# Mobile Browsers Navigating the Embedded Landscape > [! note]- > The content of this page is generated by audio/video transcription and text transformation from the content and links of this source. Source: [https://fosdem.org/2025/schedule/event/fosdem-2025-6411-mobile-browsers-the-best-of-times-the-worst-of-times/](https://fosdem.org/2025/schedule/event/fosdem-2025-6411-mobile-browsers-the-best-of-times-the-worst-of-times/) <video src="https://video.fosdem.org/2025/h2214/fosdem-2025-6411-mobile-browsers-the-best-of-times-the-worst-of-times.av1.webm" controls></video> ## Summary & Highlights: The session 'Mobile Browsers: the Best of Times, the Worst of Times' explores the current state of mobile browsers on Linux-based platforms. David Llewellyn-Jones discusses the importance of web browsers in accessing services on alternative mobile platforms and examines the various browser technologies available. The presentation highlights the benefits and challenges of using web-based technologies for mobile applications, emphasizing the role of embedded browsers in enhancing accessibility and functionality. **Introduction to Mobile Browsers** Mobile browsers are crucial for accessing services on alternative platforms beyond dominant ones like Android and iOS. They enable web apps to function across different systems, increasing the viability of Linux-based mobile platforms. However, the landscape is complex, with various technologies like Blink, WebKit, and Gecko offering different features and benefits. **The Embedded Browser Landscape** Embedded browsers are vital for mobile systems, providing the necessary tools to integrate web functionalities into applications. Technologies like the Chromium Embedded Framework and Gecko WebView offer stable APIs for embedding browser engines without user interfaces, allowing developers to create customized mobile applications. **Challenges and Opportunities** While web apps offer cross-platform accessibility, they may lack the tight integration and performance of native apps. The session discusses the 'Region Beta Paradox,' where adequate web apps reduce the incentive to develop native alternatives, potentially hindering innovation. However, the availability of powerful embedded browsers can enhance the capabilities of Linux-based mobile platforms. **Conclusion and Future Directions** The session concludes with a call to expand the use of embedded browser technologies across more Linux mobile platforms. By improving interfaces and contributing to open-source projects, developers can enhance the ecosystem, making it more robust and accessible for users. ## Importance for an eco-social transformation Mobile browsers play a significant role in eco-social transformation by democratizing access to digital services across diverse platforms. They support sustainable development by enabling the use of open-source technologies, reducing reliance on proprietary systems. For eco-social designers, the use of embedded browser technologies like Gecko WebView and CEF offers opportunities to create inclusive and accessible applications. However, challenges remain, such as ensuring tight integration and performance comparable to native apps. Socially, the focus on open-source solutions fosters community collaboration and innovation. Politically, advocating for open standards and APIs can help overcome barriers to adoption and encourage wider use of sustainable technologies. ## Slides: | | | | --- | --- | | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Mobile-Browsers-the-Best-of-Times-the-Worst-of-Tim/preview_001.jpg\|300]] | The first slide introduces the session titled 'Mobile Browsers: The Best of Times, the Worst of Times' presented by David Llewellyn-Jones on February 1st, 2025. The slide sets the stage for a discussion on the dual nature of mobile browsers, highlighting both their potential and challenges. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Mobile-Browsers-the-Best-of-Times-the-Worst-of-Tim/preview_002.jpg\|300]] | This slide provides context for the presentation, mentioning its delivery at FOSDEM 2024 and detailing work on upgrading the browser on Sailfish OS from ESR 78.15.0 to ESR 91.9.1. A link to further resources on the topic is also provided. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Mobile-Browsers-the-Best-of-Times-the-Worst-of-Tim/preview_003.jpg\|300]] | | | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Mobile-Browsers-the-Best-of-Times-the-Worst-of-Tim/preview_004.jpg\|300]] | The slide outlines the journey of understanding mobile browsers by surveying the landscape, learning from other distributions, and seeking ways to improve the ecosystem. It emphasizes the importance of learning from existing technologies to enhance mobile browser capabilities. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Mobile-Browsers-the-Best-of-Times-the-Worst-of-Tim/preview_005.jpg\|300]] | This slide discusses the positive aspects of current mobile browsers, highlighting that top browser engines are open source and standards-compliant. It notes that cross-platform development now includes the web, with many apps built on web technologies, providing experiences similar to native apps. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Mobile-Browsers-the-Best-of-Times-the-Worst-of-Tim/preview_006.jpg\|300]] | The slide addresses the drawbacks of web apps, noting that they are not designed for tight integration and that services often choose web interfaces over publicly accessible APIs. This reduces the impetus to develop native alternatives, potentially stalling innovation. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Mobile-Browsers-the-Best-of-Times-the-Worst-of-Tim/preview_007.jpg\|300]] | This slide introduces the 'Region-Beta Paradox,' where web apps make platforms daily-usable but simultaneously disincentivize native development. It highlights the balance between usability and the need for further innovation in native applications. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Mobile-Browsers-the-Best-of-Times-the-Worst-of-Tim/preview_008.jpg\|300]] | The slide depicts the evolution of web browsers from the early 90s to the present, showcasing the development of major browser engines like Gecko, WebKit, and Blink. It highlights the timeline of significant browsers and their influence on the current landscape. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Mobile-Browsers-the-Best-of-Times-the-Worst-of-Tim/preview_009.jpg\|300]] | This slide explores the current state of mobile browsers, listing various engines and their implementations across platforms like Phosh, Plasma Mobile, Ubuntu Touch, and Sailfish OS. It highlights the diversity and adaptability of browser technologies in mobile environments. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Mobile-Browsers-the-Best-of-Times-the-Worst-of-Tim/preview_010.jpg\|300]] | The slide presents an overview of the internal workings of a web browser, detailing components like the web server, protocol client, DOM, JavaScript engine, and rendering engine. It emphasizes the importance of stable embedding APIs for mobile browser integration. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Mobile-Browsers-the-Best-of-Times-the-Worst-of-Tim/preview_011.jpg\|300]] | This slide continues the exploration of web browser internals, focusing on the stable embedding API. It reiterates the significance of having a stable interface for embedding browser functionalities into mobile applications, enhancing integration and usability. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Mobile-Browsers-the-Best-of-Times-the-Worst-of-Tim/preview_012.jpg\|300]] | The slide outlines the foundational components of mobile browsers, emphasizing the importance of a rendering engine, JavaScript engine, and embedding API. It highlights the minimal user interface needed for effective integration into mobile platforms. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Mobile-Browsers-the-Best-of-Times-the-Worst-of-Tim/preview_013.jpg\|300]] | This slide discusses the embedded browser landscape, defining 'embedded' as both resource-constrained and embeddable in other programs. It lists key technologies like Blink, WebKit, and Gecko, highlighting their roles in mobile browser development. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Mobile-Browsers-the-Best-of-Times-the-Worst-of-Tim/preview_014.jpg\|300]] | | | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Mobile-Browsers-the-Best-of-Times-the-Worst-of-Tim/preview_015.jpg\|300]] | The slide presents a JavaScript function used in the speaker's experiments, demonstrating how to collect node statistics and manipulate the DOM. It highlights the consistency and reliability of JavaScript across different browser platforms. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Mobile-Browsers-the-Best-of-Times-the-Worst-of-Tim/preview_016.jpg\|300]] | The slide summarizes key takeaways from the session, noting that browser embedding frameworks offer similar APIs. It lists essential features like settings controllers, view widgets, web controls, JavaScript injection, and message passing interfaces. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Mobile-Browsers-the-Best-of-Times-the-Worst-of-Tim/preview_017.jpg\|300]] | This slide outlines actions for future development, including upgrading Gecko, enhancing mobile-config-firefox, and expanding the Sailfish WebView as a stable embedded API. It emphasizes the value of embedded Gecko for broader mobile Linux applications. | ![[FOSDEM 2025/assets/Mobile-Browsers-the-Best-of-Times-the-Worst-of-Tim/preview_018.jpg\|300]] | The final slide provides links for further information, including the source of the slides, the speaker's website, and resources related to embedded Gecko. It offers avenues for attendees to explore the topics discussed in the session further. ## Links [Slides (PDF)](https://fosdem.org/2025/events/attachments/fosdem-2025-6411-mobile-browsers-the-best-of-times-the-worst-of-times/slides/238247/fosdem25-_uxUCMzq.pdf) [Gecko WebView](https://fosdem.org/2025/events/attachments/fosdem-2025-6411-mobile-browsers-the-best-of-times-the-worst-of-times/slides/238247/fosdem25-_uxUCMzq.pdf) [Chromium Embedded Framework](https://fosdem.org/2025/events/attachments/fosdem-2025-6411-mobile-browsers-the-best-of-times-the-worst-of-times/slides/238247/fosdem25-_uxUCMzq.pdf) [Qt WebEngine](https://fosdem.org/2025/events/attachments/fosdem-2025-6411-mobile-browsers-the-best-of-times-the-worst-of-times/slides/238247/fosdem25-_uxUCMzq.pdf) [Web Platform for Embedded](https://fosdem.org/2025/events/attachments/fosdem-2025-6411-mobile-browsers-the-best-of-times-the-worst-of-times/slides/238247/fosdem25-_uxUCMzq.pdf) [Video recording (AV1/WebM) - 63.1 MB](https://video.fosdem.org/2025/h2214/fosdem-2025-6411-mobile-browsers-the-best-of-times-the-worst-of-times.av1.webm) [Video recording (MP4) - 404.0 MB](https://video.fosdem.org/2025/h2214/fosdem-2025-6411-mobile-browsers-the-best-of-times-the-worst-of-times.av1.mp4) [Video recording subtitle file (VTT)](https://fosdem.org/2025/events/attachments/fosdem-2025-6411-mobile-browsers-the-best-of-times-the-worst-of-times/slides/238247/fosdem25-_uxUCMzq.pdf) [Chat room(web)](https://fosdem.org/2025/events/attachments/fosdem-2025-6411-mobile-browsers-the-best-of-times-the-worst-of-times/slides/238247/fosdem25-_uxUCMzq.pdf) [Chat room(app)](https://fosdem.org/2025/events/attachments/fosdem-2025-6411-mobile-browsers-the-best-of-times-the-worst-of-times/slides/238247/fosdem25-_uxUCMzq.pdf)