Here's the problem: native apps require downloading, updating and take up more space on the device. I think the mobile web could be much more than it is now, but mobile web browsers seem be improving at a very slow pace. One of the main reasons for that is that the creators of the mobile operating systems benefit more from an app store environment, where they can take a cut of the sales of an app, so they have little motivation to improve the browsing experience.

There's no reason that mobile browsers couldn't expose more internal access to components or controls (and UI options) that are currently only available to native apps.

Do we really want to be restricted to a environment where if we want to release an update to our app, we have to submit the update to the third party for approval? (which can take days) and where users have to download your app to try it out?

We shouldn't concede defeat. We should demand more from mobile web browsers.