Perplexity just offered $34.5B to buy Chrome!
🚨The big question: without a legal obligation, will they fund the web platform that the world relies on at anywhere near Google’s ~$1B/year level?
New OWA Article:
https://open-web-advocacy.org/blog/can-perplexity-afford-to-fund-the-web/
Our answer: probably not.
🧵 Let's break it down
I don't want to "talk" to my browser. I don't want my browser to "summarize" things. I don't want my browser to "help" me with things. I don't want my browser to do anything except show me web pages and shut the fuck up and get out of the way.
"India withdraws the draft Digital Competition Bill after opposition from global tech majors and domestic platforms. Govt to launch a market study before redrafting, likely dropping ex-ante rules and revising 'gatekeeper' thresholds to balance regulation with innovation." https://www.financialexpress.com/business/industry-govt-to-withdraw-draft-digital-competition-bill-3942328/ - Big Tech lobbying, or Trump tariff terror?
For a detailed breakdown of the MSCA and what it means for browser competition:
/5
https://open-web-advocacy.org/blog/japan-apple-must-lift-engine-ban-by-december/
The act also forces Apple (and Google) to offer equivalent API access to third-party browser vendors, similar to Article 6(7) of the EU DMA.
/4
This matters as Apple is still blocking rival browser engines in the 🇪🇺 EU, despite the DMA:
/3
https://open-web-advocacy.org/blog/apples-browser-engine-ban-persists-even-under-the-dma/
Apple will no longer be allowed to impose technical or financial barriers that effectively block third-party browser engines on iOS.
/2
🇯🇵 Japan has officially banned Apple’s iOS browser engine restrictions.
Starting Dec 2025, iPhones must allow real Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Brave, Vivaldi and others to run their own engines, just like on desktop.
This is a major step forward for browser competition.
Full analysis here:
/1
https://open-web-advocacy.org/blog/japan-apple-must-lift-engine-ban-by-december/
@WTL @jensimmons +1
@jon @jensimmons +1
Pressure to let the web fairly compete on iOS is growing around the world:
https://brucelawson.co.uk/2025/cma-designates-google-and-apple-proposes-measures/
...but Apple is neither on the level, nor a good actor. It will continue to be a slog against obfuscation and lies, and we are all lucky to have @owa in the fight:
https://open-web-advocacy.org/blog/apples-browser-engine-ban-persists-even-under-the-dma/
Bruce Lawson's summary of the UK's preliminary designation decision, check it out:
🔥 "why the CMA does not aim to create a default interoperability requirement is beyond my small brain to fathom. I’ll be raising it in my response to the consultation"
https://brucelawson.co.uk/2025/cma-designates-google-and-apple-proposes-measures/
🚀 The #StateOfHTML 2025 survey is now open!
➡️ Take it now: https://survey.devographics.com/en-US/survey/state-of-html/2025/?source=leaverou
Spending time to fill these out thoughtfully is an investment into your craft, as browsers are using the results to make prioritization decisions.
You don't have to do it in one go (or even in one device).
Blog post with more background: https://lea.verou.me/blog/2025/state-of-html/
Big thanks to @sachagreif @dmitrysharabin @kadirtopal @foolip!
👉If the UK government is serious about supporting business, it must back the CMA in enforcing pro-competition rules decisively, especially when those rules are essential to giving startups and smaller companies a fair shot at innovation and growth.
Functionality limitations in web apps stem from Apple’s own restrictions on web browsers, undermining their ability to compete with native apps.
