The mobile browsers war panel at SWSX held in Texas over the past weekend had some interesting and contrasting set of news for iOS users. Mozilla’s vice president Jay Sullivan said that they cannot release an iOS version of their famous browser Firefox until Apple changes its hard set rules for third party browsers. Back in 2012 Mozilla pulled out its Mozilla Home app for iOS as it could not afford to comply with Apple’s rules. Jay said that iOS are suffering because of lack of choice of browsers and Apple need to strictly consider a bit lenience on its rules for third party browsers. A quick poll taken by CNN right at the conference revealed a bit contrary opinion when the attendees were asked if they would love to use third party browsers more than Apple’s mobile safari, there were hardly any hands in the air.
Apple makes it a compulsion for third party browsers to use their own version of web-kit which Mozilla feels is not up to their standards for rendering information. Apart from that, one major concern voiced out by Mozilla and Dolphin browser for iOS is the lack of setting third party browser as a default browser on iOS. Currently Mobile Safari accounts to nearly 60% of mobile web traffic currently which shows why competitors are desperate and hungry to beat Apple.
It is highly unlikely for Apple to bend it rules to an extent that it allows setting default apps for basic actions like maps and browsers. Considering the fact that users are quite happy with Mobile Safari it is difficult for Firefox fans to even expect an iOS app in the near future.