Firefox on iPhone: Apple’s Regional Rules Make Gecko Too Expensive to Build

Why bringing Gecko to iPhone remains difficult

Ars: What is the actual path to Gecko on iPhone? Apple currently offers alternative engine routes in the EU and Japan. Which remaining obstacles come from Apple’s requirements, and which are engineering cost limitations?

Varma: The biggest challenge for us is that we are not a large technology company. For us, that means branching out to build two different versions of iOS: one for markets where we can use Gecko and another for markets where we cannot. That would essentially double the size of our iOS team.

What we are asking Apple and regulators to do is create a single, global set of rules for building Gecko around the world.

What has happened in some markets is great, but the reality is that it is very difficult to invest in building a global, bifurcated system. There are also limitations involving how the browser appears in the App Store. Only one app can be used, and there are issues with the migration method.

Still, the biggest challenge is that Firefox would have to maintain two completely different iOS builds, which significantly increases costs.

Firefox’s dependence on Google search revenue

Ars: When it comes to costs and revenue, Firefox relies on its search agreement with Google. There are concerns that Firefox could face even greater challenges if that agreement ends. In the long term, are you also worried about depending on Google search revenue as rapid advances in large language models threaten Google’s long-term search dominance?

Varma: This is certainly a big question. I do not think anyone knows what will happen in the long term, but in the short term, competition is a great thing. That is why I work on Firefox. Having a legitimate competitor to Google is good for consumers, and I think that is the best outcome for Firefox.

In the short term, Google is doing very well. The growing power of AI and large language models does not mean that people will move from Google Search to LLMs just yet. In fact, the overall search market is growing, and both search queries and monetizable queries are increasing.

Google has also integrated AI modes deeply into its search results. Again, this is a story about the difference between engineers and the general public. For the average person, the memory of visiting Google remains very strong.