Apple loosens restrictions on alt web browsers for the iPhone
The iPhone App Store may be filled with games, productivity apps, and umm... other utilities. But up until recently there was one thing that you couldn't find in the App Store: web browsers that would compete with the Safari browser that comes with the phone.
But over hte past day, at least four alternative web browsers have shown up with prices ranging from free to about $2. The browsers add features like a full screen mode with no toolbars to an algorithm that compensates for your shaky hand.
All the browsers are still based on WebKit, which is Safari's rendering engine. So it doesn't look like we'll be seeing Opera or Firefox for the iPhone just yet. But it's a start.
[via Engadget / image via Gizmodo]
But over hte past day, at least four alternative web browsers have shown up with prices ranging from free to about $2. The browsers add features like a full screen mode with no toolbars to an algorithm that compensates for your shaky hand.
All the browsers are still based on WebKit, which is Safari's rendering engine. So it doesn't look like we'll be seeing Opera or Firefox for the iPhone just yet. But it's a start.
[via Engadget / image via Gizmodo]













Comments
3
Subscribe to commentsconorJan 14th 2009 5:23PM
I want Camino!
TimJan 14th 2009 5:29PM
These aren't browsers in their own right. These are UI wrappers for Safari. Many apps have included browser functionality using the same technology as these applications. This is not a a concession from Apple.
Mike CermJan 14th 2009 11:50PM
It would be nice to have a web browser that doesn't crash constantly. However, if these are actually just front-ends for Safari's rendering engine (like Maxthon for IE on the desktop), then they're really not going to solve the problems.
If they're running totally independent of Safari, that would be great (assuming they're more stable and not less). However, I'm sure that there's no way to override Safari as the browser default, so that will really hinder them. Anytime you receive a link in email, it will still open in Safari, and there won't be any way to cut-and-paste it out to your alternative browser.
So, everyone can still go on complaining about how closed down the iPhone is. It's all about stability. Unfortunately, Apple's built-in apps are actually far less stable than virtually anything you find in the App Store (or Cydia!)