Changing Safari for another browser on iOS simply means using the same base engine, but changing the look and some details like functions, as Apple still forces all applications that display web pages to use WebKit. However, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman now says this imposition must end.
Gurman says this change is due to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, which is putting pressure on Apple to allow third-party stores to provide apps on iOS, macOS and iPadOS.
Currently, third-party browsers, including Alphabet’s Google’s Chrome, are required to use WebKit, Apple’s Safari browser engine. Under the plan to comply with the new law, Apple is considering removing that mandate.
If this change takes effect, it will mean that Chrome and Microsoft Edge will be able to use Blink and Firefox will finally be able to use Quantum as navigation engines, offering greater integration with their ecosystems of products and functions that are not possible with WebKit .
Unfortunately Gurman did not provide a timeframe for this change to take place, but he did point out that this restriction on Apple systems has been heavily criticized by developers in the European Union. According to them, Apple does not provide certain functions that are released in Safari for other browsers, which constitutes an anticompetitive and illegal practice.
It is also not clear if this change will be limited to Europe or if it will also be present in other markets, as Apple has already suffered similar lawsuits in other regions such as the USA.
