutions, and release a new browser just for your page, but it is not RN use-case, just use Flutter in this case
I do agree that native apps are better (mobile dev since 2009) but there are definitely ways to make your web app feel better and less sluggish if you care enough. Most shops don’t.
My point is that users don't care if just showing a website in a WebView is misused technology. They want an app regardless and telling them "a website is a website" is futile.