Tumblr 101: Tips And Tricks To Get Started
Facebook Plunges Again
The fate of Opera Mini for iPhone is in Apple's hands now
Well, it's finally happened: a major browser that could give Apple's Safari a run for its money has been submitted to the iTunes App Store. Opera Mini has performed well in demos, and looks pretty nice, to boot -- check out the video after the jump to see it in action on an iPhone -- but I don't know if it's enough of a threat to Safari for Apple to reject. At any rate, Opera has posted an official count-up, showing how long it's been since the iPhone app was submitted.Even if Opera is faster than Safari, Apple probably won't lose a lot of market share on its own phone. It's not as if the "open link in Safari" option offered by oodles of third-party apps will suddenly change to "open in Opera." You might call me an Apple fanboy, and even I hope Opera gets approved: when browsers compete, users win. If Opera Mini forces Apple to make Safari better, and opens the floodgates for other browsers, I'm not complaining.
Whatever happens, I'm enjoying the drama. You can tell by the countup clock that Opera is prepared to spin a rejection for all the free PR it's worth.
Comments
10
Subscribe to commentskojo87Mar 23rd 2010 6:52PM
"when browsers compete, users win"
very true. but i wouldn't be surprised if Apple rejects it. why would Apple choose for there to be competition? they want people using their software. if in 5 years only Apple software is allowed on Apple hardware and every app in the the App Store is made by Apple.
mkoMar 23rd 2010 7:48PM
Why not submit Opera Mobile instead?
LeonickMar 24th 2010 12:37AM
Because the can't...
The difference between them as i understand it is that the presto engine that does all this fancy compression is installed on the phone in mobile and on their servers in mini.
The appstore rules prevent them from going with the mobile version...
halophoenixMar 23rd 2010 10:39PM
I don't even understand why Opera is doing this except to drum up press coverage. They know full well that Apple's had a long-standing policy against apps in the app store that are direct competitors to their apps and that duplicate the functionality of apps they already bundle with the iPhone.
It's not like they can even say they're doing it to call attention to Apple's draconian app store policies either, because they chose to go the path of rejection instead of make a statement about the policies and how they know they wouldn't be allowed. It's like they want the rejection letter to wave around and tout how evil Apple is and how everyone should ditch them and try Opera Mini on a platform that supports it.
Meanwhile tech pundits and bloggers like us eat stories like this up because we think there's something to be said here, when in reality we're being played by Opera's marketing team. Which is a shame, because Opera Mini is a great app, and deserves to stand on its merits, not a strategic PR play.
LeonickMar 24th 2010 12:39AM
They did have such a role, they don't any more...
There are already several browsers in the appstore
NeuroMar 24th 2010 6:01AM
@Leonick all the other browsers are just wrappers around safari engine
MollyMar 24th 2010 6:59AM
They'll drag Apple to some European court and before you know it, you will have a nice browser selection screen when you first turn on your iPhone :D
hmmMar 24th 2010 10:10AM
Apple doesn't have a monopoly so that's impossible.
kojo87Mar 24th 2010 2:20PM
@hmm are you saying Microsoft did?
MollyMar 27th 2010 8:05AM
with Microsoft you can at least install whatever you want while with Apple you're at their mercy, Apple decides what goes on your iPhone and what not.