Apple Must Allow Alternative Browser Engines on iOS by December Under Japans New Mobile Software Competition Act

Japan’s just thrown Apple a curveball. Come December, iOS browsers will break free from WebKit’s grip. Forget Apple’s walled garden; Firefox, Edge, and Opera can finally flex their own engines like Blink and Gecko. This isn’t just a tweak; it’s a seismic shift aimed at dismantling alleged anti-competitive strongholds, echoing similar moves by the EU. Get ready for a browser battle royale on your iPhone.

Apple Already Allows Multiple Non-WebKit Browsers on iOS in the EU

Japan’s antitrust watchdog, the JFTC, is taking aim at Apple’s iron grip on the mobile browsing experience. Their argument, laid out in the Mobile Software Competition Act Guidelines (MSCA): Apple’s WebKit-only browser policy stifles competition. By forcing Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and others to use WebKit, Apple prevents them from unleashing the full potential of their unique browser engines, effectively leveling the playing field in a way that harms innovation and consumer choice.

Apple’s iOS holds browsers hostage. Chrome, Firefox, Opera they’re all shackled to Apple’s WebKit engine. Escape to Android, and the browser landscape explodes. Chrome, Edge, and Opera unleash the power of Blink, while Firefox stands defiant with its own Gecko engine. It’s a browser engine battle, and iOS is stuck in a walled garden.

Apple’s browser choice saga isn’t new. Echoing its 2024 iOS 17.4 update, born from the EU’s Digital Markets Act, the tech titan grudgingly opened the gates to third-party browser engines. But here’s the catch: Apple shackled Gecko and its rivals with crippling region-based limitations, effectively stifling genuine competition before it could even begin.

The latest update unleashes a seismic shift in Europe: the freedom to explore alternative app stores and install apps beyond the walled garden of the App Store. Android users have long enjoyed this open landscape, sideloading apps via APKs, but now, iOS users can finally taste that same liberty.

iOS 17.4 delivered more than just emojis to EU iPhone users; it also unlocked new default app controls. Apple’s move comes amidst a flurry of antitrust battles, including a high-profile clash with Fortnite creator, Epic Games, on US soil. Epic accused Apple of monopolizing in-app payments, forcing developers to use Apple’s system and pay a steep commission. A US District Court sided with Epic, declaring Apple’s exclusive payment system unfair and ordering the tech giant to open the doors to alternative payment methods.

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