[PRonson]

Now that third party web browsers are allowed on the iPhone/Touch platform the thought arises. How would OmniWeb for iPhone differentiate in a compelling way from Safari on iPhone? Is there interest in it? What would you pay for it?

Just curious...
(I don't have an iPhone... yet)

edit - Thanks for the tip whpalmer4, and thanks to Brian of course.

[whpalmer4]

If you send a PM to Brian, he can get it changed for you.

[JKT]

A default home page when you launch the app rather than reloading the last open page from your prior session.
Workspaces.
Open link in new tab.
Caching for offline viewing and faster page viewing.
Speed through improved caching.
Don't reload every page when you go back in your history.
Have a history view!
Site specific preferences (via e.g. synching with the desktop version).
A password manager.
Less sensitivity to taps so that inadvertent clicking while trying to navigate the page is avoided, especially on link heavy pages.
Some actual, real world stability.

There are lots of ways an alternative browser can improve on what is there at the moment in mobileSafari and if one browser came out with them all I would be more than willing to pay for it.

[Ayjay]

However, Apple has repeatedly made it clear that they won't approve iPhone apps that "duplicate the functionality" of existing apps, especially Safari and Mail. So I don't think an OmniWeb for iPhone could get approval.

[PRonson]

Originally Posted by Ayjay

However, Apple has repeatedly made it clear that they won't approve iPhone apps that "duplicate the functionality" of existing apps, especially Safari and Mail. So I don't think an OmniWeb for iPhone could get approval.

Well, I could be wrong, I based my question of off this:
http://www.macworld.com/article/1381...he_iphone.html

They are only allowing Webkit for now, so it seems new browsers will need to compete on features or design rather than engine choice. There is another article in Macworld looking at a few upcoming browsers:
http://www.macworld.com/article/1382...ebrowsers.html

I didn't find any of these to be a reason to leave mobile safari though. (Based on the read of course, since they aren't released yet, who can really say.)

[JKT]

The somewhat unwritten rule of the "duplicating functionality" spiel is "when it is in direct competition to our own technology's dominance" which is presumably why WK based browsers are deemed OK. They help increase Apple's share (or, at the least, they don't take anything away from it) whereas an e.g. Gecko based browser would. The only problem as a developer is that you don't know until Apple's final decision as to whether your own app would be perceived as a threat or not. I doubt OmniGroup would take the risk that it would be the former and not the latter unless they really had some more development time on their hands and could afford potential rejection.

[PRonson]

I suppose there's also a problem if you can't set a default browser on the iPhone other than Safari.

I hope that Apple continues to refine and open up the iPhone platform over time. For now it seems like third-party browsers are going to be more like accessories to mobile Safari.

Your right, I can't see Omni putting resources into this one right now. I'd rather see OW 6 at some point anyway.

[mrglsmrc]

only apple applications are multi threaded on the iphone and that's a deal breaker. if i cant listen to music or take a phone call with OWmobile running then what is the point of paying for it?

[JKT]

You can continue listening to your own music while playing games on an iPhone, so I don't think this would be an issue for third-party browsers, and as far as I am aware, mobile Safari doesn't keep running in the background when a phone call arrives; it actually quits but is re-launched again when the call is over... even so, other apps have this capability too, though I am not sure about phone calls e.g. NetNewsWire will jump back to its own view after looking at some QT film in the media player.

Btw, you mean multi-tasking, not threading - I think all the apps on the iPhone can be multi-threaded, they just aren't able to multi-task with other apps in the background, with the exception of those few Apple apps.