If you’re in the EU and wondering why you still can’t use a version of Chrome or Firefox on your iPhone that doesn’t rely on Apple’s WebKit engine, you’re not alone. Despite a Digital Markets Act (DMA) ruling that came into effect over a year ago — 16 months, to be exact — developers like Google and Mozilla still haven’t been able to bring their browser engines to iOS.
That’s because, according to the nonprofit group Open Web Advocacy (OWA), Apple has made it nearly impossible for them to do so. While Apple technically added support for non-WebKit browsers with the launch of iOS 17.4 to meet the DMA requirements, the OWA argues the company’s approach is blocking real competition in practice.
Technical barriers and legal hurdles
OWA, made up of software engineers who push for a more open internet, says Apple’s restrictions are more than just inconvenient — they’re deliberate roadblocks. Developers outside the EU lack proper access to testing tools, and Apple requires that new browsers using alternative engines must be launched as new apps.
In other words, if Google wanted to offer a version of Chrome using its own Blink engine on iOS in the EU, it couldn’t simply update the current Chrome app. Instead, it would have to create an entirely separate app just for EU users, effectively resetting its user base to zero. Maintaining this version alongside the existing global one would double the workload and make it more challenging to support.
Mozilla expressed frustration with Apple’s approach last year. Mozilla’s Damiano DeMonte said Apple’s rules create a heavy burden for independent browser developers and limit real choice for consumers. “Apple’s proposals fail to give consumers viable choices by making it as painful as possible for others to provide competitive alternatives to Safari,” he said.
A question of profit and market share
OWA claims that Apple’s resistance to opening iOS to real browser competition is rooted in financial motivation. Safari, Apple’s browser, is a major source of revenue, particularly from the search deal it holds with Google. This partnership reportedly brings Apple around US$20 billion per year, accounting for up to 16% of the company’s annual operating profits.
The group estimates that Apple could lose US$200 million annually for every 1% drop in Safari’s browser market share. From Apple’s perspective, keeping rival browsers out — or at least keeping them at a disadvantage — helps protect this income stream.
So while Apple may appear to be complying with the DMA on paper, OWA says the company is “not in effective compliance.” The group insists that Apple is deliberately preventing other browser engines from competing fairly on iOS.
Pressure builds beyond the EU
And it’s not just Europe taking notice. In the UK, regulators are also pushing back against Apple and Google for what they describe as behaviour that is “holding back” mobile browser innovation. Following an investigation, UK officials are urging that iOS be opened to allow alternative browser engines, much like the DMA aimed to do in the EU.
Yet, even with regulatory pressure mounting, progress remains slow. Apple’s tight control over the iOS browser landscape continues to limit user choice, keeping you locked into the Safari experience, whether you want it or not.
