The UK competition authority has effectively instructed Apple to ensure fair and open competition for iPhone web browsers, while also prohibiting Safari from outperforming rival browsers.
In response, Apple argued that providing new WebKit features free of charge would enable competing developers to benefit without investment …
A brief overview
This issue began in the EU, where an investigation revealed that Apple was violating competition laws by mandating that developers of alternative web browsers utilize WebKit. This limitation hindered the efficiency of their code and prevented them from offering features not supported by Safari. In effect, competing browsers were merely alternate skins over the same underlying framework.
In reaction, Apple permitted third-party browsers to employ their own web engines and provided users with the option to select a default web browser during phone setup.
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) initiated its own investigation and tentatively arrived at the same conclusion late last year.
Notably, it also indicated that when Apple introduces new features for its own browser engine, WebKit, those features must be made available to other developers.
Apple’s response to the UK competition authority
Apple countered that it cannot simply provide new web browsing capabilities to other developers for free, as this would impede its innovation capacity. Reuters covered Apple’s position as presented to the CMA.
Apple asserted that it would be “inappropriate” to require the provision of upcoming WebKit features or iOS functionalities used by Safari at no cost, emphasizing that developing such features is a time-consuming and resource-intensive endeavor.
“Apple cannot recover a reasonable portion of those costs … doing so would negatively impact Apple’s motivation to innovate and result in free-riding and insufficient investment by third parties.”
DMN’s Perspective
Apple’s argument that it cannot innovate under the current circumstances seems a bit absurd. Nevertheless, the tech giant has a valid point. Initially, Apple compelled developers to use WebKit, claiming this was to maintain platform safety, while competition regulators alleged it was to prevent rival browsers from outshining Safari.
Now that Apple has permitted developers to create their own browsing engines, fostering true competition for the first time, the company is faced with demands to share its own browser advancements with competitors.
The CMA in the UK appears to want an equilibrium—genuine competition among browsers while simultaneously restricting Apple from gaining an edge.
Photo by Joan Gamell on Unsplash
