1) you can decide to use other browsers besides Firefox if some sites don't work on it, but on iOS you can't use anything else (every browser still uses safari under the hood)
2) you can still use "chrome apis" even if you don't use chrome. More and more browsers use chrome's engine (see: Opera, Edge, Vivaldi etc.) and while I am not happy with that, it is becoming more and more commonplace.
- User: "This site is broken. Fuck Safari, I want Chrome on my iPhone!"
What users actually think:
- User: "This site is broken. Fuck it, I'll go to another site."
Safari isn't THAT BAD that sites can't work on it. It's mostly minor differences, and lack of some "nice-to-haves" that are not crucial to UX (or in fact, their lack improves UX).
No one cares about your site that much to go to another browser just to browse it ON A PHONE. This is why I said, outside the web dev echo chamber, no one cares.
I've been around for IE6, and comparing Safari with IE6 is honestly absolutely ignorant and laughable. But I did also make my sites work fine with IE6 back in the time. That's our job.
Safari will move at its own pace. The only thing I care about it, is that it's secure, power efficient, fast and user friendly. I speak also as an iPhone user, because users matter more than developers and their endless whining about features.
Because they literally CANNOT switch from Safari’s rendering!?
The fact that you wrote this with so much confidence (featuring all caps and gratuitous swearing) signals to me that you aren’t genuinely listening to the argument(a) at all.
It signals to me that you are only interested in tribalistic hyperbole.
Besides: “It’s fine for me therefore it should be fine for you” is a terribly unconvincing argument.
So, like it or not, even if iOS allowed other rendering engines on browsers, you would probably be stuck with supporting Safari anyway.
Sorry but, history says otherwise:
1) Netscape users came across "works best in IE" banners and IE usage skyrocketed.
2) IE users came across "works best in Firefox/Chrome" notices and IE usage plummeted in favour of those better browsers.
Chrome didn't get to where it is solely based on marketing - it had some very strong advantages in the early years.
>you would probably be stuck with supporting Safari anyway.
I don't disagree there. But increased competition would force Apple to up their game. A win for everyone.
This is a good thing, you need a monopoly(iOS) to fight against a monopoly(Chrome).