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I've jokingly referred to Safari as SafarIE for the last 5 years. It does tick all these boxes: 1. Backed by an OS manufacturer that doesn't care about the web

I've jokingly referred to Safari as SafarIE for the last 5 years. It does tick all these boxes: 1. Backed by an OS manufacturer that doesn't care about the web 2. Spends more time working on features that suit itself than meeting standards agreed upon by a body of which they're a part. 3. The only sanctioned/allowed browser on their platform (MS didn't even achieve this holy grail) 4. Lagging behind most other popular browsers by years in some cases But due to it being the ONLY browser that'll run on iOS, I have no choice but to dumb down user experience for it. This year's lovely issue has been MediaRecorder - but supposedly that's made it into the most recent release.

mguerville 5y ago
I use firefox on iOS, it’s even set as my default browser. Curious what you mean by “safari is the only browser that works in iOS”? For in browser video chat? Genuinely curious, what are the limitations?
- danielheath 5y ago
  Firefox on iOS uses the safari js runtime and the safari layout engine.
  - mguerville 5y ago
    Ah I see, thanks I had no idea (I assume most average users are in the same situation). I assume IpadOS is the same, and only MacOS allows a true non safari browser.
- VWWHFSfQ 5y ago
  Firefox and chrome on iOS are just re-skins of safari. Apple doesn't allow other browser backends
  - danielheath 5y ago
    To elaborate on "doesn't allow": iOS binaries that are not signed by apple are not permitted to mark memory pages as executable if they have previously been writable. This restriction makes exploiting buffer overruns very difficult on iOS - particularly important as objective-c doesn't give you much help avoiding them. However, you can't write a runtime compiler unless you can generate bytecode (write) and then execute it, and nobody has found a way to write a performant javascript or CSS engine without some form of runtime compilation. So, Apple does allow you to write your own browser backends, but they won't give their signature, which would permit you to use riskier techniques to gain performance. In practice, that means any browser not using the safari engines would be unacceptably slow on the modern web.
    - nobleach 5y ago
      This is the absolute best (and correct) explanation I've ever seen in such a small space. Thank you.
NetOpWibby 5y ago
SafarIE?! Bahaha, brilliant.
cjohansson 5y ago
The cycle repeats itself, maybe it's a successful pattern, that's why it keeps coming back..

mguerville 5y ago

I use firefox on iOS, it’s even set as my default browser. Curious what you mean by “safari is the only browser that works in iOS”? For in browser video chat? Genuinely curious, what are the limitations?

danielheath 5y ago
Firefox on iOS uses the safari js runtime and the safari layout engine.
- mguerville 5y ago
  Ah I see, thanks I had no idea (I assume most average users are in the same situation). I assume IpadOS is the same, and only MacOS allows a true non safari browser.
VWWHFSfQ 5y ago
Firefox and chrome on iOS are just re-skins of safari. Apple doesn't allow other browser backends
- danielheath 5y ago
  To elaborate on "doesn't allow": iOS binaries that are not signed by apple are not permitted to mark memory pages as executable if they have previously been writable. This restriction makes exploiting buffer overruns very difficult on iOS - particularly important as objective-c doesn't give you much help avoiding them. However, you can't write a runtime compiler unless you can generate bytecode (write) and then execute it, and nobody has found a way to write a performant javascript or CSS engine without some form of runtime compilation. So, Apple does allow you to write your own browser backends, but they won't give their signature, which would permit you to use riskier techniques to gain performance. In practice, that means any browser not using the safari engines would be unacceptably slow on the modern web.
  - nobleach 5y ago
    This is the absolute best (and correct) explanation I've ever seen in such a small space. Thank you.

NetOpWibby 5y ago

SafarIE?! Bahaha, brilliant.

cjohansson 5y ago

The cycle repeats itself, maybe it's a successful pattern, that's why it keeps coming back..