It already is, with the fact that Google forced OEMs to pre-install Chrome on Android phones if they want to be certified. Funny how there's no uproar on anti competitive like IE on Windows. Google gets a complete free pass.
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Apple Considering Dropping Requirement for iPhone Web Browsers to Use WebKit
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Some folks seem to not understand the concept of "having a choice"
Why is that a problem? Do you think that once the requirement is dropped, Apple is going to discontinue Safari for iOS?
TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️
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Is it true that it's very buggy or is this a biased article?
Orion BrowserâââA Fantastic Mac Browser, If It Werenât For The Bugs
So I watched the above video on a bunch of free Mac apps. And itâs a pretty good video. You should watch it if you have a Mac.
Apple sure does keep considering a lot of things lately and I'm definitely sure it has NOTHING AT ALL to do with all of these new laws being passed.
That being said, as a webdev who has every browser installed on my Mac, I definitely prefer Safari. Historically it's not as bloated and the dev tools are pretty good. I use Chrome too but mainly for debugging Chrome-specific issues. Honestly not much point in using Firefox and Opera as they're rounding errors in 2022 but I still have them and test them on more complex sites. Also have Edge but…lol.
I won't be installing any third party browsers on my iPad or iPhone. Don't see the point. Don't need my devices to be open to even more security vulnerabilities without much benefit.
That being said, as a webdev who has every browser installed on my Mac, I definitely prefer Safari. Historically it's not as bloated and the dev tools are pretty good. I use Chrome too but mainly for debugging Chrome-specific issues. Honestly not much point in using Firefox and Opera as they're rounding errors in 2022 but I still have them and test them on more complex sites. Also have Edge but…lol.
I won't be installing any third party browsers on my iPad or iPhone. Don't see the point. Don't need my devices to be open to even more security vulnerabilities without much benefit.
More customer friendly or more Google/Meta friendly? I trust Safari far more than I would trust Chrome and Facebook-- this just gives those companies a forced entry to the Apple ecosystem with a potential path around what I consider customer friendly protections implemented by Apple.
I suspect customers think choice is always good but don't understand that choice requires education-- witness the sudden backlash against Facebook's user data policies by the public long after the damage, that the more educated among us could have predicted, was already done. For years I was called paranoid for not trusting Facebook, then all of a sudden many of those same people came to me appalled by Facebooks behavior.
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I highly doubt that Apple would remove the WebKit requirement - for the same reasons why it won't open up Messages.
Even if Apple did allow fully-contained third-party browser rendering apps, you'll probably take a hit on battery life due to how badly programmed many of them would be.
Even if Apple did allow fully-contained third-party browser rendering apps, you'll probably take a hit on battery life due to how badly programmed many of them would be.
TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️
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I don’t think Apple will ever discontinue Safari. However, I do hope this decision will motivate Apple to bring more customization options to Safari… such as more themes, colors, extensions.
This is an absolute MUST. There are a lot of pages that don't work correctly with Safari on iOS/iPadOS. Some things that don't work on Safari can sometimes be solved using other browsers, although they use the same engine. Things that don't work on the mobile version of Safari are certain pop-up menus and in many cases actions buttons (Continue, OK, etc.) are nonfunctional. Web pages of banks are sometimes a nightmare.
Come on @turbineseaplane, you've been around long enough to know that there is a significant segment of the Apple customer base that dislikes choice and appreciates Apple's curated selection of devices and apps.
Perhaps you missed the month's long meltdown over Apple continuing to sell the 9th gen iPad simultaneously with the 10th gen. Quite a few people suffered from "paralysis by analysis" over having to decide.
(edit: fixed a typo)
Brilliant idea. If we can run other/multiple OSes on our Macs, why can't we do the same on iOS devices?
So you just want rebranded chrome then.
As Android has shown, "choice" often results in severe negative outcomes.
Forcing WebKit on iOS users means that Chrome's engine can't take over the world. Literally every website needs to target Chrome and Safari/iOS. From a macro/market point of view that's a good thing.
Forcing WebKit on iOS users means that Chrome's engine can't take over the world. Literally every website needs to target Chrome and Safari/iOS. From a macro/market point of view that's a good thing.
But that doesn't answer the question as to why you believe that Apple dropping the requirement for iPhone web browsers to use webkit is going to be a problem for you.
This is the only change coming out of this that I care about. The only negative about iOS to me is the WebKit mandate. If they make this change and allow the other browser engines to run in iOS (as equals) it will be the biggest upgrade Apple has made to the platform for a user like me.
This is a choice that you get, you're not being forced to do anything.
Since when do people on MacRumors think that having a choice is bad thing? Right now you have zero choice, you do as you're told and you can't do anything about it.
Not being locked into WebKit and sideloading are just two more reasons that will make users consider the iPhone over Android. I am not concerned about either of these things as Apple will put actual thought into it and keep the iPhone as secure as possible.
TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️
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Well to keep it simple. I don't want to use any other browser besides Safari.But that doesn't answer the question as to why you believe that Apple dropping the requirement for iPhone web browsers to use webkit is going to be a problem for you.
But how would this be handled?
Any app that wants to not use WebKit needs an entitlement to announce this?
They also need JIT entitlement of course, too.
And Apple would have to scan them to make sure all submitted apps use a recent version, so you can't use an old Chromium from 2 years ago inside your browser app.
And require you to update your app every month to include security fixes, right?
Any app that wants to not use WebKit needs an entitlement to announce this?
They also need JIT entitlement of course, too.
And Apple would have to scan them to make sure all submitted apps use a recent version, so you can't use an old Chromium from 2 years ago inside your browser app.
And require you to update your app every month to include security fixes, right?
Then don't.
But your desire for Safari only shouldn't restrict the desires of the rest of us, who do want some choices here.