Mozilla Has No Plans for Firefox iOS App

Apple fans shouldn't hold their breath for a dedicated iOS Firefox browser, according to Mozilla's Jay Sullivan.

During a mobile browser wars panel at SXSW, Mozilla's vice president of product said that until Cupertino adjusts its attitude toward third-party browsers, Firefox will avoid Apple's iOS.

Mozilla's biggest problem lies in the inability to carry over its sophisticated rendering and javascript engines to iOS, CNET reported. "Essentially, the organization doesn't feel like it can build the browser it wants to for Apple's platform," Sullivan told CNET, which moderated Saturday's panel.

"Due to constraints with the environment and distribution, we cannot provide users the full Firefox experience on iOS at this time," Sullivan said in an emailed statement to PCMag. "We will continue experimenting with new technologies that move the Web forward and keep the user in control."

Apple's rules forbid browsers that don't use its version of WebKit, and prevent users from setting any non-Safari app as their default browser. Apple's Safari currently has more than 55 percent of the mobile/tablet browser share, according to Net Applications. Mozilla holds 0.01 percent.

:story: PC Magazine