Developers aiming to create alternative browsers with third-party engines for iOS can only do so if they are physically located in Europe. This restriction is Apple’s method of complying with Europe’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) legislation, as reported by The Register after conversations with multiple developers.
In the latest versions of iOS and iPadOS (17.4), Apple has introduced the capability for developers to use alternative browser engines. However, The Register’s sources indicate that Apple intends to restrict this feature to Europe exclusively. To be precise, developers wanting to build a browser with an alternative engine must be situated within the European Union.
Apple enforces this geographic limitation through geofencing, which ensures that only developers physically present in the EU can build these browsers. While developers can create browsers using emulators outside the EU, they face significant challenges in conducting practical tests on actual devices, complicating the development process for major browser makers like Mozilla and Gecko.
Despite these restrictions, some developers are unaffected. The Register reports that the teams behind browsers like Vivaldi and Opera, who have developers within the European Economic Area (EEA), do not face these challenges. Consequently, they can continue their development without interruption, unlike their counterparts outside Europe who struggle with Apple’s stringent geofencing measures.
