UK Regulator Blames Apple for Stifling Mobile Browser Competition

[Luna Murasaki]

The WebKit requirement on iPhones is probably the only thing left stopping the entire web from becoming Chromium-only. Already most of my dad's web sites require him to put Safari away and open up Chrome, and I've switched from Safari to Vivaldi specifically because of the way the wind is blowing. If there were a way to run Chromium's rendering engine on an iPhone that would be the end of it and we'd officially have an IE6 monoculture again only with Chromium this time. But that seems to be what the entire tech community wants for some reason, so I'm sure there will be much rejoicing.

As far as the browsers themselves are concerned, Chrome overwhelmingly dominates on Windows even though Edge is the default, preinstalled browser and even though unlike Apple, Microsoft shamelessly engages in user-hostile practices to keep it as the default. So it clearly doesn't matter like people think it does. But let's just ignore that so we can hate on Apple more.

I think it's wonderful that these governments are finally trying to regulate these companies, because regulation is badly needed. But they are completely doing this the wrong way and focusing on the wrong things. How about an actual journaled file system every OS is required to support? How about prohibiting Microsoft Word from disabling functionality to punish you for saving your documents to anything other than OneDrive? Instead, the focus seems to be on helping different companies make more money at the cost of user experience.

 

[GimmeDatApple]

Oh please. They're just salty because they got caught asking for encryption backdoors.

 

[alexe]

It's crazy how few of the commenters here understand that free competition is good for customers.

If a competing browser could be able to offer cool features or better performance by not being required to use WebKit, that would be a good thing for everyone.

 

[spazzcat]

It a web browser, it servers up web pages there really isn't any money to be made creating browsers that is why there are not more of them.

 

[webkit]

I can foresee more attack vectors, especially in the UK where back doors are a coming, as Apple is forced to allow any browser install.

Have there been any significant issues on iOS/iPadOS in the EU where alternative browser engines have been allowed for about a year?

 

[surferfb]

There are legitimate security and user experience reasons for the WebKit requirement. All opening it up would do is make Chrome even more of a monopoly. It blows my mind regulators can't think through the implications of their regulations.

 

[surferfb]

Have there been any significant issues on iOS/iPadOS in the EU where alternative browser engines have been allowed for about a year?

Last time I looked (which to be fair was sometime in the summer) there weren't any non-webkit browsers available in the EU despite the Webkit-only policy being removed in the EU.

 

[I7guy]

Have there been any significant issues on iOS/iPadOS in the EU where alternative browser engines have been allowed for about a year?

Did the EU ask Apple for a backdoor to iCloud?

 

[surferfb]

It's crazy how few of the commenters here understand that free competition is good for customers.

If a competing browser could be able to offer cool features or better performance by not being required to use WebKit, that would be a good thing for everyone.

Or it could destroy battery life, with unsophisticated users not understanding the reason why, and blaming Apple.

Free competition exists. If users care enough to use an alternative browser nothing is stopping them from doing so - they just might have to change phone manufacturers. Government shouldn't be designing Apple's software and hardware, that's how we get mandatory encryption backdoors and attempts to make micro-USB the only allowed charging port.

 

[webkit]

Best part is that I don’t care, Without something other than Chromium there would be nothing but chromium back end browser engines. The fact that WebKit is the only thing on iDevices is all that has kept different browser engines alive. If not then web designers would just build for chromium and that would be the end of competition.

How is blocking alternatives like Gecko on iOS/iPadOS helping keep alternatives alive? Maybe if Gecko and others were allowed on iOS/iPadOS people would use it more there as well as elsewhere and drive up demand and interest from designers.

In addition to allowing alternatives on iOS/iPadOS, if Apple wants to try to reduce Chromium's dominance, they should offer Safari/WebKit on Windows and Android.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

I can believe it. Safari is a pain in the ass, especially on iPad Pro where its memory-conservative implementation is especially egregious.

But what incentive does Apple have to improve it? Not like someone else can make a better browser, they're all forced to be Safari under the hood.

 

[webkit]

Did the EU ask Apple for a backdoor to iCloud?

My question was about alternative browser engines. Has allowing alternative browser engines on iOS/iPadOS in the EU created any significant issues?

 

[I7guy]

My question was about alternative browser engines. Has allowing alternative browser engines on iOS/iPadOS in the EU created any significant issues?

My post was based on two bad precedents: 1) UK requested iCloud backdoors and 2) the CMA contention Apple is restricting mobile browser innovation.

 

[surferfb]

My question was about alternative browser engines. Has allowing alternative browser engines on iOS/iPadOS in the EU created any significant issues?

I just did a quick search and while there are reports that Google and Mozilla are working on bringing their engines to iOS, it appears no non-Webkit browsers are available on iOS in the EU. I suspect that even if my googling (Kagi-ing?) missed one, the user base is tiny, so we're not going to see any issues.

We do know Chrome destroys battery life on MacOS, so no reason to think it wouldn't do so on iOS.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

I just did a quick search and while there are reports that Google and Mozilla are working on bringing their engines to iOS, it appears no non-Webkit browsers are available on iOS in the EU. I suspect that even if my googling (Kagi-ing?) missed one, the user base is tiny, so we're not going to see any issues.

We do know Chrome destroys battery life on MacOS, so no reason to think it wouldn't do so on iOS.

Plenty of apps destroy battery life on iOS, but that's reason Apple is blocking third-party rendering engines? Sure...

 

[webkit]

It a web browser, it servers up web pages there really isn't any money to be made creating browsers that is why there are not more of them.

There are actually many browsers out there (most with very little market share) but comparatively few browser engines.

 

[surferfb]

Plenty of apps destroy battery life on iOS, but somehow browsers are being singled out for it?

I admittedly don't have data to back this up, but I suspect the browser is far and away the most used app on the vast, vast majority of phones, so I'd argue that yes, it is a bigger deal on the browser than other apps.

 

[webkit]

I just did a quick search and while there are reports that Google and Mozilla are working on bringing their engines to iOS, it appears no non-Webkit browsers are available on iOS in the EU.

True, no major browser has of yet.

 

[MVMNT]

Ahh another EU move away from WebKit browsers that the UK is complaining about being stuck with... If only it hadn't left eh?

 

[Will Co]

The same regulator who wants UK residents to have less privacy with their Apple products? Or is that a different regulator?

Totally different

 

[WarmWinterHat]

I admittedly don't have data to back this up, but I suspect the browser is far and away the most used app on the vast, vast majority of phones, so I'd argue that yes, it is a bigger deal on the browser than other apps.

It's not on mine, as I barely use the web on my phone, but you might be right.

 

[Will Co]

Oh please. They're just salty because they got caught asking for encryption backdoors.

The CMA has nothing whatsoever to do with the IPA Act.

 

[Baslea]

Why there are no comments like "leave uk"??

For many lemmings here at MR, its not about the content, but rather about to rant towards the EU. As soon as something is decided by/in the EU, no matter how customer-friendly it is, it's considered bad/communism for them.

Since UK is not EU anymore, that's fine for them, no matter what the actual topic is.

 

[gco212]

In fairness, we can blame the US (Microsoft) for Nokia’s fate too 🤣

Nokia had already failed by the time Microsoft got its hands on it.

 

[facedmurkroots]

Nokia had already failed by the time Microsoft got its hands on it.

Hard to argue with that. My blame-Microsoft point is invalid then!