James Heppell
@formularsumo.bsky.social
Tech stuff, especially Web and platforms. Also music, writing, biology & anything else I'm finding interesting. Currently studying at the University of Exeter and volunteering at Open Web Advocacy.
I'm more active on Mastodon:
https://formularsumo.co.uk/
I'm more active on Mastodon:
https://formularsumo.co.uk/
Pinned
Reading List 2025
The English part of the my 2025 reading list: books I read this year, and what I thought about them
formularsumo.co.uk
Another year over, another reading list! The first (English) part of it least. It's quite short this time, but I still had a lot of fun writing it. Hope you enjoy!
formularsumo.co.uk/blog/2025/re...
formularsumo.co.uk/blog/2025/re...
Another year over, another reading list! The first (English) part of it least. It's quite short this time, but I still had a lot of fun writing it. Hope you enjoy!
formularsumo.co.uk/blog/2025/re...
formularsumo.co.uk/blog/2025/re...
Reading List 2025
The English part of the my 2025 reading list: books I read this year, and what I thought about them
formularsumo.co.uk
December 23, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Another year over, another reading list! The first (English) part of it least. It's quite short this time, but I still had a lot of fun writing it. Hope you enjoy!
formularsumo.co.uk/blog/2025/re...
formularsumo.co.uk/blog/2025/re...
Android 16 QPR2 themed icon changes and how they affect PWAs: elk.zone/social.vival...
December 11, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Android 16 QPR2 themed icon changes and how they affect PWAs: elk.zone/social.vival...
I've just posted a long thread on Mastodon about some issues I have with the platform: elk.zone/social.vival...
* Official projects defaulting to largest server (centralisation)
* Pushing the official native apps over web apps and others
* Not advertising app releases on F-Droid/other 3p app stores
* Official projects defaulting to largest server (centralisation)
* Pushing the official native apps over web apps and others
* Not advertising app releases on F-Droid/other 3p app stores
November 27, 2025 at 1:18 AM
I've just posted a long thread on Mastodon about some issues I have with the platform: elk.zone/social.vival...
* Official projects defaulting to largest server (centralisation)
* Pushing the official native apps over web apps and others
* Not advertising app releases on F-Droid/other 3p app stores
* Official projects defaulting to largest server (centralisation)
* Pushing the official native apps over web apps and others
* Not advertising app releases on F-Droid/other 3p app stores
Reposted by James Heppell
Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web and HTML, has expressed support for compelling Apple to allow other browser engines on iOS. He also states that having a powerful browser on iOS would "change the dynamic" with respect to web app's viability on mobile.
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Tim Berners-Lee On Apple’s Browser Engine Ban and Web Apps - Open Web Advocacy
open-web-advocacy.org
November 13, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web and HTML, has expressed support for compelling Apple to allow other browser engines on iOS. He also states that having a powerful browser on iOS would "change the dynamic" with respect to web app's viability on mobile.
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1/4
Hace unos días añadí una nueva sección a mi web - Páginas vivas. Son proyectos que nunca acaban de estar tan terminados como un artículo de mi blog, y que suelen tener un lado más informativo en vez de exponer mis opiniones.
formularsumo.co.uk/es/paginas-v...
formularsumo.co.uk/es/paginas-v...
Paginas-vivas
Las paginas vivas de la web personal de James Heppell
formularsumo.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Hace unos días añadí una nueva sección a mi web - Páginas vivas. Son proyectos que nunca acaban de estar tan terminados como un artículo de mi blog, y que suelen tener un lado más informativo en vez de exponer mis opiniones.
formularsumo.co.uk/es/paginas-v...
formularsumo.co.uk/es/paginas-v...
Reposted by James Heppell
The 🇬🇧UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has officially designated Apple as having Strategic Market Status (SMS). After four years investigating Apple’s restrictions on browser engines and web apps, the CMA now has statutory authority to enforce a code of conduct.
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November 4, 2025 at 8:14 AM
The 🇬🇧UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has officially designated Apple as having Strategic Market Status (SMS). After four years investigating Apple’s restrictions on browser engines and web apps, the CMA now has statutory authority to enforce a code of conduct.
1/12
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Reposted by James Heppell
Reason: Push is only half of whats needed. Web Push is gated behind install. Install for native is easy, for web apps it's hidden to the point developers are forced to build native apps, the very developers that would be using web push.
Missing lots of features.
webventures.rejh.nl/blog/2024/we...
Missing lots of features.
webventures.rejh.nl/blog/2024/we...
October 28, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Reason: Push is only half of whats needed. Web Push is gated behind install. Install for native is easy, for web apps it's hidden to the point developers are forced to build native apps, the very developers that would be using web push.
Missing lots of features.
webventures.rejh.nl/blog/2024/we...
Missing lots of features.
webventures.rejh.nl/blog/2024/we...
Reposted by James Heppell
Well surely that's due to the Safari team sitting on their hands and being 5-8 years late in shipping it, and even now that it has, it's still quite gimped?
Burning out developer enthusiasm is the precise goal in Apple dragging their feet on web features after all.
Burning out developer enthusiasm is the precise goal in Apple dragging their feet on web features after all.
October 22, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Well surely that's due to the Safari team sitting on their hands and being 5-8 years late in shipping it, and even now that it has, it's still quite gimped?
Burning out developer enthusiasm is the precise goal in Apple dragging their feet on web features after all.
Burning out developer enthusiasm is the precise goal in Apple dragging their feet on web features after all.
Reposted by James Heppell
Reposted by James Heppell
Last week, OWA spoke at the 🇪🇺EU Parliament’s Digital Markets Act Working Group on Apple’s ongoing non-compliance with the DMA and why the open web is vital for Europe’s digital future.
🔗 Read our full speech:
open-web-advocacy.org/blog/owa-at-...
1/4
🔗 Read our full speech:
open-web-advocacy.org/blog/owa-at-...
1/4
OWA at the EU Parliament DMA Working Group - Open Web Advocacy
open-web-advocacy.org
October 10, 2025 at 6:57 AM
Last week, OWA spoke at the 🇪🇺EU Parliament’s Digital Markets Act Working Group on Apple’s ongoing non-compliance with the DMA and why the open web is vital for Europe’s digital future.
🔗 Read our full speech:
open-web-advocacy.org/blog/owa-at-...
1/4
🔗 Read our full speech:
open-web-advocacy.org/blog/owa-at-...
1/4
Reposted by James Heppell
It's truly wild that bsky.app still isn't a PWA. "We've gotta capitulate to big tech" brain rot is common in the valley, but you'd imagine that an org with its stated values could see past it.
October 6, 2025 at 8:49 PM
It's truly wild that bsky.app still isn't a PWA. "We've gotta capitulate to big tech" brain rot is common in the valley, but you'd imagine that an org with its stated values could see past it.
Acabo de terminar la traducción de mi artículo Microsoft Office Sigue Siendo Malo (Para Colaboraciones):
formularsumo.co.uk/es/blog/2025...
#Microsoft365 #Office365 #MicrosoftOffice #colaboracion
formularsumo.co.uk/es/blog/2025...
#Microsoft365 #Office365 #MicrosoftOffice #colaboracion
Microsoft Office Sigue Siendo Malo (Para Colaboraciones)
Mi experiencia reciente y pasada con paquetes de oficina.
formularsumo.co.uk
October 6, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Acabo de terminar la traducción de mi artículo Microsoft Office Sigue Siendo Malo (Para Colaboraciones):
formularsumo.co.uk/es/blog/2025...
#Microsoft365 #Office365 #MicrosoftOffice #colaboracion
formularsumo.co.uk/es/blog/2025...
#Microsoft365 #Office365 #MicrosoftOffice #colaboracion
Reposted by James Heppell
One of my jobs on Chrome is quantifying overall product quality signals. This quarter we're taking a hit on crashes entirely due to iOS, which looks to be primarily due to WebKit and iOS bugs. When I try to check on the status of the current major one (bugs.webkit.org/show_bug.cgi...), I get this:
October 3, 2025 at 11:44 PM
One of my jobs on Chrome is quantifying overall product quality signals. This quarter we're taking a hit on crashes entirely due to iOS, which looks to be primarily due to WebKit and iOS bugs. When I try to check on the status of the current major one (bugs.webkit.org/show_bug.cgi...), I get this:
Reposted by James Heppell
The European Commission insists no decision has been adopted regarding Google and the DMA, after MLex reported it had delayed a prepared fine due to EU-US trade tensions.
No comment on Šefčovič's possible intervention.
No comment on Šefčovič's possible intervention.
Google’s adtech fine pulled at last minute over EU-US trade tensions | MLex | Specialist news and analysis on legal risk and regulation
An EU antitrust sanction against Google that was scheduled for today was put on hold hours before the planned announcement, following opposition from EU trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and lobbying ...
www.mlex.com
September 2, 2025 at 11:09 AM
The European Commission insists no decision has been adopted regarding Google and the DMA, after MLex reported it had delayed a prepared fine due to EU-US trade tensions.
No comment on Šefčovič's possible intervention.
No comment on Šefčovič's possible intervention.
After ~4 months of on and off writing, I'm very happy to (finally) publish my most detailed article so far: Transport should be for the public.
formularsumo.co.uk/blog/2025/tr...
formularsumo.co.uk/blog/2025/tr...
Transport should be for the public
The UK, with few exception, is car dependent. Our public and active transport systems are severely underinvested in and underutilised, which has a wide-ranging knock-on effect on all our public spaces...
formularsumo.co.uk
August 18, 2025 at 12:19 PM
After ~4 months of on and off writing, I'm very happy to (finally) publish my most detailed article so far: Transport should be for the public.
formularsumo.co.uk/blog/2025/tr...
formularsumo.co.uk/blog/2025/tr...
Reposted by James Heppell
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.
/1
open-web-advocacy.org/blog/japan-a...
Starting Dec 2025, iPhones must allow real Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Brave, Vivaldi and others to run their own engines, just like on desktop.
/1
open-web-advocacy.org/blog/japan-a...
Japan: Apple Must Lift Engine Ban by December - Open Web Advocacy
open-web-advocacy.org
August 6, 2025 at 7:25 AM
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.
/1
open-web-advocacy.org/blog/japan-a...
Starting Dec 2025, iPhones must allow real Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Brave, Vivaldi and others to run their own engines, just like on desktop.
/1
open-web-advocacy.org/blog/japan-a...
Reposted by James Heppell
The 🇬🇧 UK regulator has provisionally found that Apple and Google meet the threshold for Strategic Market Status (SMS) under the DMCC. In Apple’s case, the decision highlights its ban on competing browser engines and its actions to suppress competition from web apps.
UK Regulator Flags Apple’s iOS Browser Engine Ban in Draft SMS Designation - Open Web Advocacy
open-web-advocacy.org
July 23, 2025 at 11:47 AM
The 🇬🇧 UK regulator has provisionally found that Apple and Google meet the threshold for Strategic Market Status (SMS) under the DMCC. In Apple’s case, the decision highlights its ban on competing browser engines and its actions to suppress competition from web apps.
Reposted by James Heppell
New OWA Report: Apple’s Browser Engine Ban Persists, Even Under the DMA
Despite big claims at the recent DMA workshops, Apple continues to block competing browser engines on iOS in the EU.
👉 Read the details 📺 Watch the video
open-web-advocacy.org/blog/apples-...
🧵Let's Dive In
Despite big claims at the recent DMA workshops, Apple continues to block competing browser engines on iOS in the EU.
👉 Read the details 📺 Watch the video
open-web-advocacy.org/blog/apples-...
🧵Let's Dive In
July 14, 2025 at 6:46 AM
New OWA Report: Apple’s Browser Engine Ban Persists, Even Under the DMA
Despite big claims at the recent DMA workshops, Apple continues to block competing browser engines on iOS in the EU.
👉 Read the details 📺 Watch the video
open-web-advocacy.org/blog/apples-...
🧵Let's Dive In
Despite big claims at the recent DMA workshops, Apple continues to block competing browser engines on iOS in the EU.
👉 Read the details 📺 Watch the video
open-web-advocacy.org/blog/apples-...
🧵Let's Dive In
Reposted by James Heppell
🚀 OWA volunteer James Heppell shares his experience representing us at the Apple & Google DMA workshop.
His personal take, now #1 on Hacker News, offers sharp insight into gatekeepers' approach to the law.
Check it out:
formularsumo.co.uk/blog/2025/ap...
His personal take, now #1 on Hacker News, offers sharp insight into gatekeepers' approach to the law.
Check it out:
formularsumo.co.uk/blog/2025/ap...
Apple Vs The Law
Apple & Google at the DMA compliance workshops, June 2025
formularsumo.co.uk
July 11, 2025 at 10:27 AM
🚀 OWA volunteer James Heppell shares his experience representing us at the Apple & Google DMA workshop.
His personal take, now #1 on Hacker News, offers sharp insight into gatekeepers' approach to the law.
Check it out:
formularsumo.co.uk/blog/2025/ap...
His personal take, now #1 on Hacker News, offers sharp insight into gatekeepers' approach to the law.
Check it out:
formularsumo.co.uk/blog/2025/ap...
Reposted by James Heppell
"Apple know that for this kind of regulation to be successful, it needs to be easy to replicate in other places. If there's [a separate] set of browser APIs and contractual requirements [for every country/jurisdiction], it becomes all but impossible to ship an engine."
July 8, 2025 at 7:13 PM
"Apple know that for this kind of regulation to be successful, it needs to be easy to replicate in other places. If there's [a separate] set of browser APIs and contractual requirements [for every country/jurisdiction], it becomes all but impossible to ship an engine."
Last week I went to the Apple and Google #DMA workshops in Brussels, and yesterday I finished writing about the experience.
formularsumo.co.uk/blog/2025/ap...
formularsumo.co.uk/blog/2025/ap...
Apple Vs The Law
Apple & Google at the DMA compliance workshops, June 2025
formularsumo.co.uk
July 8, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Last week I went to the Apple and Google #DMA workshops in Brussels, and yesterday I finished writing about the experience.
formularsumo.co.uk/blog/2025/ap...
formularsumo.co.uk/blog/2025/ap...
Reposted by James Heppell
Google's Hotseat Hypocrisy 🫤 To comply with the Digital Markets Act, Apple puts the user’s chosen browser in the hotseat. Google refuses to do the same on Android, leaving Chrome in the hotseat and undermining user choice.
That’s not DMA compliance!
open-web-advocacy.org/blog/googles...
1/9
That’s not DMA compliance!
open-web-advocacy.org/blog/googles...
1/9
Google's Hotseat Hypocrisy - Open Web Advocacy
open-web-advocacy.org
July 4, 2025 at 7:19 AM
Google's Hotseat Hypocrisy 🫤 To comply with the Digital Markets Act, Apple puts the user’s chosen browser in the hotseat. Google refuses to do the same on Android, leaving Chrome in the hotseat and undermining user choice.
That’s not DMA compliance!
open-web-advocacy.org/blog/googles...
1/9
That’s not DMA compliance!
open-web-advocacy.org/blog/googles...
1/9
Reposted by James Heppell
Regulators around the world are tackling mobile platform monopolies.
But every time new laws like the EU’s DMA or the UK’s DMCC emerge to allow more competition, Apple and Google raise one predictable objection:
“Security”
Let’s unpack why that doesn’t hold up.
👇
1/19
But every time new laws like the EU’s DMA or the UK’s DMCC emerge to allow more competition, Apple and Google raise one predictable objection:
“Security”
Let’s unpack why that doesn’t hold up.
👇
1/19
June 23, 2025 at 7:34 AM
Regulators around the world are tackling mobile platform monopolies.
But every time new laws like the EU’s DMA or the UK’s DMCC emerge to allow more competition, Apple and Google raise one predictable objection:
“Security”
Let’s unpack why that doesn’t hold up.
👇
1/19
But every time new laws like the EU’s DMA or the UK’s DMCC emerge to allow more competition, Apple and Google raise one predictable objection:
“Security”
Let’s unpack why that doesn’t hold up.
👇
1/19
¡Acabo de publicar mi primer artículo escrito en (en vez de traducido al) español! Se llama Las Distintas Formas de Leer, y trata de comparar la lectura física, digital, y el audiolibro, con bastante enfoque en el lado tecnológico, y en el futuro que yo espero.
formularsumo.co.uk/es/blog/2025...
formularsumo.co.uk/es/blog/2025...
Las Distintas Formas de Leer
Una comparación entre la lectura física, digital, y el audiolibro, y ideas para un futuro.
formularsumo.co.uk
May 1, 2025 at 9:34 PM
¡Acabo de publicar mi primer artículo escrito en (en vez de traducido al) español! Se llama Las Distintas Formas de Leer, y trata de comparar la lectura física, digital, y el audiolibro, con bastante enfoque en el lado tecnológico, y en el futuro que yo espero.
formularsumo.co.uk/es/blog/2025...
formularsumo.co.uk/es/blog/2025...