Software company Mozilla has accused Google, Microsoft, and Apple of using their access to devices and operating systems to force more users to use their browsers, thereby disbenefiting Mozilla’s Firefox browser.
The software company claimed that competitors are either ignoring or resetting a user’s default browser preference and restricting capabilities to the first-party browser.
According to Mozilla, Microsoft, through the Windows Store, Google, as the owner of the Play Store, and Apple, with its App Store, are making it challenging for users to download and use a different browser.
The company shared its concerns about Apple forbidding third-party browser engines and restricting users’ ability to transfer their data when switching from Safari to another browser, Windows features launch Microsoft Edge instead of the user’s default browser, contrary to the user’s choice, similarly, Google and its Chrome browser were criticized because some Android features launch on Chrome instead of the user’s default browser.
Before resorting to calling out, Mozilla stated that it had engaged in dialogue with its competitors to address the issue, but these attempts failed.
“Browsers are the principal gateway connecting people to the open Internet, acting as their agent and shaping their experience. The central role of browsers has long motivated us to build and improve Firefox to offer people an independent choice,
“However, this centrality also creates a strong incentive for dominant players to control the browser that people use. The right way to win users is to build a better product, but shortcuts can be irresistible and there’s a long history of companies leveraging their control of devices and operating systems to tilt the playing field in favor of their browser,
“We call on Apple, Google, and Microsoft to engage with us in this new forum to speedily resolve these concerns. People deserve choice, and choice requires the existence of viable alternatives. Alternatives and competition are good for everyone, but they can only flourish if the playing field is fair. It’s not today, but it’s also not hard to fix if the platform vendors wish to do so,” the company stated.
Mozilla, escalating the issue, has announced the creation of an issue tracker platform to document how these platforms disadvantage Firefox and intend to engage with the vendors to resolve these issues.
