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Comment by peoplefromibiza | Hacker News Reader

> I don’t think the underlying engine really matters

It is what makes all the difference here.

Many features that are a Web Standard are unsupported on iOS precisely because Apple refuses to allow alternative engines because they don't want those features on their platform (mostly to favor native apps under the pretext of security, like if Google is not capable of making a secure browser, at least as secure as Safari).

Chrome and Firefox on iOS are not the same Chrome and iOS that run on all the other platforms, they are basically Safari.

It does matters.

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99% of users don’t care that it’s the same engine. They probably don’t even know. Looks the same, works the same, what does it matter? They just want to pick the browser name they trust, log in to its account and have all their favorites/bookmarks there. Whichever engine the browser happens to use is the least of their concerns.

> what does it matter?

it matters in the same way a Honda disguised as a Mercedes it's not a Mercedes. It's a Honda.

> Whichever engine the browser happens to use is the least of their concerns.

Not disagreeing with you on this, that's the way it should be.

OTOH, using simple logic, if it doesn't matter Apple would allow other browser engines on their platform, because it doesn't matter. But apparently it does matter. It matters so much that EU is trying to force Apple to permit alternative implementations of the software called "a Web browser".

Anyway, we have a precedent:

"Microsoft distributed its browser software, Internet Explorer, among consumers for free. It led to a concentration of the market share and the eventual downfall of Netscape, the company’s top competitor at the time. The DoJ case alleged that Microsoft was intentionally making it extremely difficult for consumers to install software by other companies on personal computers that ran on Microsoft’s operating system."

I don’t think that’s a good analogy. Mercedes and Hondas have tangible differences in performance and amenities. On the other hand, Chrome, Firefox, Safari etc. are built to operate to the same standard and work identically on approximately 100% of websites anyone ever uses.

So why is Apple scared of other browser engines that "work identically on approximately 100% of websites anyone ever uses"?

The point of my analogy wasn't to prove that Chrome is better than Safari, but that if I want an Honda, I do not want a car that looks like an Honda, I want an Honda (or a Mercedes or a Renault).

Android has the same problem with WebView, it's Chrome by default, but at least on Android GeckoView exists.

There must be a reason why Apple resists so much to making alternative engines available and nobody is buying that it is about security.

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