Plucky Opera have decided to take on Apple’s iron-like grip on its AppStore by announcing a version of its Mini browser for the iPhone.
Due to be unveiled at next week’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Opera are confident that iPhone users will soon be able to use their popular browser, cheekily commenting:
“We have not submitted Opera Mini to the Apple App store. However, we hope that Apple will not deny their users a choice in web browsing experience.”
Apple has been extremely reluctant to let users be offered a choice of browsers on the iPhone, famously giving Mozilla the runaround, but with Opera being the most popular mobile browser in the world, this could prove an interesting battle of wills – and we’re rooting for Opera.
Opera press announcement:
Opera Mini for iPhone sneak peek
Exclusive press and partner preview at MWC 2010
Oslo, Norway — February 10, 2010
Opera Mini on iPhoneOpera Software, maker of the world’s most popular mobile Web browser, plans to reveal Opera Mini for iPhone in an exclusive press and partner preview during the 2010 Mobile World Congress (MWC). Visit Opera’s exhibit in Hall 1, C44, to witness a new way to surf the Web on the iPhone — an experience that Opera promises will be fast, easy to use, and packed with favorite Opera features.
Opera Mini is renowned for its compression technology, which results in significantly faster Web-page loading and reduces data surcharges. With favorite desktop features in its arsenal, such as tabs, Speed Dial and the password manager, Opera Mini is designed with usability in mind.
“We are thrilled to offer journalists and partners an exclusive preview of Opera Mini for iPhone during the year’s biggest mobile event,” said Jon von Tetzchner, Co-founder, Opera Software. “This is a unique opportunity to introduce the fast, feature-rich Opera Mini experience for the iPhone, and to showcase our latest beta releases of Opera Mobile and Opera Mini on other platforms and devices. Opera’s mission is to bring the Web to the world, and by making Opera Mini available on yet another platform, we are one step closer.”
While Opera Mini for iPhone is not publicly available, visitors without a press pass will not leave Opera’s stand disappointed.
