4 ms·

What is this hope for healthy browser engine competition? On Android and ChromeOS, Chrome and Chromium-based browsers have more than 99% marketshare. "Apple sh

What is this hope for healthy browser engine competition? On Android and ChromeOS, Chrome and Chromium-based browsers have more than 99% marketshare. "Apple should allow non-WebKit browsers" is really saying "what's holding back the mobile web is that Google does not completely dominate it." Only one thing prevents that outcome today.

lern_too_spel 7y ago
That's a novel argument against allowing competing browsers. Let's apply a basic check on its validity. Do you think Mozilla agrees with it? I think you'll find the answer is "no." Not allowing competing browsers does not help the web ecosystem or the users. It helps only Apple.
- millstone 7y ago
  Yes I think Mozilla would agree with both the marketshare figures, and that iOS is the only effective check on Google's mobile web dominance. How has allowing competing browser engines on Android helped the web ecosystem? Non-Chromium browsers are a rounding error on Android.
  - lern_too_spel 7y ago
    > How has allowing competing browser engines on Android helped the web ecosystem? By allowing people to install Firefox. Would you rather that Android be Chrome-only? Neither, I suspect, would Mozilla. The same applies to iOS, with its backwards browser holding back the web. Your argument would justify Microsoft making IE 6 the only allowed browser on Windows. Do you really not see how ridiculous that is?
kitsunesoba 7y ago
Yes, this is precisely my fear. The moment that iOS is opened up to third party web engines and Blink-based Chrome has been ported, “viewed best in” badges will rise from the dead, and users will be badgered into installing Chrome for iOS, eliminating the last major non-Chrome holdout (Safari currently holds 16% marketshare). This will make Firefox extremely vulnerable with its ~4.3% marketshare.

4 ms·

What is this hope for healthy browser engine competition? On Android and ChromeOS, Chrome and Chromium-based browsers have more than 99% marketshare. "Apple sh

by millstone 7y ago

lern_too_spel 7y ago
That's a novel argument against allowing competing browsers. Let's apply a basic check on its validity. Do you think Mozilla agrees with it? I think you'll find the answer is "no." Not allowing competing browsers does not help the web ecosystem or the users. It helps only Apple.
- millstone 7y ago
  Yes I think Mozilla would agree with both the marketshare figures, and that iOS is the only effective check on Google's mobile web dominance. How has allowing competing browser engines on Android helped the web ecosystem? Non-Chromium browsers are a rounding error on Android.
  - lern_too_spel 7y ago
    > How has allowing competing browser engines on Android helped the web ecosystem? By allowing people to install Firefox. Would you rather that Android be Chrome-only? Neither, I suspect, would Mozilla. The same applies to iOS, with its backwards browser holding back the web. Your argument would justify Microsoft making IE 6 the only allowed browser on Windows. Do you really not see how ridiculous that is?
kitsunesoba 7y ago
Yes, this is precisely my fear. The moment that iOS is opened up to third party web engines and Blink-based Chrome has been ported, “viewed best in” badges will rise from the dead, and users will be badgered into installing Chrome for iOS, eliminating the last major non-Chrome holdout (Safari currently holds 16% marketshare). This will make Firefox extremely vulnerable with its ~4.3% marketshare.