Firefox

16992 readers

25 users here now

A place to discuss the news and latest developments on the open-source browser Firefox

founded 4 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

338

Apple limits third-party browser engine work to EU devices (www.theregister.com)

submitted 1 month ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

48 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The Register has learned from those involved in the browser trade that Apple has limited the development and testing of third-party browser engines to devices physically located in the EU. That requirement adds an additional barrier to anyone planning to develop and support a browser with an alternative engine in the EU.

It effectively geofences the development team. Browser-makers whose dev teams are located in the US will only be able to work on simulators. While some testing can be done in a simulator, there's no substitute for testing on device – which means developers will have to work within Apple's prescribed geographical boundary.

... as Mozilla put it – to make it "as painful as possible for others to provide competitive alternatives to Safari."

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Wouldn't a vpn solve this?

[–] paraphrand 51 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I assume they are doing checks of other things. Local software is not the same as a web service that is checking your IP for your location.

They could use location services, your registration country for your Apple ID, the sale location of your device, and other things. They could even aggregate indicators and use that.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

iOS would have root access to aGPS (or even real GPS) to determine location. There's no easy way to spoof that against a determined asshole actor.

load more comments (2 replies)