Monday, January 29, 2024

Platform Tilt

Mozilla (via Mike Rockwell):

This dashboard tracks technical issues in major software platforms which disadvantage Firefox relative to the first-party browser. We consider aspects like security, stability, performance, and functionality, and propose changes to create a more level playing field.

Previously:

Update (2024-01-30): Thomas Claburn (Hacker News):

“For years, Mozilla has engaged in dialog with platform vendors in an effort to address these issues,” the development group declared. “With renewed public attention and an evolving regulatory environment, we think it’s time to publish these concerns using the same transparent process and tools we use to develop positions on emerging technical standards.”

[…]

At the top of the dashboard – by virtue of alphabetic order and coincidentally by actual importance – is Rule 2.5.6 of the Apple App Store Review Guidelines, which requires that all browsers on iOS use Apple’s WebKit rendering engine.

[…]

Google gets called out for failing to allow third-party Android browsers to import browsing data, for sometimes ignoring a user’s default browser choice, and for integrating Android with Google Search in a way that makes search results worse when users search with Firefox.

Microsoft is not spared either. The Windows biz stands accused of failing to allow third-party browsers to set themselves as the default browser, for allowing Edge to set itself as the default more easily, and for opening certain features in Edge regardless of the user’s choice of default browser.

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