According to Opera chief Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner the popular web browse is ready to run on Apple iphone 3G as it does already on other mobile devices and cell phones. Before you now click over to Apple app store I urge you to read on.

Now before bashing anyone it looks like the problem is in the iPhone SDK terms released in March. It became clear that Apple would “specifically bars third-party interpreters that call on non-Apple frameworks and languages, which by definition would include Opera’s web rendering engine. This would have left Opera Software converting software unlikely to be released in the near term.” according to a post on afterdown dot com. 

In forums and on other blogs Apple is facing mounting criticism for such practice. Apple wants to control what kind of apps are going on the iPhone and make some money along by providing a service platform for developers. It is in the best interest for Apple to do it and also for the iPhone user. The iPhone has limitations - mainly it’s battery - and uploading apps from all over the place can be nice, but would it be save as well…?

The point is, not many will mind to work and use the iTunes App store as the only means of getting apps on the iPhone for the exchange of knowing that certain standards are implemented. Having said that it is also very important that Apple itself will not misuse that unique position by preventing applications from using the iTunes App store, just because they are in direct or close competion to Apple own products. 

If Apple wants to do it, it should be honest about it and at the same time only allow unique 3rd party applications to be offered in the app store. Right now Apple appears to hit at random and to no surprise parallels to past Microsoft behaviors are drawn. In this respect I can not agree with Apple on what I know today, for me as consumer and user of an iPhone it is important to have a choice. Apple please iron out your policy be transparent, be open and don’t make the same or similar mistakes as other companies made. Be smart.