Apple’s browser blues: New EU law forces overhaul of iOS browser rules, but rivals want to see more
Apple is planning to make changes to the iOS browser rules – and Mozilla and Google have a say in it. The rules are being introduced to comply with new European Union (EU) legislation, and Mozilla and Google want Apple to go further and roll out its new iOS rules globally.
The EU is introducing new legislation, the Digital Markets Act (DMA), designed to try to improve fairness and competitiveness in the digital economy (at least as far as the EU is concerned). It came into effect on November 1, 2022 and became mostly applicable on May 2, 2023.
What the legislation actually means for Apple
This new legislation is forcing Apple’s hand, which means Apple will have to make some pretty big changes to its EU App Store policies. as reported by Ars Technica. The DMA sets out the EU’s new requirements for manufacturers like Apple regarding digital market aspects such as fairness, privacy and more. Apple is specifically instructed to allow the browser engines of Apple’s competitors and apps that use those browser engines on iOS.
A browser engine is also called a layout engine or a rendering engine, and it is a software component that allows HTML documents (essentially web pages) to be displayed on the user’s device. Until now, competing browsers were not allowed to be listed in the App Store and all browsers had to use Apple’s own Safari engine with their own features and customizations.
What Mozilla and Google have to say about this
That’s due to change and will take effect for Apple devices running iOS 17.4, and it will free the makers of competing browsers from these demands from Apple. Sounds like a step in the right direction, right? Well, it’s not that simple, and Google and Mozilla want to see more from Apple in this regard.
Last month, Damiano DeMonte, a spokesperson for Mozilla, commented on the issue in conversation with De Verge, indicating that Mozilla would like to see Apple make this policy change globally – and not just in the EU. According to DeMonte, Mozilla is “extremely disappointed” with the geographic limitation of the policy change.
The effect of this policy change will mean that Apple’s rival browser makers will have to build two separate implementations for their browser, excluding Apple itself from this predicament, even though the legislation specifically targets market players like them. He accuses Apple of “creating barriers to prevent true browser competition on iOS.”
This view is shared by Google, with Google’s VP of Engineering for Chrome echoing DeMonte a message on X (formerly Twitter)saying that Apple is “not serious about the choice of web browsers or engines on iOS.”
Totally agree with @mozilla. @Apple is not serious about supporting web browser or engine choice on iOS. Their strategy is too restrictive and won’t really lead to real choices for browser developers. https://t.co/GBA8ucR7NUFebruary 2, 2024
Hoping for a domino effect in the future
Apple’s behavior wouldn’t be so noticeable if Apple’s Safari browser was more of a favorite among users. Instead, many web developers see it as a sort of “new Internet Explorer,” Microsoft’s discontinued browser that came standard on Windows machines in the past, with Apple tending to lag behind its competitors for some time when it comes to to add advanced web features.
That said, it has its own advantages over competitor browsers, such as a significantly better reputation for privacy than its closest competitor’s browser, Google Chrome.
So as things stand, EU users will be treated to a more legitimately diverse browser choice and Safari will have to compete more fairly on iOS devices in the EU. Hopefully, this move will yield positive results and widespread user sentiment, motivating lawmakers around the world to perhaps take similar action.