> Apple mandating WebKit is the only thing holding v8 back from a total monopoly,
You say that as if Apple was a powerless victim with no money and no lawyers.
I'd argue Apple having to straight face Google's domination and doing something about it on the open (basically forcing regulation) would be a better outcome than letting them take iOS users in hostage forever.
At some point they had a new browser that they provided to windows as well and could have expanded way further. They could have made Safari a true alternative to IE, Chrome, Firefox. They didn't, it didn't make sense for them.
So yes, Apple isn't big on the web, but it's in part of their own doing. Safari not being a viable browser outside of the mac and iOS is nobody's fault except Apple.
On wether Apple can face Google...let's put it in perspective:
- can Apple face Facebook: sure, at one point they killed their stock value overnight through a single policy change on iOS
- can Apple face Microsoft: a long time ago no. Today they're showing Microsoft the middle finger when they're trying to let users stream games on Apple's platform.
- can Apple face the US government: welp, they sure do. We've seen nothing coming out from any trial or policy happening in the US.
So, can Apple face Google ? I kinda think they can, yes. They have the money, the lawyers, the lobbies and politicians in their pocket. If they really wanted to, they could probably force Google to change on any front they're competing on.
Does it matter if Apple isn't competing on every single area Google has a hand into ?
Should we also ask if Google is competing in TV production business, luxury watch bands, or computer wheels ?
To get back to the original point, Apple has a browser, and the means to raise a case against Google being too dominant in the browser space. They'd have plenty evidence of Google interfering with the market if they'd go all in and were faced with unfair practices. They never did and probably don't intend to, because they kinda don't care as long as Google isn't threatening their walled garden.
That's where the "Apple is the only defense against V8" falls flat to me.
That may be true today, but I don't think it was true during the early days of the iPhone, where Steve Jobs wanted no third-party native code running on the iPhone, only web apps that connect to third-party services.[1][2] It wasn't until lots of developer backlash and subsequent success of the App Store that they decided to de-prioritize the web.
> That may be true today, but I don't think it was true during the early days of the iPhone, where Steve Jobs wanted no third-party native code running on the iPhone, only web apps
That was 2007. Can you show me how exactly Apple was big on the web in 2007?
> It wasn't until lots of developer backlash and subsequent success of the App Store that they decided to de-prioritize the web
They never de-prioritised the web. Implementing Chrome-only non-standards isn't what being big on the web means.
Open a list of most-visited websites and show me Apple properties on it.
You say that as if Apple was a powerless victim with no money and no lawyers.
I'd argue Apple having to straight face Google's domination and doing something about it on the open (basically forcing regulation) would be a better outcome than letting them take iOS users in hostage forever.