26 ms·

Firefox works fine on iOS

frumper 5y ago
You mean safari with a custom skin
fooey 5y ago
As the parent post says, Firefox on iOS isn't really Firefox. It doesn't run Gecko, it's barely more than a skin on top of Safari. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefox_for_iOS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefox_for_iOS https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#2.5.6 https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#2.5... > 2.5.6 Apps that browse the web must use the appropriate WebKit framework and WebKit Javascript.
- fingerlocks 5y ago
  How much does this really matter to the typical user? I’m not using Firefox because it’s JS and rendering engine are significantly better than webkit. Can’t really tell the difference honestly. I’m still getting all the other features of Firefox that actually distinguish it from it’s competitors. The so-called skin is more like the guts from a user value perspective.
  - willcipriano 5y ago
    The reason I use Firefox for Android is the ability to use addons. According to this, they don't work on Apple phones: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/add-ons-firefox-ios https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/add-ons-firefox-ios
  - fzzzy 5y ago
    The user doesn't notice, but it stifles innovation at that level of the stack.
    - AlexCoventry 5y ago
      I would notice the lack of ad blocker/no-script.
  - int_19h 5y ago
    Safari lags behind on many web standards. On other platforms, when that happens (e.g. IE), competitors provide alternatives that can do better.
  - snovv_crash 5y ago
    Apple doesn't develop things like push notifications via web app, which might compete with the app store.
cartoonworld 5y ago
Question to downvotes: I’ve seen people saying in these comments often that you have to use safari. I am using ff on my iOS device right now, what am I missing?
- fingerlocks 5y ago
  The technical reason is that a very powerful system call is blocked on iOS that’s required to build a custom language runtime needed for a browser. This is done to increase security of the device. The trade-off is that the JavaScript engine and renderer must be shared by all browsers on iOS. But if you can’t tell the difference, does it really matter?
  - cartoonworld 5y ago
    Thanks, appreciated greatly
  - commoner 5y ago
    iOS platform restrictions prevent Firefox for iOS from supporting add-ons. That is a rather striking difference.
  - ohazi 5y ago
    > But if you can’t tell the difference, does it really matter? Firefox on Android supports add-ons, in particular uBlock origin. Firefox on iOS does not. That's a huge difference.
- hortense 5y ago
  In general, WebKit has more bugs and fewer features than gecko.

You mean safari with a custom skin

As the parent post says, Firefox on iOS isn't really Firefox. It doesn't run Gecko, it's barely more than a skin on top of Safari. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefox_for_iOS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefox_for_iOS https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#2.5.6 https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#2.5... > 2.5.6 Apps that browse the web must use the appropriate WebKit framework and WebKit Javascript.

fingerlocks 5y ago
How much does this really matter to the typical user? I’m not using Firefox because it’s JS and rendering engine are significantly better than webkit. Can’t really tell the difference honestly. I’m still getting all the other features of Firefox that actually distinguish it from it’s competitors. The so-called skin is more like the guts from a user value perspective.
- willcipriano 5y ago
  The reason I use Firefox for Android is the ability to use addons. According to this, they don't work on Apple phones: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/add-ons-firefox-ios https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/add-ons-firefox-ios
- fzzzy 5y ago
  The user doesn't notice, but it stifles innovation at that level of the stack.
  - AlexCoventry 5y ago
    I would notice the lack of ad blocker/no-script.
- int_19h 5y ago
  Safari lags behind on many web standards. On other platforms, when that happens (e.g. IE), competitors provide alternatives that can do better.
- snovv_crash 5y ago
  Apple doesn't develop things like push notifications via web app, which might compete with the app store.

cartoonworld 5y ago

Question to downvotes: I’ve seen people saying in these comments often that you have to use safari. I am using ff on my iOS device right now, what am I missing?

fingerlocks 5y ago
The technical reason is that a very powerful system call is blocked on iOS that’s required to build a custom language runtime needed for a browser. This is done to increase security of the device. The trade-off is that the JavaScript engine and renderer must be shared by all browsers on iOS. But if you can’t tell the difference, does it really matter?
- cartoonworld 5y ago
  Thanks, appreciated greatly
- commoner 5y ago
  iOS platform restrictions prevent Firefox for iOS from supporting add-ons. That is a rather striking difference.
- ohazi 5y ago
  > But if you can’t tell the difference, does it really matter? Firefox on Android supports add-ons, in particular uBlock origin. Firefox on iOS does not. That's a huge difference.
hortense 5y ago
In general, WebKit has more bugs and fewer features than gecko.