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Google Chrome now works on iOS

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Re: Google Chrome now works on iOS

#71

Post by brian_cloutier »

mistercow wrote: post #12
nextstep wrote: post #10

But, Chrome on iOS will still be a "second class citizen" the way Opera mini and the other browsers on the AppStore. If you want to open a link in Chrome, you will need to copy/paste the URL, no "Open in Chrome" functionality like Safari has. For better or for worse, Apple has not opened up system-wide integration of third party apps, and I don't seem them allowing you to change your default browser anytime soon.

What's pretty nauseating about it is that it's exactly the kind of anti-competitive crap that Microsoft pulled in the first browser war, only more so.

Why do people keep bringing this up? The situations are completely different.

Microsoft bundled IE with Windows at a time where the internet was still painfully slow and it was difficult to download a different browser. They also allegedly put IE-specific APIs into Windows, giving it an unfair advantage.

However, neither of these would have been enough to convict, if Microsoft hadn't also had a monopoly over the PC. Back in those days, Windows was _the_ operating system. Linux was still new and unknown, and Macintosh wasn't a threat by any means. Bill Gates was sometimes compared to the president in terms of power and influence.

Bundling Windows and IE was an abuse of Microsoft's monopoly in the OS market, in a successful attempt to take over the browser market.

Apple has no such monopoly. Like many others have said here before, if you don't like what they do with their platform you can choose not to buy apple products. When you say they're being anti-competitive, you're implying that iOS and OSX are massive ecosystems which include meaningful competition in sub-markets that Apple is giving itself an unfair advantage in. No such sub-market exists.

Re: Google Chrome now works on iOS

#72

Post by patrickaljord »

Synaesthesia wrote: post #52
tubbo wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They "have to"? I was under the impression that you had a choice of UIWebView and your own custom implementation. Are they really going to block sales of an app if it has an alternative JS engine?

You might be able to do your own JavaScript implementation, not sure, but I think actually not. (I stand corrected on this). But V8 definitely won't be permitted under the current laws, as it uses executable blocks of code in memory, which are not permitted, for security reasons under iOS. Don't see that rule changing. Let's hope Apple let other browsers be the default though.

Isn't UIWebView a component written by Apple? Why not include Nitro in it? Why would it be a security issue on Chrome but not on Safari? Do people have access to the UIWebView source code? If not, this "security" reason is BS.

Re: Google Chrome now works on iOS

#74

Post by mbrubeck »

patrickaljord wrote: post #72
Synaesthesia wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You might be able to do your own JavaScript implementation, not sure, but I think actually not. (I stand corrected on this). But V8 definitely won't be permitted under the current laws, as it uses executable blocks of code in memory, which are not permitted, for security reasons under iOS. Don't see that rule changing. Let's hope Apple let other browsers be the default though.

Isn't UIWebView a component written by Apple? Why not include Nitro in it? Why would it be a security issue on Chrome but not on Safari? Do people have access to the UIWebView source code? If not, this "security" reason is BS.

Third-party processes on iOS cannot mark data pages as executable, which is a great security feature but it prevents JIT compilers or any other technology that dynamically generates machine code. Apple's built-in apps have an exception to this security mechanism, presumably because Apple is more confident in their own security auditing of those apps. Perhaps with some sandboxing mechanism and/or code auditing process they could allow some third-party apps similar access in the future, but it's not clear whether they feel a need to.

Re: Google Chrome now works on iOS

#75

Post by mbrubeck »

Synaesthesia wrote: post #52
tubbo wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They "have to"? I was under the impression that you had a choice of UIWebView and your own custom implementation. Are they really going to block sales of an app if it has an alternative JS engine?

You might be able to do your own JavaScript implementation, not sure, but I think actually not. (I stand corrected on this). But V8 definitely won't be permitted under the current laws, as it uses executable blocks of code in memory, which are not permitted, for security reasons under iOS. Don't see that rule changing. Let's hope Apple let other browsers be the default though.

No, Apple's iOS developer agreements do not allow browsers with their own JavaScript engines:

"Interpreted code may only be used in an Application if all scripts, code and interpreters are packaged in the Application and not downloaded. The only exception to the foregoing is scripts and code downloaded and run by Apple’s built-in WebKit framework."

Re: Google Chrome now works on iOS

#76

Post by zobzu »

recoiledsnake wrote: post #49
grhino wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9188721/Mozilla_Forg... http://blog.mozilla.org/mobile/2010/09/28/firefox-home-looki... I have not heard them use the monopoly complaints against Apple. I'm sure Mozilla is worried about Apple, but is using a different strategy since an argument that Apple is abusing monopoly is weak or underdeveloped. Mozilla might believe that Apple is a better actor in the open web space tha…

From the Mozilla blog post you linked: >We are working to bring as much of your Firefox experience as possible to Firefox Home. People have asked about adding more browser-like features to Firefox Home, but there are technical and logistical restrictions that make it difficult, if not impossible, to build the full Firefox browser for the iPhone. We are focused on building Firefox Home as a rich, cloud-based applicati…

or maybe that's the impression you have because it generated the most PR?

Re: Google Chrome now works on iOS

#77

Post by mbrubeck »

kylebrown wrote: post #67
tree_of_item wrote: post #25

If it's just a WebView with JavaScriptCore, what's the point? Is tab syncing the only benefit?

Its not JavaScriptCore, its webkit (UIWebView which is non-Nitro). Tab syncing is one heck of a benefit, I can't wait to switch. Now I'm definitely going to stick with Chrome on my desktop, even though I'd been considering going back to Firefox. Quite disappointing on Apple's part that its only in iOS 6 that Notes and Calendar will be synced with OS X, still not Safari tabs.

Doesn't Safari on iOS 6 include tab sync? http://techcrunch.com/2012/06/11/safari-on-ios-6-to-feature-...

Re: Google Chrome now works on iOS

#78

Post by tree_of_item »

kylebrown wrote: post #67
tree_of_item wrote: post #25

If it's just a WebView with JavaScriptCore, what's the point? Is tab syncing the only benefit?

Its not JavaScriptCore, its webkit (UIWebView which is non-Nitro). Tab syncing is one heck of a benefit, I can't wait to switch. Now I'm definitely going to stick with Chrome on my desktop, even though I'd been considering going back to Firefox. Quite disappointing on Apple's part that its only in iOS 6 that Notes and Calendar will be synced with OS X, still not Safari tabs.

Is JavaScriptCore not the WebKit JavaScript engine?

My point was that one of Chrome's main allures is V8, and if it's using stock WebKit (and therefore JavaScriptCore) there doesn't seem to be much point in using Chrome at all.

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