Apple, Google, Microsoft and Mozilla have gotten together to make a common platform for web client extensions.
For Chrome users, this means littleif theres an extension you want, chances are its Chrome-exclusive anyway.
But for Safari users, this is huge news.
Especially as extensions are supported in Safari on the iPad in iOS 15.
In theory, developers could get their extensions running on Safari with little or no extra work.
In practice, even this was too much of a bother.
Apple
Chrome hasaround 65% of the online window market.
Safari comes in second, but still only has a measly 18% share.
I would have to say that Apple probably stands to gain the most from that interoperability.
ThisWebExtensions Community Group Charteris an extension of Apples 2020 policy change.
“Safari still ranks well below Chrome in popularity.
Dropbox, Google Docs, Gmail, Trello, and so on all run in or on the cloud.
The net web surfer, then, is a big deal.
And unlike pretty much everywhere else, Apple is lagging far behind in the web internet tool world.
Apple
Apples strategy so far has been to make Safari excellent and private.
Its fast, its very power-efficient, and its deeply integrated with the Mac and iOS.
But even that is table stakes in the surfing app warsChrome also syncs everything.
Apples other play is privacy.
Safari already blocks trackers, lets you control what private data sites can access, and plenty more.
This is a fantastic advantage, but its not enough.
Another Extension Joke
Some apps, like 1Password, offer native extensions for all browsers.
I foresee Apple putting a lot of emphasis on dominating the web web client scene in years to come.
The WebExtensions Charter shows Apple is serious about not letting Safari get left behind.
But thats not all.
One of these “new products” is extension support in Safari for iPad in iOS 15.
Youll be able to add them to Safari, just like you’re free to with the Mac.
The difference is the iPad has pretty much the entire market when it comes to tablets.
