1690646 - [Feature Request] Enable Chromium to use Firefox Sync

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(Firefox :: Sync, enhancement, P5)

Description

[Mason Bee]

User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Ubuntu; Linux x86_64; rv:85.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/85.0

Steps to reproduce:

I saw Google removed the sync api access for Chromium and thought it might be a good move for Firefox.

Actual results:

Google is removing the API access of Chromium to sync bookmarks and passwords.

Expected results:

Mozilla should allow Chromium builds to use their sync service or build their own Chromium including their sync service.

Comment 1

[BugBot [:suhaib / :marco/ :calixte]]

The Bugbug bot thinks this bug should belong to the 'Firefox::Sync' component, and is moving the bug to that component. Please revert this change in case you think the bot is wrong.

Comment 2

[Ryan Kelly [:rfkelly]]

Thanks for the suggestion.

Mozilla should allow Chromium builds to use their sync service

There are already some other browsers that use the Firefox Sync service, such as GNOME web. I don't think there's anything outright preventing Chromium from adding this functionality or using this service.

or build their own Chromium including their sync service.

This risks sounding facetious or snarky, but I'm genuinely curious - why? How would building a Chromium that uses Mozilla's sync service benefit Mozilla or further Mozilla's mission, especially when compared to other work that we could do to improve the user experience around syncing in Firefox?

Comment 3

[Mason Bee]

I think it would benefit Mozilla in a number of ways.

1. Many people use Chromium and Firefox.
2. People who don't use Firefox would be introduced to the Mozilla offerings.
3. Moving from Chrome to Chromium is a smaller step.
4. Increase Mozilla's market share and income.
5. Being involved in the Chromium process may help Chromium be a more open browser.

It is entirely possible that Mozilla itself wouldn't have to build it at all although that would be better as it appears to need a lot of time and a decent machine according to Linux Mint. Just opening the sync service API as they have done with Gnome Web might be enough and the devs can take it over from there.

There is also nothing I can see in the manifesto (OK, I only read it after you said Mozilla's mission :)) that this would clash with and I think in everything except principle 2 I can see some benefit not just to Mozilla but to the community at large.

Additionally, and not that I am wishing Firefox ill luck, Firefox share is falling and Mozilla is largely beholden to Google for money is my impression of the current situation - No, I haven't actually checked, I could be wrong. The only product that appears to be able to make a permanent income is the VPN and having that marketshare limited to the current amount of people using Mozilla products is a smaller set than those using Mozilla products and Chromium.

Finally, it is probably a good idea to bet both ways. We have seen the extend, embrace, extinguish tactic before with IE. I doubt Chrome will make the same mistake of ignoring competition.

Comment 4

[Jeronimo Torti (Please send NI request to Brindusa Tot)]

Hi,
this could be a good enhancement, maybe it will be taken into consideration in the future? Please, advise!
Thanks.