Comment by leptons
18 hours ago
Apple is the only ones holding anything back on iOS. They forbid any browser except Safari. At least if they let Google Chrome or any other browser maker use their own browser engine, iOS could have a capable browser installed. It is one reason among many Apple is being sued by the DOJ, but so far no progress forcing them to allow other browser engines like they did in the EU.
I can’t wait for websites to tell me I need to install Chrome on my phone.
If a web browser doesn't support an API, they're essentially saying: If you want to do this, you have to make people install a native app. And the websites reponse is: Fine, I'll make people install a native app: Chrome.
Me too! If you want to do cool things with a web browser, you sure can't do it with Safari. And how many times have you been told you need to install a specific app to access a specific service? For me it's too many to count.
People can hardly wait to get ChromeOS Platform it seems.
I’m typing this in Vivaldi on my iPhone 11 in the UK.
I acknowledge my privilege.
you can get Vivaldi outside the UK, the issue is the web engine, is it different in the UK?
IMO if they had allowed Firefox onto the App Store (Mozilla have had working ports more than once AFAIK) it might have helped it hold onto market share - I think Apple is partly responsible for the Chrome monoculture.
If that were the case then why isn’t Firefox on mobile on Android more successful? Apple blocking other browser engines in iOS is the only thing preventing a complete hegemony of the web by Google/Blink.
Different platforms, different tastes.
Facebook's Threads app has more activity on iOS than Android[1].
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[1] https://pxlnv.com/linklog/threads-android-ranking/
1 reply →
Yet another step towards a total Google monopoly, yay!
No it isn't. People should be free to use software they like, and not get subterfuge like they get from Apple. What Apple has now is a total monopoly on iOS browsers. It's far worse than what Microsoft did to get sued for antitrust violations when they simply bundled IE with Windows - at least Microsoft didn't forbid installation of any other browser engine like Apple is doing on iOS.
If Apple didn't purposely hobble Safari and forbid other browser engines so that developers had no choice but to develop an app for the app store where Apple can then skim 30% off all purchases, there wouldn't be as much of a need to allow other browser engines. For Apple it's completely about greed.
https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/media/1344546/dl?inline