3 ms·

Did iOS get a proper Firefox now?

by shmerl 3y ago

vincnetas 3y ago
For EU countries - yes.At least its now up to firefox to provide it and apple can not block it.
- sambazi 3y ago
  pretty sure they already cooked up a legally convincing argument for why they have to block it
whazor 3y ago
As far as I know there no browser yet on iOS in EU using a different engine than WebKit. The main issue seems to be that it has to be EU-only and companies would have to maintain two applications.
- Baguette5242 3y ago
  It's really a short sighted vision from Mozilla (and others). No doubt that further regions will just copy/paste/modify the current EU framework and apply it locally, there's already discussions in Japan, South Korea and so on (1). Saying "We have no plans to maintain two version of the browser just for the EU" is just ignoring what is likely to happen in the future: An extension of this specific EU legislative framework in several parts of the world. (1) https://cepa.org/article/europes-dma-goes-global/ https://cepa.org/article/europes-dma-goes-global/
- master-lincoln 3y ago
  Why 2 applications? You mean a webkit version and the real Firefox? What is even the benefit of using another browser on current iOS if it's the same as safari under the hood? Just a bit of UI?
  - nehal3m 3y ago
    Yes, and back-end features like syncing to your desktop browser.
evrimoztamur 3y ago
I'm assuming that it's on its way. The path is now clear, but I assume that the engineering is not going to be as easy as dumping the code on a Mac and getting a working iOS/Gecko, lol.
ghusto 3y ago
No :( I _really_ hope Mozilla will pull their thumb out on this, but the baffling omission of iPads, and the EU-exclusivity of the law, make this an unattractive endeavour in terms of investment. I really can't understand how the EU let iPads off the hook. Can someone explain that?
- burnerthrow008 3y ago
  Because the law defines a “gatekeeper” of a platform not by market power (which would actually make sense), but having more than a threshold number of users. iPad is not a popular enough platform to qualify.

Did iOS get a proper Firefox now?

by shmerl 3y ago

Did iOS get a proper Firefox now?

vincnetas 3y ago

For EU countries - yes.At least its now up to firefox to provide it and apple can not block it.

sambazi 3y ago
pretty sure they already cooked up a legally convincing argument for why they have to block it

whazor 3y ago

As far as I know there no browser yet on iOS in EU using a different engine than WebKit. The main issue seems to be that it has to be EU-only and companies would have to maintain two applications.

Baguette5242 3y ago
It's really a short sighted vision from Mozilla (and others). No doubt that further regions will just copy/paste/modify the current EU framework and apply it locally, there's already discussions in Japan, South Korea and so on (1). Saying "We have no plans to maintain two version of the browser just for the EU" is just ignoring what is likely to happen in the future: An extension of this specific EU legislative framework in several parts of the world. (1) https://cepa.org/article/europes-dma-goes-global/ https://cepa.org/article/europes-dma-goes-global/
master-lincoln 3y ago
Why 2 applications? You mean a webkit version and the real Firefox? What is even the benefit of using another browser on current iOS if it's the same as safari under the hood? Just a bit of UI?
- nehal3m 3y ago
  Yes, and back-end features like syncing to your desktop browser.

evrimoztamur 3y ago

I'm assuming that it's on its way. The path is now clear, but I assume that the engineering is not going to be as easy as dumping the code on a Mac and getting a working iOS/Gecko, lol.

ghusto 3y ago

No :( I _really_ hope Mozilla will pull their thumb out on this, but the baffling omission of iPads, and the EU-exclusivity of the law, make this an unattractive endeavour in terms of investment. I really can't understand how the EU let iPads off the hook. Can someone explain that?

burnerthrow008 3y ago
Because the law defines a “gatekeeper” of a platform not by market power (which would actually make sense), but having more than a threshold number of users. iPad is not a popular enough platform to qualify.