Mozilla Developing Non-WebKit Version of Firefox for iOS, Possibly Anticipating Shift in Apple's App Store Policy [Updated]
Mozilla is working on a non-WebKit version of Firefox for iOS in anticipation of changes to Apple's platform rules, The Register reports.
Mozilla's GitHub repository contains code for the iOS version of Firefox with references to GeckoView, a wrapper for Firefox's Gecko rendering engine. Apple's App Store rules insist that browser apps on iOS and iPadOS must use its own WebKit browser engine, meaning that any version of Firefox based on Gecko could not be released under Apple's current policies.
The app, which contains a settings page for toggling GeckoView, could be for internal testing, but postings from Mozilla software developers on GitHub suggest that it is for a "secondary project," with open discussion of "proper Gecko Firefox on iOS." Last week, it emerged that Google's Chromium team is working on a new browser for iOS based on Blink, seemingly in expectation of changes to Apple's platform rules.
In the face of growing antitrust scrutiny, most recently by the Biden administration, Apple is rumored to be preparing to drop its browser engine restriction alongside broader measures to enable sideloading and third-party App Stores in Europe. The main motivator of the move is the European Union's Digital Markets Act, which is expected to compel Apple to make major platform rule changes as soon as next year. Similar legislation has been recommended by antitrust watchdogs in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan.
Update: In a statement emailed to The Register, a Mozilla spokesperson said, "We abide by Apple's iOS app store policies, and are simply doing some exploratory work to understand the technical challenges for Gecko-based browsers on iOS if those policies were to change. We hope the day will come when people can freely decide to use the browser of their choice, including the opportunity to select the engine that underpins it."
Popular Stories
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Apple recently acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to Financial Times sources. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014.
This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019....
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching.
In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...
New M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models are slated to launch in the near future, according to information shared with MacRumors by an Apple Premium Reseller.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
The third-party Apple retailer said that MacBook Pro stock is very low currently because there is an imminent new product introduction. Apple typically coordinates supply with...
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
