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But browsers are are allowed in the App Store. Indeed, you can download Opera for the iPhone or the iPad from the App Store for free. There used to be a ban on

But browsers are are allowed in the App Store. Indeed, you can download Opera for the iPhone or the iPad from the App Store for free. There used to be a ban on apps in the App Store that share the functionality of the inbuilt apps but this hasn't been the case for quite a while now.

rys 14y ago
However you can't supplant Safari as the default app you, and as such the app in which other apps without any knowledge of the rest of the system, can send links to. Granted it's possible with custom URL schemes, but that means apps wishing to open URLs in external browsers need to know about those external browsers up front. You can't ask the system for a list of apps that handle URLs, and choose one.
- pooriaazimi 14y ago
  You are aware that Mobile Safari (on iPad, I mean) is possibly the best mobile browser by far? All other browsers (I've tried tons) are much much worse. I'm not saying I like how my iPad doesn't provide a way to change default browser or email client (I'd use Sparrow on my iPhone if that was the case). I think it's a huge downside. I'm just saying that at least in the case of Mobile Safari, the un-changeable default is much much better than the alternatives and no harm has been done yet. I really wish they change this policy in iOS 6, though.
  - sebbi 14y ago
    Aren't "all other browsers" on Ipads just apps that use a webview e.g. just a wrapper for Safari? Except Opera maybe.
  - sirclueless 14y ago
    You realize that none of the alternatives are processing JavaScript? Of course the browser that runs JavaScript natively on the device is significantly better than all the gimpy alternatives, that's no surprise.
revorad 14y ago
Do you know why Chrome and Firefox are not on iOS? Because Apple only allows Safari Webkit. V8, Gecko or any other rendering or JS engines are not allowed. Opera Mini is based on Webkit and does any custom processing in the cloud, which is far from ideal for users. Why doesn't Apple allow third-party browsers? Because they might soil the oh-so-beautiful garden of apps that Apple is carefully curating. Imported roses are strictly prohibited, because - gasp - the thorns might prick the little soft fingers of these lovely obedient children. Trillion dollar cash piles don't come about by playing nice with competitors.
- robin_reala 14y ago
  Not entirely true. Opera has its own rendering and JS engines (nothing to do with Webkit). Opera Mobile (which has both client-side) is banned from the app store, but Opera Mini (which does the JS server-side, and renders a compressed format delivered by the server on the client) is OK.
  - revorad 14y ago
    Yes, we're talking about mobile here. I thought that was obvious, but still made it clear when I said iOS, not OS X.
    - Tloewald 14y ago
      Go to iPhone app store. Search for Opera.
- RandallBrown 14y ago
  Opera Mini on iOS does all of it's rendering in the cloud and passes compressed images to the phone. I'm pretty sure they use their own rendering engine, not WebKit.

rys 14y ago

However you can't supplant Safari as the default app you, and as such the app in which other apps without any knowledge of the rest of the system, can send links to. Granted it's possible with custom URL schemes, but that means apps wishing to open URLs in external browsers need to know about those external browsers up front. You can't ask the system for a list of apps that handle URLs, and choose one.

pooriaazimi 14y ago
You are aware that Mobile Safari (on iPad, I mean) is possibly the best mobile browser by far? All other browsers (I've tried tons) are much much worse. I'm not saying I like how my iPad doesn't provide a way to change default browser or email client (I'd use Sparrow on my iPhone if that was the case). I think it's a huge downside. I'm just saying that at least in the case of Mobile Safari, the un-changeable default is much much better than the alternatives and no harm has been done yet. I really wish they change this policy in iOS 6, though.
- sebbi 14y ago
  Aren't "all other browsers" on Ipads just apps that use a webview e.g. just a wrapper for Safari? Except Opera maybe.
- sirclueless 14y ago
  You realize that none of the alternatives are processing JavaScript? Of course the browser that runs JavaScript natively on the device is significantly better than all the gimpy alternatives, that's no surprise.

revorad 14y ago

Do you know why Chrome and Firefox are not on iOS? Because Apple only allows Safari Webkit. V8, Gecko or any other rendering or JS engines are not allowed. Opera Mini is based on Webkit and does any custom processing in the cloud, which is far from ideal for users. Why doesn't Apple allow third-party browsers? Because they might soil the oh-so-beautiful garden of apps that Apple is carefully curating. Imported roses are strictly prohibited, because - gasp - the thorns might prick the little soft fingers of these lovely obedient children. Trillion dollar cash piles don't come about by playing nice with competitors.

robin_reala 14y ago
Not entirely true. Opera has its own rendering and JS engines (nothing to do with Webkit). Opera Mobile (which has both client-side) is banned from the app store, but Opera Mini (which does the JS server-side, and renders a compressed format delivered by the server on the client) is OK.
- revorad 14y ago
  Yes, we're talking about mobile here. I thought that was obvious, but still made it clear when I said iOS, not OS X.
  - Tloewald 14y ago
    Go to iPhone app store. Search for Opera.
RandallBrown 14y ago
Opera Mini on iOS does all of it's rendering in the cloud and passes compressed images to the phone. I'm pretty sure they use their own rendering engine, not WebKit.