> Apple makes everyone use the same app store and web browser, then run ads saying "Think Different"
Ironically, in the case of web engines specifically, mandatory WebKit on iOS is the only remaining substantial resistance against a Chromium monopoly. Safari/WebKit sits at ~18% while Firefox/Gecko has dwindled to ~3%[0]. If third party web engines were allowed on iOS, WebKit's share would almost certainly plummet to match that of Firefox with Chrome and other forms of reskinned Chromium taking its place.
Yet Chromium's Blink engine is a fork of WebCore from WebKit and it's still open source. (LGPL and BSD Licenses)
It gets contributions from Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Opera Software, Adobe, Intel, IBM, Samsung, etc... It is not controlled by one company.
So, not nearly the "browser monopoly" as it was with Internet Explorer at the time.
Blink didn't become a "monopoly" because of pressure from Google... as it was pressure from Microsoft with IE. It became widely adopted because it's actually the superior engine.
I hope you're not trying to drawl parallels with what happened with Microsoft by calling it a "Chromium monopoly." I'd argue it'd be disingenuous to do so.
If the only thing keeping Apple's spin of Webkit alive is its own anti-consumer practices of keeping it as the only option within its own walled garden, that's hardly a statement of confidence for the engine itself. Perhaps it should die.
> If the only thing keeping Apple's spin of Webkit alive is its own anti-consumer practices of keeping it as the only option within its own walled garden, that's hardly a statement of confidence for the engine itself. Perhaps it should die.
I like Safari because it uses less power and my battery lasts far longer than when using Chrome. Google’s software in general eats up a lot of battery.
Users can already choose chrome on iOS and most of them have no idea what a browser engine is so why should we suppose allowing another browser engine would make them any more likely to stop using safari?
Pressure from developers. Right now, sites just have to work with WebKit because all browsers on iOS use it. Once browsers with alternative engines are available, developers can just drop a "Works best in Chrome" badge (just like the "Designed for IE" badges from the 90s) on the page and call it a day, putting the onus on users to install a compatible browser.
Ironically, in the case of web engines specifically, mandatory WebKit on iOS is the only remaining substantial resistance against a Chromium monopoly. Safari/WebKit sits at ~18% while Firefox/Gecko has dwindled to ~3%[0]. If third party web engines were allowed on iOS, WebKit's share would almost certainly plummet to match that of Firefox with Chrome and other forms of reskinned Chromium taking its place.
[0]: https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share