Earlier, the Mozhi Foundation complained that Apple's open iOS browser engine policy in the EU market is not conducive to the competition of third-party browsers. The reason is simple: developers must maintain two completely different browsers. According to Apple's new policy in the EU, browser developers can use non-WebKit kernels. For example, Firefox can use the Gecko kernel and Chrome can use the Blink kernel.
The problem is that if Firefox and Chrome both develop and use their own browser kernels, they can only be used by EU users, and other markets still need to use the WebKit version, which means that browser developers must maintain two sets of browsers with different kernels at the same time. Apple's own Safari does not have this trouble.
Of course, in order to use non-WebKit kernels in the EU, browser developers must also comply with various guidelines set by Apple, including specific standards, timely security updates, timely resolution of emerging threats and vulnerabilities, ongoing privacy and security requirements, etc.
Parisa Tabriz, vice president and general manager of Google Chrome, said today that Apple does not seriously support browser or engine choices on iOS. Their strategy is too strict and will not bring real choices to browser developers.
At the same time, she also expressed her agreement with Mozilla's previous statement that considering that alternative browsers only support the EU, browser developers must maintain two sets of core browsers, which will significantly increase developers' development and maintenance costs.
However, Chrome should eventually launch Chrome with Blink core in the EU. Previously, Chrome and Firefox had already started their own kernel testing, just waiting for Apple to open the iOS browser engine. However, at that time, Google and the Mozhi Foundation probably did not expect that Apple could restrict the opening of the engine within the EU.