> And that had absolutely zero effect on the market share of the browsers.
Did it not help FF to gain initial market share?
> Besides especially on mobile, I would be pissed if when I first used my phone I would have to use my (hypothetically limited) cellular data to download something like a browser.
No difference from the status quo then as you have to download multiple browser updates per month anyway (and in fact as the first thing after initial setup), and the reason is the incredible bloatedness and lack of scope of browsers.
> And even if you don’t use Chrome on Android, you’re still using Android - by Google.
This is about the web as an open platform relied upon for essential public services by any citizen (payment, school, administration, health care, and so on); no idea what that has to with using Android or other Google products.
While there were early signs that the browser ballot screen was influencing browser usage in the EU, with Mozilla attributing some European Firefox growth to the selection page, long-term trends strongly suggest that it was next to useless. In spite of equally prominent placement on the selection screen, Opera's share even within Europe appears to have declined over the last five years. So too have Firefox and Internet Explorer. Chrome, however, has experienced significant growth.
> No difference from the status quo then as you have to download multiple browser updates per month anyway
I can’t speak to Android. But iOS updates (which include Safari updates) don’t happen that often and at least users have a usable browser at initial launch on both iOS and Android. You can choose when to update
> This is about the web as an open platform relied upon for essential public services by any citizen
I don’t know, maybe because the original submission is about Chrome’s privacy issues, not about the “open web”?
> While there were early signs that the browser ballot screen was influencing browser usage in the EU, with Mozilla attributing some European Firefox growth to the selection page, long-term trends strongly suggest that it was next to useless.
This isn't "zero effect", though. It might've been just the initial kick-off for FF's success, bringing users, bug reports, and developers. "Long-term" Chrome dominance isn't telling us anything here; in fact, Chrome's success is also in part a consequence of the browser selection screen.
From other articles I read - and my Google Fu is failing me right now - the browser market share was about the same in the US and the EU. There was never a ballot choice mandate in the US.
Chrome’s growth in the US grew because of bundling with other apps and because of advertisements on Google’s home page
Did it not help FF to gain initial market share?
> Besides especially on mobile, I would be pissed if when I first used my phone I would have to use my (hypothetically limited) cellular data to download something like a browser.
No difference from the status quo then as you have to download multiple browser updates per month anyway (and in fact as the first thing after initial setup), and the reason is the incredible bloatedness and lack of scope of browsers.
> And even if you don’t use Chrome on Android, you’re still using Android - by Google.
This is about the web as an open platform relied upon for essential public services by any citizen (payment, school, administration, health care, and so on); no idea what that has to with using Android or other Google products.