Apple’s Three Safaris
Thomas Claburn (via Hacker News):
Apple tried to avoid regulation in the European Union by making a surprising claim – that it offers not one but three distinct web browsers, all coincidentally named Safari.
Never mind that Apple itself advertises the sameness of its Safari browsers when pitching its Continuity feature: “Same Safari. Different device.”
Cupertino also claimed it maintains five app stores and five operating systems, and that these core platform services, apart from iOS, fell below the usage threshold European rules set for regulating large platform services and ensuring competition.
[…]
This strategy appears not to have been very effective.
Apple made this attempt despite the Digital Markets Act containing specific clauses to address this exact behaviour.
Previously:
Update (2023-11-20): See also: MacRumors.
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The decision document noted that Apple argued that its three Safari browsers each have different interface options and different uses. "For example, Safari on iPadOS and macOS include a sidebar feature, which allows end users to see opened tabs, tab groups, bookmarks and browsing history," the decision summary states. "This feature is unavailable on Safari on iOS."
Not exactly a good faith argument there, is it?
With a March 2024 due date to allow other browser engines, sounds like Apple is at the end of their rope.
Classic Apple.