Pavel Durov, founder The telegram accused Apple of maneuvering against web applications resp Web applications force iOS users to use native versions that are published in the App Store.
It’s no mystery at the moment that Apple manages and controls its ecosystem with an iron hand, especially when it comes to iOS (iPhone) and iPadOS (iPad), two touch-oriented operating systems that don’t just excel at giving freedom. users and developers. Here we can draw attention to the situation of web browsers, which are all forced to use the pre-installed WebKit engine, including Firefox.
The telegram is also affected by restrictions imposed by Apple. Although the app can be found in the App Store, the instructions of the Cupertian giant do not allow it to support public channels without restrictions. In response, he is responsible for the Telegram developed a web application that bypasses the rules of the corporation, but it does not work very well due to problems that have been present in WebKit for fifteen years and which Apple reportedly preferred to ignore.
Durov claims that web applications are able to provide feature-rich features by supporting alerts, video stickers in WebM format, audio playback in Opus format, and more. However, none of these features are supported by iOS WebKit, which also has issues with context menu and random site loading.
These features have long been implemented in desktop versions of Firefox and Chrome. In addition, on paper, they should be supported by any Chromium or Android browser, and even WebKit derivatives such as GNOME Web (formerly Epiphany) are able to play WebM and Opus over the web without any problems.
When you see the shortcomings of iOS WebKit compared to its competitors in this segment, Pavel Durov has come to the conclusion that Apple refuses to repair them, something that can be considered true if we see the gigantic size of the corporation. Does Apple really not have engineers and developers able to implement playback of a common video format such as WebM? Of course, yes, and given the vast resources at its disposal, it is clear that we are facing a situation of lack of will on the part of society.
In support of his argument, Durov received the following statement from the United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA): “Apple forbids using alternatives to its own browser on its mobile devices, a limitation that is unique to Apple. The CMA fears that this will significantly reduce the potential of competing browsers to differentiate themselves from Safari (such as features such as speed and functionality) and reduce Apple’s incentives to invest in its browser.
“This restriction also severely limits the capabilities of web applications (applications that run in a browser instead of having to be downloaded individually), depriving consumers and businesses of all the benefits of this innovative technology.”.
Apple’s laziness could have an economic justification when Durov pointed to a 30% commission, which the company charges through the App Store. The founder of Telegram is an outspoken opponent of the 30% commission that many digital platforms take because, according to him, it makes applications more expensive.
In addition to certain questions about the market and Apple’s interests, it is clear that the situation of Safari within iOS and iPadOS is much more harmful than the situation of the Internet Explorer monopoly at the time.because Microsoft has never shut down Windows to the point of preventing the use of competing technology at the application level.
