News - Mozilla refuses to develop Firefox for Apple iPhone and iPad

[HEXUS]

Apple’s iOS is too closed and won’t allow Mozilla to use its own page rendering tech.

Read more.

[KrisWragg]

So if you're not allowed to change the default browser on Apple products why aren't they being fined the same way Microsoft was by the EU?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

So if you're not allowed to change the default browser on Apple products why aren't they being fined the same way Microsoft was by the EU?

Patented iDodge technology??

[Jimbo75]

It's probably because Apple doesn't have a 90%+ monopoly unlike what Microsoft used to have.

[snootyjim]

It's probably because Apple doesn't have a 90%+ monopoly unlike what Microsoft used to have.

Except last time the MS case popped up, the ruling they were fined under had nothing to do with monopoly legislation, but was rather to do with consumer freedom.

I haven't checked it out myself, but I've had it stated several times independently from reliable sources, so understand it to be the case.

[3dcandy]

The same as every other manufacturer has embraced MicroUSB and Apple continues to go it's own way on mobile phones I guess...

[Jimbo75]

Except last time the MS case popped up, the ruling they were fined under had nothing to do with monopoly legislation, but was rather to do with consumer freedom.

I haven't checked it out myself, but I've had it stated several times independently from reliable sources, so understand it to be the case.

Consumers have the freedom to not choose Apple and still have plenty of actual choice. The problem with Microsoft before the smartphone/tablet revolution was that it was them or...well nothing basically. You now have iOS, Android or Windows, take your pick. All 3 companies are corrupt as hell anyway so choose whichever one floats your boat.

[Boon72]

Going off how Firefox eats ram up on computer's lately I'm glad their not doing an iOS version

[crossy]

So if you're not allowed to change the default browser on Apple products why aren't they being fined the same way Microsoft was by the EU?

It's probably because Apple doesn't have a 90%+ monopoly unlike what Microsoft used to have.

On the other hand, Apple DO claim a 70%+ "monopoly" on the tablet market - so if the Microsoft precedent is to be believed then surely someone must be looking at Apple in the same way. If the only way to switch to a "better" browser is to jailbreak (which does horrible things to warranties doesn't it?) then surely the EU consumer is being denied the freedom to chose and being locked into a proprietary environment.

Someone needs to make a complaint. It won't be me though because I have zero interest in iPads (think there are better solutions on the market) and don't have an iPhone either (others suit me better at the moment).

Then again, maybe like Flash, the Apple folks have got it right - although it started out well, the latest versions of Firefox on Android are a complete POS - slow and unreliable. I've switched to Chrome and/or Opera.

[genkifd]

Apple has always been about control. that is why their systems are so rigid. Good and bad.

[gonchuki]

Going off how Firefox eats ram up on computer's lately I'm glad their not doing an iOS version

so you haven't used Firefox in the last year and a half? figures...

[Vancha]

I laughed upon reading the title, because it was the least surprising thing I'd ever read. I'm not sure two tech companies could have more opposing philosophies.

[TheAnimus]

so you haven't used Firefox in the last year and a half? figures...

In fairness, its still not quite as slick as Chrome.

FireFox has the problem of Explorer (not IE, regular desktop one). Too many plugins and bloat.

They have taken some strides to advance this, but it's still poor.

[AGTDenton]

The same as every other manufacturer has embraced MicroUSB and Apple continues to go it's own way on mobile phones I guess...

They just want FireWire to work god damn it

[this_is_gav]

FireFox has the problem of Explorer (not IE, regular desktop one). Too many plugins and bloat.

To be fair, having just woken and turned on my PC, I've just got this one tab open on Chrome this morning, and it's using 515mb. Granted I've just opened Firefox and loaded this page, but it's using 190mb.

I'm not saying Firefox isn't less responsive than Chrome, as, certainly in starting up, it most certainly is. But this talk about bloat has always been overblown. Chrome has always used more memory than Firefox for me, and I do switch back and forth regularly (for whatever reason, Chrome can't upload large videos to Vimeo - a common problem looking at the Vimeo forums).

Not that I'm complaining too much, given that I've got 12gb RAM, but Chrome with plenty of tabs open does noticeably slow down my work, computer which has 8gb, if I'm multitasking (which I always am, as I tend to leave browsers open all day).

[crossy]

(Going off how Firefox eats ram up on computer's lately I'm glad their not doing an iOS version) so you haven't used Firefox in the last year and a half? figures...

Are you sure that you're not thinking about desktop Firefox - that's actually a pretty decent browser, although maybe a little on the slow side compared to Chrome.

We're speaking here of the mobile versions and, irrespective of how much of a Firefox fan I am, that version isn't that good. It comes across as bloated and slow, neither of which is an attraction on a handset based browser.

Personally, I blame that FirefoxOS project - quality of other developments seem to have gone down since that was announced.