Opera Mini for iPhone approved, will be available for free (update: hands-on)
By Nilay Patel 
posted April 12th 2010 11:37PM
posted April 12th 2010 11:37PM
Update: We're getting reports that UK and Australian readers are already able to download and enjoy this surprising little addition to the app store -- be sure to give this iTunes link a shot and see if it works in your region, mmkay?
Update 2: We just got our hands on Opera Mini for the iPhone, and the first thing we noticed is, in fact, how fast it renders pages. When we open the app, we are quickly introduced to the default Opera Screen, with links to Facebook, Twitter and the like. Opening a new tab is a single touch and loading virtually any homepage is quick. While scrolling through the loaded page, some images don't fully render until you stop over them. Multitouch is enabled to some extent -- you can pinch to zoom, and double tapping only fully zooms in and out, with really no inbetween. Something else we noticed that we'd been looking for in OS 4, is the ability to Find in Page. It works really well, and the words being searched are highlighted for an easy find. This browser totally kicks safari out of the water, and we're definitely looking forward to updates for Opera Mini.
Update 3: It looks to be live in the US now! Hit up that iTunes link and go wild!
Opera Mini App approved for the App Store
Oslo, Norway - April 13, 2010 - Opera today announced its popular mobile browser, Opera Mini has been approved for iPhone and iPod touch on the App Store. Opera Mini will be available as a free download within 24 hours, depending on market.
Opera Mini, with more than 50 million users worldwide, enables fast mobile Web browsing by compressing data by up to 90 percent before sending content to the device, resulting in significantly improved page loading. Users of the app will notice an uptake in speed, especially on slower networks such as the 2G Edge network. Surfing the Web with the Opera Mini App on iPhone and iPod touch will also help users save money because of its data compression capabilities. This will hold especially true while the user is incurring roaming charges.
"We are delighted to offer iPhone and iPod touch users a great browsing experience with the Opera Mini App," said Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. "This app is another step toward Opera's goal of bringing the Web to more people in more places."
The Opera Mini App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/.
Resources
A demo video is available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpTCS3g-cBY.
Screenshots are available at: www.opera.com/press/resources/.
About Opera Software ASA
Opera Software ASA has redefined web browsing for PCs, mobile phones and other networked devices. Opera's cross-platform web browser technology is renowned for its performance, standards compliance and small size, while giving users a faster, safer and more dynamic online experience. Opera Software is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with offices around the world. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at http://www.opera.com/.
Oslo, Norway - April 13, 2010 - Opera today announced its popular mobile browser, Opera Mini has been approved for iPhone and iPod touch on the App Store. Opera Mini will be available as a free download within 24 hours, depending on market.
Opera Mini, with more than 50 million users worldwide, enables fast mobile Web browsing by compressing data by up to 90 percent before sending content to the device, resulting in significantly improved page loading. Users of the app will notice an uptake in speed, especially on slower networks such as the 2G Edge network. Surfing the Web with the Opera Mini App on iPhone and iPod touch will also help users save money because of its data compression capabilities. This will hold especially true while the user is incurring roaming charges.
"We are delighted to offer iPhone and iPod touch users a great browsing experience with the Opera Mini App," said Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. "This app is another step toward Opera's goal of bringing the Web to more people in more places."
The Opera Mini App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/.
Resources
A demo video is available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpTCS3g-cBY.
Screenshots are available at: www.opera.com/press/resources/.
About Opera Software ASA
Opera Software ASA has redefined web browsing for PCs, mobile phones and other networked devices. Opera's cross-platform web browser technology is renowned for its performance, standards compliance and small size, while giving users a faster, safer and more dynamic online experience. Opera Software is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with offices around the world. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at http://www.opera.com/.
No-effin-way. I don't believe it. This is awesome!
@oproski believe it. Guess that whole public spectacle Opera made about the submition of their app helped them out, eh? As a side note, I always wondered how Microsoft got sued over monopolizing the browser market on the PC, but it was somehow A'ok for Apple to do it on the iPhone....
@TechGuySteve
Because they aren't monopolizing anything with their 15% marketshare.
@oproski
better believe it, im in the uk and i just dl'd and used it. Its pages load super fast and scrolling is butter. Pinch to zoom sucks though.
@Goc as far as overall market share, it's less than that. But for mobile market share, safari takes the lead. I'm pretty sure it was on a slide for the iPhone 4.0 presentation...
@grapeDrank
Your boobs are off center.
@TechGuySteve
That is not how monopolies work, it is as simple as that.
PS: Opera has more mobile marketshare than Safari.
@oproski I'm not sure why people are so happy about this.. mobile safari is awesome, it consistently beats others in terms of rendering and speed.
@ezy you have obviously never used opera mini.
@dantzig I have on my friends n900, lets put it this way...whenever he needs to go online he asks for my iPhone. I know Opera is supposed to be fast because it's not actually loading the page on the phone, but look at the most recent comments people are complaining now that they started to use it that it can only zoom twice and the rendering is crap.... however I will check it out when it's available.
@TechGuySteve
Microsoft let anyone in the world make a box with electronic components in it and THEN use their software under license to install an OS. Then M$ tried to make them include IE when better free options were out. This made IE the most used browser even though its not the best.
Apple makes their own phone and tells themselves to install their own OS. Then they decide what software best compliments their own phone running their own OS.
M$ cant tell Dell who else they can license software for on a Dell box. Just because there is a M$ sticker its still Dell's box. But Apple can tell themselves to do whatever they want.
That would be kinda like if Honda uses Chevron oil in all of its cars then Chevron tries to force all Honda cars to use Chevron gas as well..
@oproski
there is a disturbance in the force!
better get this before its banned dudes
@ezy, there is no Opera Mini for the N900. God knows what you've used, if you've used anything at all...
@incognito my mistake n97... nokais are all the same to me.
@dantzig lamo just got it.. its shit.... at first it renders the page so you cant read any text, so you zoom in, when you try to zoom out a bit....it zooms all the way back out, so you only have two viewing options. The rendering is HORRIBLE!
pics...
opera
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28889889@N04/4517012240/
safari
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28889889@N04/4517011652/
@Goc It's impossible to know, but I highly doubt that the EU will wait until US breaking points to declare anything a monopoly or anti-trust if they don't like their practices.
Give iPhone a 40% marketshare and some really Draconian App Store practices and I'd expect some hearings and paperwork to be flying across the pond, perhaps even a court case.
@oproski yeah its fast but the problem is it doesn't render some of the layout correctly. it's like a fast car going crashing down to its destination therefore wrecking it up.
@ezy
I just got it. It's really fast, but you're right it doesn't render some pages correctly. If you stick with mobile versions of websites it's great, but for others... it all depends, I suppose.
@Goc monopolies aren't defined by marketshare, but how much power the company has to influence the market and other companies.
Which Apple does have, and is thus a monopoly.
@TechGuySteve It's their hardware, their software. they are free to do whatever they want with it. If Apple licensed iPhone OS to 3rd party hardware manufacturer, then it might be a problem.
@ezy
Fail. No Opera Mini for N900/Maemo.
@TechGuySteve In legal terms Microsoft is a monopolist [in the US] with over 75% of the market for desktop PCs. That makes them the target of such "corrections".
Apple is NOT a monopolist, just moderately successful, you still have a wide range of choices of other cell phones and operating systems. Unlike the desktop PC market where Windows is a de facto standard.
There is nothing wrong with bundling in itself, it's the abuse of the wider market that is the issue. And the lock-in Microsoft created with IE, ActiveX and other Microsoft applications.
Apple bundling Safari on iPhone doesn't have any effect on Android, Nokia, Palm or WinMo. You still have other real *options*. And there's zero lock-in.
The browser choice was done to satisfy stricter EU legislation, European competition law considers monopolies bad regardless of any legal complaints [when it's harmful to consumers]. American competition law only acts when someone brings a complaint and proves harm is being done. The US is business "friendly", Europe is protecting consumers.
This is like a game of whack-a-mole, there are a million guys like you that simply DON'T or WON'T get it!
@JFH If you bothered to read a bit further you would realize that I corrected myself... it was the n97. Nokia puts out so much of the same crap again and again I lost track...
@ezy
A: You had not corrected yourself when I initially replied to you.
B: Whatever on the Nokia remarks.
Fuck Yes!!
@ashleythehottiest
My thought's exactly.. lol..
Being the owner of a 1st gen iPhone with EDGE only, I have much to benefit as far as speed is concerned with this browser.
@ashleythehottiest:
Riverside,CA : Downloading now.
@ashleythehottiest
First post from iphone running opera??
This is awesome. It makes browsing the web actually fun on the iPhone! Everyone with an iPhone download this now!
(I've just realized there isn't any autocorrection in this browser. Probably the obly downside. Nothing an update can't fix.)
Inb4 complaints
@grapeDrank I never thought I'd see the day. Anyways wake me up when we have mobile browser ballot boxes.
Best news I heard all day. Now I'm antsy. Really want to try this out.
YEAH!
Whoooo! Woooow, I can't believe they approved it! Can't wait to get it.
@EagleyeSmith
If Apple didn't approve it, the EU would be breaking in the Apple's headquarter and taking Steve Jobs for ransom.
It's a miracle.
Well, I guess they proved their point.
*continues to use mobile Safari*
Not available in the US yet. :(
@ariel12g
Not yet? FFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!
Just downloaded it (UK store), seems to works OK. Pretty fast!
@DaveF81 Yep, although the pinch-to-zoom seems a little too sensitive.
@cjrp Agreed. It is a tad too touchy.
@DaveF81
Can someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I can 'find in page' on my safari...was it something I installed through jailbreak by accident or do most people just not know it exists?
I was waiting for the article that said Apple rejected it. I'm very glad that didn't happen.
@CodeRed
im with you, till i see it though i am gonna think its a super late april fools joke :)
@ssgadget 1. LOL at your name when you get replied to (just look guys.)
2. It'd be so cool if Firefox and Google Chrome showed up in the App store later.......put Multitasking on with any of these Web Browsers (or Opera), and you got something. Funny.
3. Interface is cool and it is FREAKING FAST!!!!
And iPod touch?
@Mattzcool if its on the iphone itll be on the touch :)
@Mattzcool
I thought people would stop asking that question like 2 years ago.. wow.
Same OS dude.
NICE!!! sorry for caps:)
Awesome! Been using Mercury for a while now, because the windows for Safari suck ass and the toolbars take up half the screen real estate.