Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram has accused Apple of maneuvering against web applications or webapps to force iOS users to use the native versions that are published on the App Store.
At this point it is no mystery that Apple manages and controls its ecosystem with an iron fist, especially if we talk about iOS (iPhone) and iPadOS (iPad), two operating systems oriented to touch devices that do not exactly stand out for giving freedom to users and developers. Here we can highlight the situation of web browsers, which are all forced to use the WebKit engine that comes pre-installed, Firefox included.
Telegram is also affected by the limitations imposed by Apple. Although the application can be found in the App Store, the Cupertino giant’s guidelines do not allow it to support public channels without restrictions. In response, those responsible for Telegram they developed a web application to bypass the corporation’s rules, but it doesn’t work very well due to problems that have been present in WebKit for fifteen years and that Apple has allegedly preferred to ignore.
Durov argues that web apps are capable of delivering a feature-rich experience by supporting notifications, WebM-format video stickers, playing Opus-format audio, and more. However, none of these features are supported by the iOS WebKit, which also has problems with the context menu and the fact that it reloads the websites randomly.
The mentioned features have been implemented in the desktop versions of Firefox and Chrome for a very long time. Moreover, on paper any Chromium desktop or Android browser should support them and even WebKit derivatives like GNOME Web (previously Epiphany) are capable of playing WebM and Opus over the web without any problems.
Seeing the shortcomings that the iOS WebKit drags compared to its rivals within the segment, the conclusion reached by Pavel Durov is that Apple is refusing to correct them, something that can be considered true if we see the gigantic size of the corporation. Does Apple really not have engineers and developers capable of introducing the playback of a common video format like WebM? Of course, yes, and seeing the enormous resources available to it, it is obvious that we are facing a situation of lack of will on the part of the company.
To reinforce his argument, Durov has taken the following statements from the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA): “Apple prohibits alternatives to its own browser engine on its mobile devices, a restriction that is unique to Apple. The CMA is concerned that this will severely limit the potential for rival browsers to differentiate themselves from Safari (for example, in features such as speed and functionality) and limit Apple’s incentives to invest in its browser engine.”
“This restriction also seriously inhibits the ability 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 out the 30% commission that the company charges through the App Store. The founder of Telegram is an open detractor of the 30% commission that many digital platforms take because, in his words, that makes the applications more expensive.
Beyond certain questions about the market and Apple’s interests, it is obvious that the situation of Safari within iOS and iPadOS is much more harmful than that of the monopoly of Internet Explorer in its daysince Microsoft has never closed down Windows to the extent of preventing the use of a rival technology at the application level.
