Open Web Advocacy advocates for more open browsers on iOS

Several developers gathered this week to form Open Web Advocacy (OWA), a group that aims to challenge Apple directly about its mobile operating system’s severe barriers to entry for third-party browsers. According to Stuart Langridge, one of the founders of the initiative, these applications are already very limited because they have to conform to a model Safari.

However, this platform is currently very poor in functionality, especially if we compare it to Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome competition for example. So it might be wise to leave ALTERNATIVE CLIENTS He “innovates”, but as Cupertino often refuses to do so.

A brake on creativity?

Among the problems identified by OWA are also WebKit. This library of free software, on which Safari is also based, is enforced by Apple when it comes to developing third-party browsers. As a result, this is just a vague simulation of a proprietary program of Apple, which is not the case in Android, for example.

Some lawmakers are watching the process closely, particularly in the UK where complaints from small studios are already getting the attention of the local competition authority. As we note thatIn France, too, similar questions regularly appear on the front page of the tech press.

Apple can react

It’s hard to know, for now, whether OWA’s motives will be able to replicate Apple’s plans in progress. But in recent months, particularly encouraging signs have been observed in this direction, particularly when Commission-free in-app purchases are finally allowed.

A feature made available by the JFTC (Japanese Fair Trade Commission), but also through the participation of others Lobbyists With the participation of players such as Tile or Spotify.