Welcome, and thank you for being part of the MyZucoins community! Let’s get into an interesting piece of crypto, finance, or tech news to stay ahead.
Next Apple iOS 17.4 Will Finally Allow iPhones To Have Full Versions Of Chrome And Firefox Browsers
Apple’s next iPhone system update, iOS 17.4, is aiming to change a long-time limiting ability for iPhone users, beginning with those in the European Union.
For the first time, Apple will allow alternative browser engines like Google’s Blink, used in Google Chrome, and Mozilla’s Gecko, used in Mozilla Firefox, to operate on its iOS platform, specifically for EU users.
This move aims to enhance browser performance and compatibility, enabling features and extensions previously unavailable due to the monopoly of Apple’s WebKit engine, as used by the Safari browser, on iPhone devices.
The change marks a significant departure from its longstanding policy.
Historically, Apple’s strict control over its ecosystem meant that all browsers on iOS, regardless of their brand, had to utilize WebKit, the engine behind Safari.
This limitation often resulted in a compromised browsing experience, lacking the full suite of features available on other platforms, such as Google’s Android.
However, with the introduction of iOS 17.4, developers can now opt for different browser engines, provided they meet Apple’s criteria for privacy and security.
This change is not just a technical adjustment but a significant shift in how users can interact with their devices, offering more flexibility and choice.
The catalyst for this transformation is the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to dismantle digital monopolies and promote competition.
The DMA mandates that users must have the freedom to uninstall preinstalled apps and choose alternatives, challenging Apple’s and other tech giants’ dominance.
Apple’s compliance with the DMA underscores the growing influence of regulatory bodies on global tech practices, despite Apple’s clear reservations about these changes.
Apple’s reluctance to embrace this shift is clear in its statements, expressing concerns about user experience disruptions and security risks associated with non-WebKit engines.
Yet, this development is a win for consumer choice and competition in the EU, potentially setting a precedent for other regions.
As iOS 17.4 rolls out, European iPhone users stand on the cusp of a new web browsing landscape, with a more open and competitive environment that could improve the mobile internet experience. Read more here.
How Does More Web Browser Choice Help Zucoin’s Wallet App?
Apple has 50% of the smartphone market in developed countries, such as the USA.
This change has a huge potential to affect many regular users of the web.
It can also affect the capabilities of the Zucoins wallet app, which is built as a modern cross-platform app known as a Progressive Web App (PWA).
There are a handful of handy features missing from Apple’s in-built Safari web browser engine, that, if this change goes through, could bring it into closer parity with Google’s Android.
For now, it seems this feature is only planned for iPhone users within the European Union, but it may spread to other regions as anti-big tech regulator momentum slowly gains steam.
One potential upside affects the one-click install process that is currently used to install the Zucoin wallet app in one-click on Android devices.
iOS users have a two-step process to install the Zucoin wallet app.
Click the share button, then “Add to home screen”.
If iOS allows full-featured third-party web browsers to be used, then we presume (to be confirmed when iOS 17.4 is available for testing), that a similar kind of install process could be put onto iPhones that use a non-Apple Safari web browser, such as Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome, set as their default.
Any downsides? Well, Apple might try to control the installation of web apps via the Safari web browser only.
There’s another important point the Zucoin product team needs to consider during testing.
Currently, on iPhones, users can install multiple versions of PWAs, including Zucoin’s wallet app.
This is a feature exclusive to web apps on the iPhone, as normally, you can’t install the same app more than once.
Even on Android, it’s hard to install the same app more than once (there are workarounds, but they can be tricky).
We’re watching to see if Apple may take the approach of disabling multiple app installs if you use an alternative browser, in a move to keep people from switching.
If this is the case, it’s something the Zucoin team will consider carefully.
What’s more, on iOS right now, if you down the Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome web browser, they’re not what they seem.
On an iPhone, these browsers still use Apple’s Safari browser engine underneath.
They’re kind of like reskinned versions of the same tech, with different added features on top.
Apple currently disallows any other kinds of browser engine to be used on iPhones.
Android doesn’t have this restriction.
With Apple’s next 17.4 version release, this restriction should be removed, allowing full-fledged alternative browser engines, with their own sets of features, to appear on iPhones.
It’s great for web apps and should have the effect of encouraging Apple’s own Safari team to improve features that are missing or lacking compared to other web browsers like Firefox and Chrome.
While Chrome has its own set of issues, with Google’s poor user activity tracking history, for the next generation of the web, Web3, seeing more powerful changes like these coming to devices is a great sign.
A bit more competition to improve the breed.
If you liked this newsletter, please forward it to someone who might like it too.
You can also donate here or even buy some Zucoins. Every little bit helps us improve.
What did you think of this newsletter? Reply to send us feedback on what you liked or want to see featured more. There’s more coming, so stay tuned.
—
All the best,
—Rob
MyZucoins
Disclaimer: Of course, this is not advice, financial or otherwise. It’s also important to consider the risks and challenges associated with any potential benefits.