Linked by David Adams on Wed 29th Oct 2008 20:55 UTC, submitted by Geir Johasen
Opera Software An interesting NYT Bits blog entry covers Opera's mobile browser. Buried in the middle of the article is this quote: "Opera's engineers have developed a version of Opera Mini that can run on an Apple iPhone, but Apple won't let the company release it because it competes with Apple's own Safari browser." It also talks about Opera on the Wii and browsers in cars. A good read. My Take: But back to the iPhone. As tempted as I am to just shrug it off, since Apple is free to run its App Store any way it pleases, as an enthusiastic iPhone user, I think Apple is shooting itself in the foot here, as it is with all the "competitive" apps being rejected. Apple does stand to lose some Google revenue by letting people use other browsers, but they have much more to gain by unleashing the creativity of the developer community and giving them the freedom to improve or replace core iPhone functionality. Hopefully competition from Android forces them to wake up.
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People are defending Apple
by 3rdalbum on Thu 30th Oct 2008 10:49 UTC
3rdalbum
Member since:
2008-05-26

I can't really believe that people are defending Apple for restricting the iPhone App Store to "Programs that don't duplicate functionality that we already do".

Apple has just started running a TV advertisement here showing lots of the games that you can get for the iPhone. (in fact, as I write this, the ad is playing on my TV). If Apple is going to promote its platform by telling people of all the optional extras that are made by third parties, then Apple would benefit from third parties making a better browser, a better MP3 playback program, a better GPS program, etc.

I mean, Nintendo bundles Wii Sports with the Wii. They don't restrict third party developers from making other bowling, tennis, boxing and golf games. It's not in Nintendo's best interests to limit the number of games available for the Wii, within reason. That's why they haven't stopped Wii Sports competitors like Sports Island; if people are going to buy a Wii to play Sports Island, then Nintendo has won out.

Opera for the iPhone probably wouldn't have sold many copies as Apple users have this "Apple products beat all" mentality and would prefer their broken, security-flawed Safari. But if more people are going to buy an iPhone because they can use/(buy) their beloved Opera browser, then Apple should be happy with that.

Reply Score: 4

RE: People are defending Apple
by hangman on Thu 30th Oct 2008 21:18 in reply to "People are defending Apple"
hangman Member since:
2007-09-05

Opera Mini is free. It would have been free of charge through the iPhone store.

Reply Parent Score: 1