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Apple limits third-party browser engine work to EU devices (www.theregister.com)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/firefox@lemmy.ml
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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."

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[–] 11 points 2 years ago (7 children)

Can they do that? I'd love it, but I don't think they can really force Apple, or any company to do something globally can they? (USB C was probably managed this way because of logistic and pricing matters).

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  • [–] 23 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    they can make whatever laws they like really - the EU punishes corporate infringement with percentage of global revenue for example

    whether they can enforce them or not is questionable in most cases, but unless apple wants to pull out of europe, the EU can kinda do whatever it likes

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  • [–] 6 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    Not entirely. There still exists trade agreements, and diplomatic pushback.

    Forcing companies to make products to a certain specification, would mean the EU is attempting to regulate other markets. Markets it has no direct governance over. While it may come from good intentions, it still invades the authonomy of the governments that should have governance over these markets.

    Much better would be to work together with other countries, and help these countries implement similar rules, and enforce them together. Like, pretty much that the EU is doing for its members in the first place.

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  • [–] 6 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    trade agreements likely don’t cover this though

    and sure there might be diplomatic pushback, but… is that really going to happen?

    the EU already forces companies to make products to certain specifications if they want to be sold in the EU… as does the US and most other countries, and California in the US tends to set the standard that everyone else lives by

    countries “invade” the autonomy of other countries’ markets all the time. the US is the worst offender. this is kinda the reason the EU exists: to have the power to force things to happen that is “outside” their jurisdiction

    apple doesn’t have to comply. they don’t have to sell iphones in the EU. they’re making a choice

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    What you are mentioning is forcing companies to comply when selling inside the EU or California. The EU does not force companies to comply with their specifications outside of the EU. Companies simply do so because it is convenient.

    The EU cannot decide how cars should be made that are sold in California. If they tried, I bet the US government would have something to say about it.

    What the EU can do, is exert influence to get other governments to adopt the same rules. This already happens with a lot of countries surrounding the EU. But asking another government to adopt rules, is wildly different from forcing companies to adhere to those rules inside the borders of another government.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago

    i understand that of course, but the EU can, for example, force products that are sold in the EU to have no developer restrictions that are not compliant with EU law

    … just like it can (try) to regulate the sale of of things like conflict diamonds

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