Japan is taking a strong stance against Apple’s longstanding control over iPhone browser engines. Under the newly published guidelines for the country's Smartphone Act, Apple must lift its WebKit-only restriction by December. This move could finally allow third-party browser engines like Chrome’s Blink to operate on iOS.

Until now, Apple's policies have effectively blocked full-featured alternatives, even in response to similar EU regulations. However, Japan’s guidelines go further, stating that Apple cannot impose “unreasonable technical restrictions” or create new rules that would discourage the use of non-WebKit engines. This development could mark a major shift in the iPhone browsing experience and improve competition in the mobile browser space.As per a translation provided by the Open Web Advocacy organization, the guidelines prevent Apple from doing the following:

“Imposing unreasonable technical restrictions on individual app providers while allowing them to adopt alternative browser engines, placing excessive financial burdens on individual app providers for adopting alternative browser engines, and steering smartphone users away from using individual software that incorporates alternative browser engines.”