Apple's WebKit Rules Reportedly Cost iOS Users Almost 30% Browser Performance

[zarmanto]

Microsoft engineers have published benchmark results showing that a Chromium-based browser using its own rendering engine scores 28.6% higher than Safari on Apple's own Speedometer 3.1 performance test on iOS.

... Pflug described the work as a research prototype rather than a finished product, and the numbers as preliminary results from his own device rather than lab conditions.

Research prototype. In other words, a version of the app that doesn't implement any of the standard bug preventative and antimalware measures... you know, those measures that tend to take up processing time.

This "prototype" was specifically engineered to create controversy, and nothing more... no production browser will ever be released with those performance gains.

 

[ThisIsAnXbox]

Just nice to see people talking about a different kind of 30% Apple Tax from time to time.

 

[chucker23n1]

Let me understand this. Apple only allows Webkit based browsers on iOS, yet the test claims Chromium based web browsers runs faster than Webkit based ones... Where they both running on iOS? Something doesn't add up.

Yes it does, and it’s explained in the article. They tested with Chromium. They just can’t publish to the App Store with it.

 

[phuklok1]

this webkit lock-in crap allows apple to obsolete your perfect good device since the browser cannot be updated (not even 3rd party) once IOS cannot and over time website break or become security nightmares. it also creates tons of e-waste when children or older people who just do basic tasks could use those older devices. why the hell is the browser bundled with the OS?!!

 

[TheBeverage]

I've had mixed feelings on this for a while. On the one hand I don't love the idea of Apple enforcing Webkit as the only browser engine on iOS, but on the other hand the reality is that Apple doing so is the only reason we don't have an Internet Explorer-tier web monopoly from Chrome/Chromium. I think what Apple is doing is the lesser of two evils, currently.

 

[chucker23n1]

more than two years later no browser maker has shipped an alternative engine on iOS. Companies cite technical barriers and the requirement to publish any such browser as an entirely separate app from their existing WebKit-based version.

The reality is that users do not care. On paper, the EU had a well-intentioned idea; in practice, it does not solve a problem any consumer actually has.

 

[peanutbutter47]

What is the best browser then?

 

[jimscard]

Microsoft engineers have published benchmark results showing that a Chromium-based browser using its own rendering engine scores 28.6% higher than Safari on Apple's own Speedometer 3.1 performance test on iOS.

Kyle Pflug, group product manager for the Microsoft Edge Web Platform, published results on Monday comparing a research prototype of Edge built with Apple's BrowserEngineKit framework against Safari running iOS 26.5.1. The Blink-based prototype scored 49.27 versus Safari's 38.3 on Speedometer 3.1, and also outperformed Safari on the JetStream 3 JavaScript benchmark by 13.1% (306.35 vs. 270.9) and on the MotionMark 1.3.1 graphics rendering benchmark by 2.1% (4,773.52 vs. 4,673.68). Pflug described the work as a research prototype rather than a finished product, and the numbers as preliminary results from his own device rather than lab conditions.

Apple requires all browsers on iOS to use WebKit, the engine that powers Safari, meaning browsers like Chrome and Firefox on iPhone are effectively reskinned Safari instances. The EU's Digital Markets Act theoretically changed that in March 2024, requiring Apple to allow alternative browser engines through BrowserEngineKit, yet more than two years later no browser maker has shipped an alternative engine on iOS. Companies cite technical barriers and the requirement to publish any such browser as an entirely separate app from their existing WebKit-based version.

Open Web Advocacy told The Register the results illustrate a 17-year cost to consumers. The group called on the European Commission to open a specification proceeding instructing Apple precisely how it must remove barriers to alternative engines, adding that restricting browser engines allows Apple to limit what the mobile web is capable of and keep businesses dependent on native apps and App Store rules.

Article Link: Apple's WebKit Rules Reportedly Cost iOS Users Almost 30% Browser Performance

More silliness from the engineering by government committee crowd.

So let's be clear on a few things. First, there are many clear benefits that the use of WebKit brings. Second, the reason most of the 'alternative browser' crowd wants to bypass it has nothing to do with any user benefit, but because it allows them to do things, like collecting user data, that WebKit prevents as part of protecting the customer.

Now let's get on with the claim. First, it can't be taken seriously because it wasn't conducted under controlled conditions, nor was it using an actual browser product.

Then they conveniently ignore the fact that most websites, when they detect Chrome, or a Chromium browser, dump a ton of tracking scripts, ad related scripts, etc., that render any theoretical speed advantage moot (and usually far worse).

So, a random study of a random research browser on a random device for the purpose of making a bogus claim to further the interests of competitors that don't deliver anything for users. Nothing to see here, move along.

 

[ghostface147]

I don't think I'm missing the 30% performance when I am loading unitednuclear.com.

 

[bradman83]

On the contrary, it forces competition. Without it, Chromium/Blink would just walk away with the entire market. Having 20 different wrappers on chromium isn’t competition, but having WebKit out there sure is competition for chromium.

That's... the opposite of competition though by forcing WebKit to be used for all browsers on a large mobile platform. Competition is Apple offering Safari, making it a meaningfully better product than Chromium-based browsers, and winning user share based on it being a good product, not because iOS and iPadOS users have no choice.

 

[GMShadow]

Slowfari is the modern equivalent of Internet Explorer these days. It's slow, and always the last to implement new web standards. Apple hates its end users, and especially its developers so I don't expect things to get better anytime soon.

"standards" being "whatever Google made up outside of standards bodies that people adopt because of Chrome market share".

Which would make Chrome the new IE6, actually.

 

[erikkfi]

WebKit is intentionally competent performance-wise but not so fast that it could rival native app performance. The goal is to get you to use apps so they can funnel IAP money to themselves.

 

[platinumaqua]

Safari is fast enough. However, I still want Gecko Firefox with full extension support.

 

[Hogswarts]

Someone educate me. Why are browsers so competitive? Do they make money themselves? Like… that’s the deal.

Users are tracked and monetized.

 

[robvalentine]

Let me understand this. Apple only allows Webkit based browsers on iOS, yet the test claims Chromium based web browsers runs faster than Webkit based ones... Where they both running on iOS? Something doesn't add up.

There are too many variables to make this claim.

There's a difference between having an app on a dev iPhone (testflight), and getting it past Apple's competition control, sorry App Store approval

 

[QuantumPulse]

Safari is far more privacy-focused than Chrome or Edge... so....

 

[p96]

From what I understand, Apple is also doing this for security. They are taking responsibility for everything that can run code (JavaScript and WebAssembly) on the iPhone.

 

[Frantisekj]

On the contrary, it forces competition. Without it, Chromium/Blink would just walk away with the entire market. Having 20 different wrappers on chromium isn’t competition, but having WebKit out there sure is competition for chromium.

Yaeh and article or MS engineers somehow forgot to tell us what are those rules that eats 30% of performance. I have no clue and would be curious.

 

[improbability]

I want to know the huge corporations behind this push to open iOS up.

Stop trying to make iOS as crappy a security platform as android. Why would you need another web engine? Especially one that's not security focused.

All of these companies just want to use their own to steal your data, and run things to bypass security and safety.

STOP TRYING TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. It has been so nice supporting iOS without the nonsense that happens on android.

 

[iZac]

So this is why iOS can't run Flash? 😉

 

[krakenrelease]

Publishing results from his personal device and not a lab environment is crazy. Then reproduce it in a lab so it can be peer reviewed and repeated

 

[Ursadorable]

Someone educate me. Why are browsers so competitive? Do they make money themselves? Like… that’s the deal.

They allow companies to define operational aspects of the web in their favour.

Back in the day, Microsoft was taken to court because of this, where many websites would only work properly with Internet Explorer as they pushed favourable feature sets that only IE supported (instead of sticking to HTML standards).

Now Google is doing similarly shady practices with Chrome. Because Google's primary source of income is ad revenue, they use modified their browser to limit adblocking capability (see Manifest v2 vs v3).

There's a reason why I only use Mozilla based browsers, instead of Chrome based (including the likes of Edge)

 

[Ursadorable]

Edge is the only good browser right now. It's unencumbered with crypto nonsense like Brave, and it blocks adtech company nonsense by default unlike Chrome.

You do realize Edge IS Chrome, simply with different face paint? In fact it's even worse than Chrome, because it has extra Microsoft crap added on top.

 

[Ursadorable]

So this is why iOS can't run Flash? 😉

Flash was relegated off the Internet for being highly insecure and buggy as heck.

 

[IIGS User]

Everyone knows Netscape is the best. Just search ask Jeeves and you will see it’s true!