Open Web Advocacy: Apple still slows down external browser engines
The Digital Market Act requires Apple to open up the iPhone to third-party browser engines. According to Open Web Advocacy, though, it's basically impossible.
Icons of various Internet browsers on the iPhone: All with Safari engine.
(Image: Primakov/Shutterstock.com)
The NGO Open Web Advocacy (OWA), which claims to be committed to a freer World Wide Web, has accused Apple of undermining the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA). According to an OWA paper, there is still a de facto ban on alternative browser engines in Europe. This means that it is almost impossible to use other basic browser systems under iOS instead of WebKit. In fact, none of the major providers, such as Google (Chrome) or Mozilla (Firefox), have done so to date.
“As painful as possible”
During a workshop on the DMA organized by the EU and attended by industry representatives and NGOs, Apple stated that it didn't understand why no browser provider had ported its engine to iOS in the past 15 months. According to OWA, it knows the answer: Apple is making it “as painful as possible” for browser providers under iOS. According to the NGO, these are based on “vague security and privacy reasons” for which Apple has published “no technical justification” that proves their necessity or proportionality.
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At the DMA workshop, Apple stated that browser manufacturers had “everything they need” to implement their browser engines in the EU. They just chose not to. According to OWA, however, Apple “knows exactly where the problems lie”. But the company refuses to fix them. It is “just ridiculous” for Apple to claim ignorance – and demonstrably false.
Specific points of criticism of Apple
OWA still sees at least four problematic points in Apple's current implementation of the DMA in terms of alternative browser engines. For example, the company is asking manufacturers to submit completely new apps. However, according to OWA, this means they lose existing users in the EU. Furthermore, there is apparently no way for web developers outside the EU to test their software with third-party browser engines under iOS. (Apple promised “updates” here).
Finally, EU users can no longer update browsers with their engine if they leave the EU for more than 30 days, and Apple has “tough, one-sided contract terms” for companies that want to use their browser engines. According to the OWA, the latter contradicts the requirements of the DMA, which only recognizes API access restrictions due to important security measures. However, Apple has now rectified two points of criticism: browser manufacturers are allowed to test their alternative engines outside the EU (e.g., from the USA), and it is now possible to use two engines in the browser, i.e., both WebKit and your own. WebKit thus becomes a fallback.
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