Max Lynch, CEO of Ionic, discusses the challenges of building mobile apps using web technologies, emphasizing that the web stack is too low-level compared to native development environments like iOS or Android. He explains that while HTML, JavaScript, and CSS are higher-level abstractions compared to languages like Objective-C, they lack the specific components and features necessary for creating mobile apps. Lynch argues that developers face significant difficulties in implementing native-like UI concepts and styles using the web stack, which requires them to build everything from scratch. He suggests that frameworks like Ionic can address these limitations by providing the necessary tools to create apps that look and feel native, making it easier for developers to target specific platforms.