With the release of macOS Big Sur, the Safari browser began using a new Extensions API, allowing you to use plugins built for other browsers. Now it has become known that developers from Apple, Mozilla, Google and Microsoft have decided to go further, joining forces to standardize the methodology for developing extensions.

Representatives from all major browser developers are reported to be involved in the standardization of extensions, and the group, dubbed the WebExtensions Community Group (WECG), will be led by Timothy Hatcher from Apple and Simeon Vincent from Google. Together they will try to solve several main problems.

Main idea here is to make extensions only as signed packages that will be distributed ONLY like in present smartphone app stores.

All firms also want to be able to stop authorization at any moment and even remotely delete extensions (like Apple and Google are doing sometimes).

Industry insiders tell that first target will be banners and ads related plugins, almost all of them will be declared as insecure and hurtful to web economy.