Opera Mini on the iPhone complements Safari

March 25, 2010 · by Haavard

A lot of people seem to think of Opera Mini on the iPhone as a replacement for Safari on that platform, but there's also a different way of looking at it:

Opera Mini on the iPhone complements Safari!

You don't actually have to replace the native browser to use Opera Mini, so instead of seeing this as a competition between browsers, you can see it as using the right tool for the job. Sometimes you use the the native browser, and sometimes you use Opera Mini.

Opera Mini lets you surf faster on slower connections, and cheaper when roaming or in other situations where you pay for your mobile data traffic. Opera Mini lets you get quickly to the content you need, whereas the native browser can be used for high-end Web applications.

Again: Opera Mini doesn't necessarily replace native browsers. It can also complement them.

Readers' comments 18

Left under the original article, as archived.

JaredThursday, March 25, 2010 12:02:40 PM
JaredThursday, March 25, 2010 12:04:37 PM
Opera Mini 5 surely is faster than Opera 8.5 on my phone (Motorola RAZR2 V8, I just wish I can remove Opera 8.5 and make Opera Mini 5 my default phone browser.

Opera mini team
endless loveThursday, March 25, 2010 12:19:53 PM
AuxThursday, March 25, 2010 1:18:42 PM
This is the way I use it on my Android device.

By the way, it is very sad, that OM on Android does not have Exit button. Well, I will compile some of my foundings in a few days.
Eddie LopezThursday, March 25, 2010 1:27:53 PM
How does it compare on wifi with Safari or on 3G connections? The videos I've seem support what you're saying here, but I'm mostly in wifi/3G, I'd be curious.

I will say that the SINGLE GREATEST FEATURE of Mini that is missing from Safari, regardless of connection, is the cached history. As an Opera user for 8 years, not having cached history is infuriating whenever I browse without it.
Rafael LuikThursday, March 25, 2010 2:33:18 PM
"Apple sucks." - a random thought in my mind...
Brian HuismanThursday, March 25, 2010 2:36:20 PM
It's a nice sentiment, but seriously now. The vast majority of people are going to choose one or the other and stick with it. They are not going to say to themselves "Hrms, this is a high-end web application, I will use Safari", and/or "I'm on a slow connection, so instead of Safari I will use Opera Mini".

They're going to choose the one that works the best for them and rarely, if ever, open the other one again. In fact, if slow page load is the biggest complaint about Safari on iPhone, then Opera Mini already has the biggest incentive advantage. Apple knows this, there's no reason to sugar-coat it.
Mağruf ÇolakoğluThursday, March 25, 2010 3:13:00 PM
http://files.myopera.com/Tamil/Smilies/Happy.gif -
Charles SchlossThursday, March 25, 2010 8:10:05 PM
I will grab it when It is out
d4rkn1ghtThursday, March 25, 2010 9:52:58 PM
Cutting SpoonFriday, March 26, 2010 4:09:27 AM
So, not just Mini/Mobile, but Mini/Everything Else.

I would roughly agree with that. Mini does not do everything, but it is ridiculously fast and much easier when you only need to do one thing quickly.
JimFriday, March 26, 2010 5:54:01 AM
You guys did an amazing job, there is no reason it shouldn't replace Safari!

Did you read how read about the CanSecWest and what they where able to do to an iphone? Apple should be begging you guys to replace Safari!
Charles SchlossFriday, March 26, 2010 1:23:42 PM
Originally posted by toyotabedzrock:

Did you read how read about the CanSecWest and what they where able to do to an iphone?

yep, Apple has not had to worry about security as much, but now they have to as they are on windows (main target for hackers)
JimFriday, March 26, 2010 2:32:37 PM
They are in self denial about how secure there products are. There main concern is there image and admitting the problem and putting out timely updates would shatter there little glass dream world.
inetdyskTuesday, March 30, 2010 7:50:38 AM
what about EU law?
If Microsoft forced to "browser choice", why not Apple?
prd3Tuesday, March 30, 2010 9:08:43 AM
Originally posted by inetdysk:

what about EU law?
If Microsoft forced to "browser choice", why not Apple?

Microsoft broke the law. Apple didn't.

Microsoft is a convicted monopolist. Apple isn't.

Microsoft's browser is crappy and is poor at standards. Apple's browser has excellent standards compliance.

Microsoft's browser locks you to Microsoft crap. Apple's browser uses open standards.
Cutting SpoonTuesday, March 30, 2010 5:46:24 PM
*ahem*

Microsoft bundled a browser with its OS, made it impossible to truly remove that browser safely, invented and modified special methods to draw pages (which could result in patent lawsuits if you dared to support these methods). Microsoft even built a browser for MacOS, to ensure that everyone would build websites "The Microsoft Way". Then after the market was locked up, Microsoft stopped supporting and developing its own standards.

Apple never had the clout to damage the internet in this fashion; however Apple may be facing lawsuits for other reasons.

Intel Corporation HAS inflicted this sort of damage, by providing (for free) a compiler which built programs that would only run correctly (as fast as possible) on Intel processors. The biggest x86 CPU vendor also provided one of the best compilers, which just so happened to sabotage the perfomance of competitors' CPUs.
Charles SchlossWednesday, March 31, 2010 5:29:59 AM
IE for mac only got to 5.2.3 and was dropped some years ago, it could not even do javascript

In College right now in the dorms the cell coverage is not to good and Opera Mini would be great for when I am not in range of Opera on my laptop