Japan orders Apple to open iPhone to rival browser engines by end of 2025

[Cal Jeffrey]

A hot potato: Apple's tight grip on iOS browser technology is facing a global reckoning. With Japan joining the EU and UK in demanding real engine-level competition, 2026 could become the year Apple finally loses control over how the web works on its platform.

Japan has officially ordered Apple to allow third-party browser engines on iOS, setting a clear deadline of December 2025. The move comes as part of new guidelines published under the Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA), which expands on Japan's recently passed Smartphone Act and directly targets long-standing App Store restrictions.

Apple currently requires all iOS browsers – including Chrome, Firefox, and Edge – to use its proprietary WebKit engine. That policy has prevented meaningful competition and severely limited the performance and capabilities of rival browsers, according to digital rights groups and regulators.

"By mandating the use of WebKit, Apple effectively banned independent browsers from iOS," said Open Web Advocacy, a group that consulted on the law and helped shape the government's Final Report. "This new legislation changes that, not only outlawing outright bans but also practices that make alternative engines unworkable."

The new guidelines prohibit Apple from blocking or hindering the adoption of third-party browser engines. That includes indirect actions such as imposing unreasonable technical or financial barriers, or steering users away from non-WebKit browsers. Regulators will evaluate whether Apple's conduct makes it likely – not just possible – that alternative engines cannot succeed.

The law also guarantees browser makers full access to key system APIs. While Apple can offer alternate APIs, the rules make clear they cannot be materially worse than those used by Safari or WebKit. This provision mirrors similar language in the EU's Digital Markets Act but includes added clarity around performance standards.

Another requirement is the introduction of browser choice screens, which must appear promptly after a device's first activation. The MSCA specifies that users must be prompted either during setup or at the first launch of a relevant app.

This level of specificity goes further than the EU's Digital Markets Act, which mandates choice screens but leaves more flexibility around timing. By locking down when and how the prompt appears, Japan aims to ensure users actually see – and act on – their options. The UK is attempting to adopted similar regulations, as well.

"[This year] could be a turning point for browser competition," Open Web Advocacy said. "But that depends on regulators staying the course – and Apple doing more than the bare minimum."

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Japan orders Apple to open iPhone to rival browser engines by end of 2025

 

[hahahanoobs]

It's only fair. The EU did it to Microsoft.

 

[Burty117]

At long last, 10+ years late, but they finally got there. UK, Japan, App Store next? EU's done it, can't see why you wouldn't follow.

 

[m4a4]

Good. It's ridiculous that they limit browser apps on customer iPhone's to reskins of Safari.

 

[RudyBob]

The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.

 

[p51d007]

IF a phone is under contract, I can see restrictions until the contract ends. But if you purchase an unlocked (not locked to a carrier) you should be able to do with it as you please. But as with a lot of things, now you have to have permission from the manufacturer. Phones, appliances, vehicles...they jam so many sensors, software into them, a "shade tree mechanic" can't tinker with them.

 

[daffy duck]

Australia and US, it's crickets chirping. RudyPoo always supporting the tech scum.

 

[Axeia]

So what would be the arguments against this.
Web developers no longer developing for Safari?

I'm sure the Apple white knights will come up with some unreasonable reasoning that's actively against their own interests.
Why'd anyone want a browser that supports things like adblock right?

 

[Megalomaniac]

"People who are really serious about software should make their own hardware."

iPhone and iOS are untouchable. The entire Android market can't shine in that amount of bright light as iPhone is the Sun. Their only hope is to break iPhone's exclusivity so their own products can finally get attention.

 

[Beerfloat]

This might make iphones slightly less crap.
Still not likely to ever go back to the clumsy POS platform.

 

[brucek]

I wonder how much practical difference this is really going to make.

For me, as one of the ~5% of desktop users who chooses Firefox, I'll appreciate having access to its/Gecko's full extension ecosystem if that works out. But if 95% of desktop users, who can easily access it today, don't care to, is it really going to be that different on mobile?

On most levels I'd hope that few users will perceive any differences between WebKit, Blink, and Gecko. The point of web standards is that the page you're visiting should look and interact the same regardless of what browser you choose.

So really where is this supposed to lead?

 

[Burty117]

I wonder how much practical difference this is really going to make.

For me, as one of the ~5% of desktop users who chooses Firefox, I'll appreciate having access to its/Gecko's full extension ecosystem if that works out. But if 95% of desktop users, who can easily access it today, don't care to, is it really going to be that different on mobile?

On most levels I'd hope that few users will perceive any differences between WebKit, Blink, and Gecko. The point of web standards is that the page you're visiting should look and interact the same regardless of what browser you choose.

So really where is this supposed to lead?

Well lots of people use Chrome still, even on the iPhone, so Safari's market share will shrink quite quickly. I'm also with you on Firefox and I for one, am very happy that I'll be able to get proper Firefox on my iPhone finally.

There's more implications to this than meets the eye though, wasn't it Apple blocking certain web apps from working through their browser to force Apps to be created instead? Well they wouldn't be able to block web apps from working in other browsers, leaving Safari in the dust if they keep that policy, as it forces users to seek out a different browser.

 

[NumberNine]

This should be a fun game of legal chicken.

 

[airbornex]

Apple’s 2026 roadmap: 1) Allow browser engines. 2) Limit them with “performance optimizations.” 3) Blame devs when the experience isn’t as smooth as Safari.