First Look At Google Chrome's Blink Engine Running On an iPhone (9to5google.com) 39
Google has begun the process of bringing Chrome's full Blink browser engine to iOS against current App Store rules, and now we have our first look at the test browser in action. 9to5Google reports: In the weeks since the project was announced, Google (and Igalia, a major open source consultancy and frequent Chromium contributor) have been hard at work getting a simplified "content_shell" browser up and running in iOS and fixing issues along the way. As part of that bug fixing process, some developers have even shared screenshots of the minimal Blink-based browser running on an iPhone 12. In the images, we can see a few examples of Google Search working as expected, with no glaringly obvious issues in the site's appearance. Above the page contents, you can see a simple blue bar containing the address bar and typical browser controls like back, forward, and refresh.
With a significant bit of effort, we were able to build the prototype browser for ourselves and show other sites including 9to5Google running in Blink for iOS, through the Xcode Simulator. As an extra touch of detail, we now know what the three-dots button next to the address bar is for. It opens a menu with a "Begin tracing" button, to aid performance testing. From these work-in-progress screenshots, it seems clear that the Blink for iOS project is already making significant progress, but it's clearly a prototype not meant to be used like a full web browser. The next biggest step that Google has laid out is to ensure this version of Blink/Chromium for iOS passes all of the many tests that ensure all aspects of a browser are working correctly.
With a significant bit of effort, we were able to build the prototype browser for ourselves and show other sites including 9to5Google running in Blink for iOS, through the Xcode Simulator. As an extra touch of detail, we now know what the three-dots button next to the address bar is for. It opens a menu with a "Begin tracing" button, to aid performance testing. From these work-in-progress screenshots, it seems clear that the Blink for iOS project is already making significant progress, but it's clearly a prototype not meant to be used like a full web browser. The next biggest step that Google has laid out is to ensure this version of Blink/Chromium for iOS passes all of the many tests that ensure all aspects of a browser are working correctly.
Why ? Won't be allowed thru App Store (Score:2, Interesting)
Re: Why ? Won't be allowed thru App Store (Score:2)
He's a devout Appletologist. It's not enough that he doesn't want to install non-apple approved apps, it's that he considers it to be a travesty if anybody else is able. If he doesn't like the app, then nobody should! This is because anything that goes against the will of his diety Tim Cook is sacrilege.
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From what I have seen the most vociferous are the ones who do not like Apple, do not like the iPhone, and want to see Apple fail, and this will make zero difference to them.
Why does Google care ? They apparently have the biggest market share by a big margin with Android.
Google knows Apple users spend more money than Android users. They don't care about "freedom" or any such BS, all they care about is getting their claws into the most lucrative portion of the market and the tre
Re: Why ? Won't be allowed thru App Store (Score:2)
There's an easy fix: Just don't install it. Problem solved. I don't use chrome either, I only use Firefox.
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Because modern browsers are a security nightmare.
Re: Why ? Won't be allowed thru App Store (Score:2)
Oh... Hey look guys, I found the internet explorer fanboy, he's been right here this whole time!
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That is anticipated to change soon, due to various anti-trust actions against Apple around the world. Having it would also give Google some evidence that it can work well on an iPhone, disproving Apple's technical arguments.
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Executives at Google: "Halt all work on the iOS Blink engine immediately! Slashdot user bsdetector101 doesn't want it!"
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Release it for jailbroken devices (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: Release it for jailbroken devices (Score:2)
Then your financial apps arenâ(TM)t working. Good advice.
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You do not need a "jail break" to side load an app.
XCode is enough, and it is a free download.
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Yeah, but then you have to know how to configure it, and compile every new version of the app yourself.
On Android you can just install F-Droid or the Amazon app store and enjoy automatic updates and hassle free installs.
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On Android I grab Firefox from the Play Store.
Google doesn't have restrictions on installing its competitor's browser.
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Apple neither.
You simply install from the Apple App-Store.
Oh, you knew that. So why making stupid comments?
Google Chrome is on the Appstore, so is Firefox, Opera and dozens of other browsers.
Most of them use the Apple provided render engien and JavaScript engine, though: and no user cares.
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Wait, you really don't know? I don't know why I'm surprised. I mean, with you I keep my expectations low, but damn...
Most of them use the Apple provided render engien and JavaScript engine, though: and no user cares.
Most? As always, you're deeply confused. This isn't a choice made by lazy developers. Apple strictly prohibits competitors from using their own rendering and JavaScript engines. So-called alternative browsers on iOS are just Safari in a new outfit. That's bad for everyone, not just those unfortunate enough to be stuck with an iPhone.
Oh, and if you think no one cares, you're even dumber
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No you don't.
iPASTORE exists as a service that can take any IPA and run it on your device without a jailbreak.
https://ipastore.me/ [ipastore.me]
It uses the same code signing mechanism as the Apple sideloading process to sign IPA files for use.
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Obviously, *facepalm*
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OMG... I'll try to explain his post to you. I'll use small words. Try not to hurt yourself.
You wrote:
You do not need a "jail break" to side load an app.
XCode is enough, and it is a free download.
Because you're really stupid, you think this is a good way for the average iPhone user to sideload an app.
There are many things wrong with that, but the most obvious problem is this: Most iOS users don't own a Mac.
Organgtool is fully aware that XCode is only available on OSX. He is calling attention to that fact to point out that your advice is completely worthless for the vast majority of iOS users.
Whatever you do (Score:2)
Don't turn your back, don't look away, and don't blink!
simple testing with just one browser (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:simple testing with just one browser (Score:5, Informative)
As a user we don't care that you want your job to be easy. It doesn't matter who is it: Microsoft, Google, or Apple, having a monoculture on any platform is bad. Maybe with a bit of competition we can go back to following standards and having companies compete to meet those standards making your testing job easier.
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A standard is most easist enforced by a standard browser.
Having more than one browser on a platform is not competition anyway. Who or what is competing about what?
I have multiple browsers to be easy logged on on different accounts. That is all. And that is the only reason I have Google Chrome on iOS: two have two browsers. What engine they run does not matter at all.
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A standard is most easist enforced by a standard browser.
No, you moron. When there is one dominant browser, two things happen: 1) improvements and innovation stop 2) standards are ignored in favor of whatever is most advantageous to whoever owns the dominant browser.
We've seen this happen. This happened when IE6 dominated the market. We're seeing the exact same thing happen with iOS Safari. We've also seen what happens when there is healthy browser competition: standards compliance improves dramatically across the board. When users have a choice, there is re
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A standard is most easist enforced by a standard browser.
A standard is not an end goal. A standard is what will make it easier for a developer. Do you like IE6 because what you're proposing is IE6. It was a standard forced down the throats of everyone. Did you like it peasant?
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There is competition, but nobody here buys it. They bitch and moan about closed source and privacy and tracking. Well here's your answer https://www.pine64.org/pinepho... [pine64.org]
Now the complaints are it's too expensive, it's too slow, this doesn't work, that doesn't work, wah wah wah. Nothing makes these grumpy old fucks happy.
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There is competition, but nobody here buys it.
Giving the same pig multiple different shades of lipstick while the competition owner declares the pig contest is only allowed to include that one specific pig does not make competition.
By linking to a different phone you've completely missed the point. Come back and join us in the conversation about iOS.
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Testing on different platforms is already taxing. Spreading this out onto multiple browsers on iOS would be a night mare.
No, it wouldn't, unless you are half-assing your job now and coincidentally decided not to at that point. The multiple browsers which would be on iOS are already on Android, so you already have to test for them.
Battery Impact (Score:1)
Good chance this thing really hurts battery life. I suspect one of the reasons Apple have tried to prevent this is that they don't want a bunch of apps embedding a power hungry browser in their apps if Google incentivise use of their engine somehow.
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Good chance this thing really hurts battery life. I suspect one of the reasons Apple have tried to prevent this is that they don't want a bunch of apps embedding a power hungry browser in their apps if Google incentivise use of their engine somehow.
Two major flaws in your reasoning.
1) Background apps already get suspended on different levels to prevent excessive resource usage.
Only the foreground app could have a major effect, which leads to...
2) There's plenty of apps that are resource hogs, including battery, on the store and in full compliance with app store rules and coding guidelines.
3D engine games and heavy data using apps ramp up power use for their respective chips, and not only is that acceptable, that is the expected behavior.
Both serve as
What? No, stupid (Score:2)
Google has begun the process of bringing Chrome's full Blink browser engine to iOS against current App Store rules
No, Google has begun the process of bringing Chrome's full Blink browser engine to iOS in anticipation of the EU and/or India forcing them to permit competing browser engines, because forcing the Safari engine on other browsers is obviously, directly, literally anticompetitive. It's also not against Apple's rules for Google to port their browser engine, it's only against Apple's rules for a browser with its own engine to be hosted in the App Store.
These outright wrong story summaries are beyond tiresome. Sl
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Looking forward to every random app suddenly doubling in size because each now comes with its own full copy of a web browser engine. Or apps telling me “to use this app you also have to download and install Browser X”. I’m already annoyed enough that apps are allowed to use their own internal browser rather than being forced by the platform to allow me to specify “always open web links in full Safari app, every time”. (Some allow me to pop links out into Safari, but most don
As a user, what I want out of an iOS browser (Score:2)
1. Password Manger integration (I use 1Password )
2. Adblocker support
3. Language translation support
I'm skeptical of DNS and VPN based adblocking solutions for iOS. So I'm left with these options:
Chrome for iOS gives me #1 and #3
Safari for iOS gives me #1 and #2
Any way to get all 3? I'm guessing that any future Blink on iOS will omit Adblocker extensions.
Duh, obviously (Score:1)