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> And let’s not forget that most people now access the web via mobile devices, 75% of which run Google’s Android. Which is a good thing, because these devices
by lol768 6y ago
> And let’s not forget that most people now access the web via mobile devices, 75% of which run Google’s Android.
Which is a good thing, because these devices can actually run different browser rendering engines.
Perhaps the bigger problem is that devices ship with Chrome pre-installed instead of asking the user at device set-up time what browser they want to use.
I imagine if you told the user they could have a browser with extensions, ad-blocking, background playback etc they might be a bit more inclined to consider using Firefox.
- emteycz 6y agoNo, they will be inclined to not use that device and use one that does not ask weird questions.
- lol768 6y ago> No, they will be inclined to not use that device and use one that does not ask weird questions. Weird questions that they got asked already on their Windows machine as part of BrowserChoice.eu? They're only "weird" because this practice of forcing your own browser (IE, Edge, Chrome, Safari) down the throat of your users has become commonplace.
- emteycz 6y agoI have literally never seen that prompt, and I have turned hundreds of computers on for the first time. So yeah, just like that weird, never seen dialog.
- yoz-y 6y agoI have seen it but only briefly at a time. I've installed windows 10 twice recently and never got to it. Only Edge begging to not be removed from the launch bar.
- darepublic 6y agoFirefox mobile is good but not as convenient for using Google maps
- lol768 6y ago> Firefox mobile is good but not as convenient for using Google maps Agreed, but I think the native Google Maps app is superior than any browser experience.
- jamil7 6y ago> Which is a good thing, because these devices can actually run different browser rendering engines. In theory yeah, in practise it looks a bit murky to me right now due to the state of the web. Apple is under a lot of fire right now (quite rightly) but I have a suspicion if other browser engines are allowed to run on iOS there will effectively be no incentives to develop for any other browser engine and we'll start seeing "Works best / only in Chromium" type websites and apps (I've already experienced this a fair bit using Firefox).
- izacus 6y agoMajority of Android devices in western world actually ship with Samsung Browser as default browser, not Chrome. The rest of the market ships with Safari as unchangeable default and rather small part of mobile market is the one with Chrome
- lol768 6y agoThis is a good point, I've never really looked much at the breakdown of device popularity by manufacturer. All the devices I've purchased have been Nexus/Pixel devices, so Chrome is a given there. I assume at the end of the day Samsung Browser is just a reskinned Blink, though?
- d3nj4l 6y agoIt's based on Chromium, but it has extensions and a bunch of additional features.
- d3nj4l 6y agoSamsung only has ~50% market share of Android phones in the US (https://www.counterpointresearch.com/us-market-smartphone-share/ https://www.counterpointresearch.com/us-market-smartphone-sh...), and ~40% in Europe (https://www.counterpointresearch.com/covid-19-weighs-european-smartphone-market-q1-2020/ https://www.counterpointresearch.com/covid-19-weighs-europea...). Chrome isn't a "rather small" part of the mobile maker in the West.