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Comment by IceWreck | Hacker News Reader

Microsoft apps exist on Android and they're not forced to open links in Chrome on Android. If the user chooses, they can open on Microsoft Edge on Android. The user can set their own browser preference - and Google doesn't force them.

Apple doesn't allow other browser engines but it's on them.

None of these bug tech corps are in the right here, but MS is being more anti-competitive than most.

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I know I'm comparing a turd sandwich to a puke pancake here, but in what way is "Apple doesn't allow other browser engines" less anti-competitive than what MS is doing?

For Apple, the wall around the garden is so high that you don't realize there is an outside in the first place. So no one notices it.

Never said it wasn't, thats why I used Android's example and then also called out Apple.

Umm, MS Teams on Adroid forced me to install Edge to open links. Even the copy action pushes "haha, we wont give away this link you moron" (in corp speak) to the clipboard.

Thats on Microsoft not Google

I use Teams on my phone regularly and have never seen this happen. Clicking on a link takes me to the web page without any problems, even in my default browser which is Firefox.

I think they are using a dark pattern now. I opened a link in Outlook (Android) after a recent update and I got a popup to open with Edge. I didn't have Edge installed so I was confused for a moment. Just below the big colorful edge icon was (a much less visually prominent) option to open in my default browser.

If I hadn't been paying attention, I would have thought that they were forcing me to install Edge too.

One variable many people don’t consider is that Microsoft gives organizations an incredible amount of control over application behavior when trying to maintain a through line for rights protection of organizational data. Like not allowing organizational data to be opened in apps that aren’t approved, authenticated with user creds, and supportive of rights management (no printing, no saving, etc.).

I’m not saying that’s what’s happening with GP’s experience with Teams, but just pointing out that when thinking about MS app behavior on any platform, it’s a variable that can be present in the corporate context which many “users” remain blissfully unaware of, or see it manifest as these weird rules and behaviors and not acting like other apps. But there can be an entirely different set of user stories at play beneath the surface.

Edge and Chrome use the same engine, don’t they?

So the correct iOS parallel is not Apple’s refusal to allow non-WebKit engines. But Apple’s hypothetical refusal to allow links to be opened in WebKit-flavored Firefox. Which, for the record, it does let you do.

>Edge and Chrome use the same engine, don’t they?

To be precise: No, they don't. Their engines are based on the same codebase, but they still are running their own installed engines.

In contrast, Apple doesn't just refuse to allow non-WebKit engines. It requires everyone to use the pre-installed, Apple-provided engine. You can't use your own build of WebKit.

But you compared Microsoft apps on Android. This article is more analogous to Google apps on Android always using Chrome.

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