I'm really confused. I actively use Firefox as my default browser on my iPhone running iOS 15.5. I don't think Apple has banned other browsers at all.
Apple's claim is that it bans other browsers for security
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Re: Apple's claim is that it bans other browsers for security
#222Earlier quoted context omitted.
Indeed. can you imagine if Microsoft had made it so that IE was the only browser you were allowed to install on Windows so you couldn't install Netscape even if you wanted to?
This would have been fine if Windows wasn't 95+% of desktop computer market share at the time. The regulatory argument was that Microsoft was abusing their desktop OS monopoly to give themselves an unfair advantage in another market (browsers). By contrast iOS is ~50% of mobile OS market share (in the US, I think it's less elsewhere). Hardly a monopoly. If using a different mobile browser is important to you, there's…
If governments give corporations with such overwhelming market dominance completely free rein then developers are nothing more than sharecroppers and consumers are going to pay the price either financially, in terms of privacy or through limited choice.
Re: Apple's claim is that it bans other browsers for security
#223Earlier quoted context omitted.
Really? You mean people don't use Firefox because: - it protects what's important - you can "Personalize your experience with new colorways." - has Facebook Container - syncs across your devices Mozilla knows the actual engine isn't the deciding factor when trying to get people to change browsers. https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/
You're on about regular Firefox, not iOS Firefox which is just a UI wrapped around a WebKit component.
Regarding mobile browsers specifically, their advantage over Safari here is blocking cryptominer scripts and autoplay videos: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browsers/mobile/compar...
Re: Apple's claim is that it bans other browsers for security
#224Earlier quoted context omitted.
> On the other hand, this denies me from using an actual Mozilla Firefox web browser on iOS. It denies you from using Gecko. You can use an actual Mozilla Firefox web browser on iOS.
"actual" Firefox absolutely means using their engine.
Re: Apple's claim is that it bans other browsers for security
#225Apple claiming security as a reason for monopoly, how classic. The EU's digital markets act bans the only Safari lock on IOS, so this is gone whether apple likes it or not. (1 - sorry couldn't find a better source) Safari is the new IE, there is a difference between a monopoly while still being able to use a competing product (like chrome in other platfroms), and forcing Safari(WebKit) while hindering the web because…
> Safari is the new IE, there is a difference between a monopoly while still being able to use a competing product (like chrome in other platfroms), and forcing Safari(WebKit) while hindering the web because of Apples interests.(2-3) Ehm. Chrome is the new IE. Apple is using anti-competitive methods but its far far away from market domination. Microsoft is doing even more, by pushing so much Edge-only stuff. On iOS A…
Re: Apple's claim is that it bans other browsers for security
#226Earlier quoted context omitted.
So, you are happy to have Apple provide no user choice, because you fear a future where there is no user choice?
No; my problem is when people are using the "open web" as a bludgeon to get Apple to allow Chrome on iOS. If you want Chrome on iOS, just say that. To pretend that there is open future of browser diversity once Chrome is allowed on iOS is underhanded.
Re: Apple's claim is that it bans other browsers for security
#227Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's not the "EU's cookie banners", it is the advertisers' cookie banners. The EU doesn't mandate cookie banners at all. It's the website's choice whether to pester users about having them accept targetting cookies. The most natural implementation of the EU directive would be to have a place in User Settings where users can go and enable targeted advertising if they want it.
>The most natural implementation of the EU directive would be to have a place in User Settings where users can go and enable targeted advertising if they want it. And why would we assume that these companies would follow the "most natural implementation"? The very predictable response of the industry to the EU directive was to make the cookie banners as annoying as invasive as possible, such that users would consent…
They at least give you some measure of control, or legal standing, or at least visibility into how bad the web actually is.
Re: Apple's claim is that it bans other browsers for security
#228Earlier quoted context omitted.
On the other hand, this denies me from using an actual Mozilla Firefox web browser on iOS. Imposing an artificial limit on iOS isn't how the web will move forward. > Whatever you think of their decisions, Apple is the only thing stopping a 90%+ Chrome web. I don't see Apple making any effort to diversify the browser ecosystem by making their browser available on other operating systems, so their inaction on other fro…
> On the other hand, this denies me from using an actual Mozilla Firefox web browser on iOS. It denies you from using Gecko. You can use an actual Mozilla Firefox web browser on iOS.
Re: Apple's claim is that it bans other browsers for security
#229Earlier quoted context omitted.
On the other hand, this denies me from using an actual Mozilla Firefox web browser on iOS. Imposing an artificial limit on iOS isn't how the web will move forward. > Whatever you think of their decisions, Apple is the only thing stopping a 90%+ Chrome web. I don't see Apple making any effort to diversify the browser ecosystem by making their browser available on other operating systems, so their inaction on other fro…
> On the other hand, this denies me from using an actual Mozilla Firefox web browser on iOS. At the same time, most desktop computer users are able to use Firefox and we can see how often they choose to do so.
Re: Apple's claim is that it bans other browsers for security
#230Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's not misleading. Firefox, Edge and Chrome have all been banned on iOS. Instead Apple has forced them to produce separate browsers around a locked WebView that they exclusively control. Mozilla, Microsoft and Google have all spoken out against the ban in regulatory submission, and browser engineers at each vendor consider it a ban. The REAL browsers have been banned.
> Firefox, Edge and Chrome have all been banned on iOS. No they haven't! You can download each one here: [0], [1], [2]. They have been forbidden from using their own rendering engines. But they can still add all the chrome they want to the UI and do all their usual tracking like they do on the desktop. [0] https://apps.apple.com/us/app/firefox-focus-privacy-browser/... [1] https://apps.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-edge…