Nah. When the App Store started getting truly popular you couldn't even run an ad blocker on mobile Safari. That came many years later.

IMO the reason we got to this place is twofold:

- apps give companies a spot on your Home Screen and allow you to develop a habit of opening it. I suspect Apple are very aware of this, which is why they continue to make it very difficult to install a web app to your home screen.

- notifications. Which, again, draw a returning audience