{"id":271868,"date":"2021-06-10T18:23:58","date_gmt":"2021-06-10T15:23:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/apple-beat-google-to-web-extensions-on-mobile\/"},"modified":"2021-06-10T18:23:58","modified_gmt":"2021-06-10T15:23:58","slug":"apple-beat-google-to-web-extensions-on-mobile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/apple-beat-google-to-web-extensions-on-mobile\/","title":{"rendered":"#Apple Beat Google to Web Extensions on Mobile"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#App<\/a>le Beat Google to Web Extensions on Mobile”<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\"Safari
Apple<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Technology<\/a> companies have reputations. Google tends to push the envelope, whereas Apple takes time to refine things, not worrying about being \u201cfirst.\u201d That\u2019s why it\u2019s so strange to see Safari on the iPhone get extensions before Chrome on Android.<\/p>\n

Starting in iOS 15, Safari for the iPhone and iPad can download extensions through the App Store. And these extensions aren\u2019t just from Apple. Third parties can create them as well. It\u2019s the same functionality that has been in Safari for desktop for years.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> What’s New in iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

What other popular web browser has had extensions for years? Google Chrome, of course. In fact, Chrome and Safari added extensions all the way back in 2010. Extensions are a big part of what catapulted Chrome to the popularity it has today. So what\u2019s holding back the Android version?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s certainly not impossible for Android browsers to have extensions. Dolphin Browser<\/a> was one of the original third-party browsers on the platform and it still exists today with support for \u201cadd-ons.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Install
Adds-ons in Firefox for Android<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s not just smaller, niche browsers doing it, either. Mozilla Firefox for Android<\/a> also includes a limited number of adds-on that work on mobile. You don\u2019t get access to the large library of add-ons from the desktop, but there are still a few handy ones that enhance the experience.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> How to Install Extensions (Add-ons) in Mozilla Firefox<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

But what if you\u2019re really tied to Chrome extensions specifically? You might think that you\u2019re stuck waiting for Google to follow Apple\u2019s lead and bring them to Chrome for Android. Surprisingly, that\u2019s not the case. Google has not only been beaten by iOS, but also by developers on its own platform.<\/p>\n

Kiwi Browser<\/a> is an open-source browser based on Chromium. That\u2019s the same backbone for browsers like Microsoft Edge and, of course, Google Chrome. Kiwi, however, lets you download extensions from the Chrome Web Store.<\/p>\n

\"uBlock
Desktop Chrome extension installed in Kiwi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That\u2019s right, the entire Chrome Web Store is available in the Kiwi Browser. You can install the extensions just like you would on your PC. You\u2019re using a desktop website on a phone, so the process is a little clunky, but it absolutely works\u2014with a catch.<\/p>\n

Since Kiwi is based on Chromium, you lose some of the more Google-ly features of Chrome. Namely, you can\u2019t use the extremely handy Chrome Sync feature that keeps all your bookmarks and history synced between browsers. But you do get extensions!<\/p>\n

Kiwi is proof that Chrome extensions can run in a mobile browser. There\u2019s no technical reason why Google couldn\u2019t have added this feature to Chrome on Android a while ago. It could even have followed Firefox\u2019s lead and offered a smaller selection of extensions.<\/p>\n

Apple and Google constantly push each other to adopt features that people want. We see this happen all the time. Currently, Apple is making a big push into privacy features, which is causing Google to take it more seriously. Will extensions in Safari on iOS 15 finally cause Google to bring them to Chrome on Android? We can only hope.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> What Is a Browser Extension?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n