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Firefox to become first mobile browser to support desktop extensions later this year
(blog.mozilla.org)
this post was submitted on 13 Aug 2023
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I don't see how they would, since ios Firefox doesn't use the same rendering engine it uses on other platforms, Gecko. Instead it has to use Safari, just like any other browser on there.
Duplicating support for all existing extensions would be pretty much impossible if you don't control the rendering engine.
That's going to change in EU as Apple will be forced to allow side loading apps.
this. they simply have to port the version they're developing for android now and we're golden. i guess it might find it's way on non-eu-devices by community builds and testflight.
Yeah it'll be a big task nonetheless. Firefox for Android needed gecko components to be ready to make use of gecko view, their rendering "engine". iOS may be need its own version of gecko view, at least the bindings for it, as well as a new set of components for all the UI elements a full fledged browser may need.
I heard about allowing alternative app stores, but I'm not sure if that also removes the browser engine restrictions. (would make sense though, from an anti-monopoly pov)
The restriction is from App Store, and bypassing it removes that hurdle. Microsoft faced the same issue when they were trying to launch their cloud streaming service within their app, not because they technically couldn't, but because Apple wouldn't let them to.
Ahhh, that makes sense. Thanks!