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Comment by esolyt | Hacker News Reader

> quality rendering engine that has the same experience everywhere and gets updated with each major iOS release

That's the problem. Google can regularly update Chrome without updating the OS. Apple can't because it's a system app.

> Apple have always put the end Users Experience before Developers, so it's primarily focused on maintaining a fast, fluid browsing experience on iOS

Not really. They actually started backtracking on most of those. They even allow third party keyboards now, most of which are slower and harder to use than the stock iOS keyboard. Considering keyboard is a more integral part of the OS, it seems weird they still do not allow third party browsers.

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Apple can push a iOS point release that just includes an update a single system app (they've did it before for the 5S's compass bug, so there's precedence even) and users will actually get to download it quickly and there's no specially carrier approval bullshit that forced Google to go with a downloadable browser app pushed through the Play Store. Being forced to use the Play Store for system functionalities has not only destroyed the "open source" nature Android once had, but also delivers bugs to users faster than ever, since they push Play Services updates damn near monthly and with far worse QA than system updates.

> Apple can push a iOS point release that just includes an update a single system app

Which is inefficient and inconvenient. Google updates Chrome every 6 weeks while you are sleeping, as with all other Play Store apps. With an iOS system update, you have to click 5 different dialog boxes and go through several steps such as rebooting.

> and users will actually get to download it quickly and there's no specially carrier approval bullshit

Chrome updates don't go through carrier approval. Since Google does not need to update Android to be able to update Chrome, it's hard to understand your point here.

> that forced Google to go with a downloadable browser app pushed through the Play Store.

Chrome did not replace AOSP browser. Android still has its own browser.

> Being forced to use the Play Store for system functionalities has not only destroyed the "open source" nature Android once had

Chrome is not a "system functionality". It's an optional app you can download from the store. Android still has its own open source browser.

> That's the problem. Google can regularly update Chrome without updating the OS

If you're referring to Chrome on iOS, it uses Apple's Webkit/Webview as the rendering engine. The only thing Google is updating with app updates is the logic behind interaction with that webview, not the rendering engine itself.

I think the reference was to Chrome on Android, which (like most of the core Google apps) is treated as a separate app and updated independently and rather more frequently than OS updates, and contrasting that with iOS Safari, which is updated as part of the OS.

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