Controlling the only browser engine on the most important end user OS means Apple has a veto on what can be done with the web platform in practice. If they want to press a pillow on the face of the web and watch it desperately struggle for air, they can.
And of course they want to do that. What is good for the web is bad for Apple. They need web apps to be unviable to maximise the platform lock-in and the rents they can extract via the App Store.
("They" being senior Apple leadership; I'm sure the people working directly on WebKit are doing the best they can given their resource constraints and strategic guidance.)
And of course they want to do that. What is good for the web is bad for Apple. They need web apps to be unviable to maximise the platform lock-in and the rents they can extract via the App Store.
("They" being senior Apple leadership; I'm sure the people working directly on WebKit are doing the best they can given their resource constraints and strategic guidance.)