Apple's Browser Engine Ban Persists, Even Under the DMA

Re:Apple's Browser Engine Ban Persists, Even Under the DMA by TheDong on Monday July 14, 2025 @05:17AM (#44557941)

I mean, ideally you can choose to _not_ do so, tell your users "We only support Firefox and Chrome on iOS, and not Safari, because we do not own apple hardware", and then report bugs to mozilla/chrome if iOS users report differences.

Being able to run cross-platform browsers on iOS does in fact make the very thing you're complaining about better.

I would love it if the EU did in fact force apple to release a cross-platform iOS emulator to allow web developers to properly test iOS browsers, but presumably apple would argue that there are strong technical reasons there (and the DMA differentiates real technical reasons from monopolistic arbitrary roadblocks).

For making browsers available across regions, that's very obviously not driven by strong technical reasons. Making cross-platform code has real technical burden.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Apple's Browser Engine Ban Persists, Even Under the DMA by jeroenhd on Monday July 14, 2025 @06:01AM (#44558216)

I've worked at a company that did this. We didn't have Apple hardware (except for a very old Mac that took forever to boot). Chrome was promised, Firefox was often tested, Safari was unsupported.

Customers bought Samsung tablets to use our SaaS product. If you're in the right area of business, you can just ignore Safari.

> but presumably apple would argue that there are strong technical reasons there

They already have to make the appropriate iOS simulators and firmware for European developers. Making that available to American developers costs them nothing extra. They just don't want to.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Apple's Browser Engine Ban Persists, Even Under the DMA by pickledoyster on Monday July 14, 2025 @06:10AM (#44558272)

> tell your users "We only support Firefox and Chrome on iOS, and not Safari, because we do not own apple hardware"

I'd be pissed if someone did that for my browser engine of choice. Also, from what I understand, Apple still leads in accessibility, so this would be an asshole move towards consumers stuck in that ecosystem just because Google and Microsoft can't get their act together.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Apple's Browser Engine Ban Persists, Even Under the DMA by mcny on Monday July 14, 2025 @06:43AM (#44558493)

> I'd be pissed if someone did that for my browser engine of choice.

I read it differently. I don't think they said somehow block people from using their browser of choice, but that if you report an issue, the first thing tech support will do is ask you to use a different browser. I think it is reasonable.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Apple's Browser Engine Ban Persists, Even Under the DMA by account42 on Tuesday July 15, 2025 @07:47AM (#44570163)

You should be pissed at the vendor of your favorite browser engine for not making it available cross platform. Until then, the reality distortion field that makes you think others need to put up with Apple's bullshit doesn't work outside their fan club. Sorry not sorry.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Apple's Browser Engine Ban Persists, Even Under the DMA by account42 on Tuesday July 15, 2025 @07:45AM (#44570146)

> and then report bugs to mozilla/chrome if iOS users report differences.

A very unreasonable expectation.

[ Parent | on HN ]