I am happy to wait for an iOS version
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Dear Vivaldi Developers,
Please do not focus too much of your effort on an iOS version. Especially if you need to succumb to various rules that go against morals that you hold dear.
I am of the understanding that at least 80% of computer devices in the world do NOT use iOS. Furthermore, many people who do use iOS, choose to because they desire and actively pursue a fenced garden. Obviously, as with any modern operating system, they maximise the capabilities of native applications, of which there are many with many features that satisfy many, if not all their needs. When an unsatisfied need appears, they will pursue an application recommended and sanctioned by "the corporation". That's the way they like it.
Then of course there are a number of Apple users who are caught in a somewhat difficult position. They like Apple products very much, but are frustrated by not being able to have every application in the world accessible to them. They understandably want to have their cake and eat it too.
I therefore take the bold step of suggesting that your pursuit of a Vivaldi version that will run on Apple mobile products targets a select audience. That is not to say that group are any less worthy than any other group. It is merely a question of scarce resources. If the Vivaldi development team were sitting around idle with nothing to do, then please, throw your heart and soul into developing Apple product browsers.
However, you are not sitting around idle. You have many enhancements, many bug fixes, much creative thinking to throw your limited time into. Yes, it would be really nice for those with multi-operating system lives to have such a wonderful browser across all their systems. However, IMHO, that should NOT be your priority. If it were to take a significant percentage of your time to satisfy a small percentage of your audience to get the initial version out, is it worth it? And then of course, you have opened Pandora's box. Having gathered your loyal followers, you now have to support that version, with it forever consuming a slice of your precious development time.
Then, of course, there is the very real possibility that Apple might be "forced" to drop it's WebKit demands within the next few years. Having sweated to output a WebKit version of Vivaldi, how do you recover your expended time and resources?
So please, put development of an iOS version low on your list of priorities.
Thank you for listening.
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@Zargron With such a small team there are thousands of feature requests that do not deserve any attention, at least not for many years yet. An iOS version is just one of them.
There are currently about 5,500 feature requests. In my opinion, fewer than 500 are worthy of consideration, and maybe 100 should be implemented as soon as is practical.
Of course, the Vivaldi Team want to convey the message that they listen to their users, and so they should when their users have sensible suggestions. They should turn a deaf ear to those users who shout, insult the team, and threaten to discard Vivaldi if their demands are not met immediately.
Of course, my pet feature requests are the most important ones.
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@Zargron said in I am happy to wait for an iOS version:
Then, of course, there is the very real possibility that Apple might be "forced" to drop it's WebKit demands within the next few years.
I hope so.
Vivaldi would already be on 'iOS' if Apple didn't actively prevent it.
Apple wants its own products to be used, also to tap data. So Apple makes it Free Software very difficult, almost impossible or even changes it. -
Should Vivaldi create an 'Apple WebKit' version at all?
They would have to, to get to 'iOS' now.
'Apple-WebKit' is completely closed, ("trade secret") even the Vivaldi developers wouldn't see everything, they wouldn't know what they were getting into.
Apple prevents other software with the argument of 'security', which is only partly true.This is not meant to be Apple bashing, but I think things are like that with Apple.
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@ingolftopf said in I am happy to wait for an iOS version:
Should Vivaldi create an 'Apple WebKid' version at all?
They would have to, to get to 'iOS' now.
'Apple-WebKid' is completely closed, ("trade secret") even the Vivaldi developers wouldn't see everything, they wouldn't know what they were getting into.
Apple prevents other software with the argument of 'security', which is only partly true.This is not meant to be Apple bashing, but I think things are like that with Apple.
Definitely. At least, you can get started with a WebKit version and later go to Blink if this rule is relaxed (either by Apple's own volition or by regulation).
I imagine that, other Vivaldi users wanting an iOS version like me are more looking forward to features like sync, ad blocking, and tab management than the engine the browser uses.
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@ubunturox104 said in I am happy to wait for an iOS version:
@ingolftopf said in I am happy to wait for an iOS version:
Should Vivaldi create an 'Apple WebKid' version at all?
They would have to, to get to 'iOS' now.
'Apple-WebKid' is completely closed, ("trade secret") even the Vivaldi developers wouldn't see everything, they wouldn't know what they were getting into.
Apple prevents other software with the argument of 'security', which is only partly true.This is not meant to be Apple bashing, but I think things are like that with Apple.
Definitely. At least, you can get started with a WebKit version and later go to Blink if this rule is relaxed (either by Apple's own volition or by regulation).
I imagine that, other Vivaldi users wanting an iOS version like me are more looking forward to features like sync, ad blocking, and tab management than the engine the browser uses.
absolutely, the webkit story looks more like a myth to me, take Firefox for iOS, the only real difference I see as a user with the Android version is the lack of add-ons, which has consequences of course but the overall look and feel of the browser is the same.
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@TalGarik said in I am happy to wait for an iOS version:
absolutely, the webkit story looks more like a myth to me, take Firefox for iOS
You're ignoring the fact that the iOS version took 4 (almost 5) years longer to be released than the Android version - Firefox for iOS was released in November 2015 while Firefox for Android was released in March 2011.
In the years in between, Mozilla opted to instead release a companion app named "Firefox Home", and went to further cite problems as to why they were reluctant to bring the full Firefox browser to iOS (spoiler alert, those problems were the webkit restriction):
People have asked about adding more browser-like features to Firefox Home, but there are technical and logistical restrictions that make it difficult, if not impossible, to build the full Firefox browser for the iPhone.
The "webkit story" is no myth, Firefox's rocky history with iOS is proof enough of that.
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@TalGarik said in I am happy to wait for an iOS version:
the webkit story looks more like a myth to me
Which merely indicates that you don't understand, even a little bit, how browsers are made. This "myth" has been a recognized issue in the browser community for over a decade. Thankfully, the Vivaldi crew has long been determined to overcome this hurdle, and it would appear they are now on the verge of doing so.
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@AltCode this is interesting, thanks, then it is the case to say "bravi, bravissimi" to the developers of Firefox, Brave, Opera and Orion - I am speaking of the browsers I have used/tried since six months ago I switched to iOS - who have managed to create a user experience way better than using Safari. Let's wait and see what the Vivaldi team will produce
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@Ayespy said in I am happy to wait for an iOS version:
@TalGarik said in I am happy to wait for an iOS version:
the webkit story looks more like a myth to me
Which merely indicates that you don't understand, even a little bit, how browsers are made. This "myth" has been a recognized issue in the browser community for over a decade.
which merely indicates that I am talking from the perspective of a user, the proof is in the taste of the pudding they say
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@TalGarik of all the browsers that you have tested in iOS which has been the one that best meets your expectations.
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@AlexandrBelovJW I expect that a mobile browser behaves like a desktop browser, it's the small things: when I open a new tab focus the address field and give me the keyboard, when I close a tab bring me back to where I was before , things like that.
Opera and Firefox have shortcomings (Opera has partial sync and Firefox has a poor ad-blocker) but they are good at these basic things, so while waiting for Vivaldi I am using Opera. -
@TalGarik Thats a great decision. I was using Brave but now switched to Opera. Do you know any tentative date when it will be available in iOS?
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Said:
Do you know any tentative date when it will be available in iOS?
The Pope asked Michelangelo when he would finish the Sistine Chapel.
Michelangelo replied: When I finish it.
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@smerugu28 said in I am happy to wait for an iOS version:
@TalGarik Do you know any tentative date when it will be available in iOS?
Wouldn't it be nice?
alas the Vivaldi team has no schedule, no ETA: like it or leave it -
@slrxp said in I am happy to wait for an iOS version:
so, I am looking forward to when I can try/use Vivaldi on iOS.