This is untrue. Web standards need two independent implementations. Google can’t convince any other rendering engine besides their own to implement it.
It doesn't take a single no from Apple to veto it; it takes a single yes from anybody outside of Blink to move it forward. Nobody is doing that.
Here is what Mozilla have to say about WebUSB:
> Because many USB devices are not designed to handle potentially-malicious interactions over the USB protocols and because those devices can have significant effects on the computer they're connected to, we believe that the security risks of exposing USB devices to the Web are too broad to risk exposing users to them or to explain properly to end users to obtain meaningful informed consent. It also poses risks that sites could use USB device identity or data stored on USB devices as tracking identifiers.
— https://mozilla.github.io/standards-positions/#webusb
Until Google can convince anybody outside of Blink to implement it, it is not a standard it’s a Blink-only API.
They also won't allow any other browser on iOS for the same selfish reasons.
Apple continues to use abusive business tactics, and it's why they are being sued by the DOJ in an antitrust lawsuit. Them not implementing and not even suggesting changes to WebUSB and WebBluetooth are just further examples of it.
https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/media/1344546/dl?inline
>Because many USB devices are not designed to handle potentially-malicious interactions over the USB protocols and because those devices can have significant effects on the computer they're connected to
So the alternative is installing questionable drivers from questionable websites that give an attacker full-access to the entire computer. This is far less good for security, and is unfortunately the norm right now.
>we believe that the security risks of exposing USB devices to the Web are too broad to risk exposing users to them or to explain properly to end users to obtain meaningful informed consent.
So is every other browser API that's currently implemented that requires explicit approval from a user. It's nonsense to single out WebUSB specifically.
> It also poses risks that sites could use USB device identity or data stored on USB devices as tracking identifiers.
Bullshit. You have to explicitly allow WebUSB to interact with any website that requests it. It does NOT allow arbitrary tracking, and this sentence proves that whatever Mozilla writes about it is disingenuous, trying to incite hysteria about an API.
WebUSB isn't a driver, it relies on underlying usb drivers. What is the need here for a webpage that also needs to access specific hardware not exposed generically?