Mobile web: Webkit everywhere, but its a jungle
Webkit has become popular as a rendering engine for mobile web browsers. At last count, available Webkit-based browsers include:
- Nokia’s S60 Web
- Apple’s Safari
- Android
- Samsung’s Dolfin
- WebOS
- Bolt
- Iris (no longer in development; developers were purchased by RIM)
***Since the acquisition of TorchMobile, developers of Iris, RIM has been working on a Webkit-based browser for BlackBerry devices.
While it looks like Webkit is taking over the mobile space, someone has taken time to run some tests to compare the capabilities of the different Webkit-based browsers in circulation. The results are amazing.
In brief, almost no two Webkit-based browsers are the same in terms of capabilities and performance. According to the test results:
- Nokia’s S60v3 browser is the worst
- Apple’s Safari 4 is the best
Some of the other popular browsers available in circulation include:
- Opera Mobile
- Java-based e.g. Opera mini,
- Mozilla-based browsers e.g. Firefox for mobile, MicroB
- Internet Explorer Mobile
If you are interested in all the technicalities, be sure to read There is no WebKit on Mobile.
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Related posts:
- Iris (read: Webkit) Coming to BlackBerry as RIM Acquires TorchMobile
- BlackBerry gets WebKit browser with proxy technology
- Iris Browser Review – The Mobile Web Redefined?
- Opera Mini goes native on Windows Mobile phones
- Opera Mobile 10 beta 2, Skyfire 1.5, Bolt Browser 1.6, now out
- The Mobile Web for Basic Phone Browsers
- Opera Mobile 10 beta now available for Windows Mobile
- Review of Bolt Mobile Browser
- Widgets coming to the BOLT Mobile Browser
- Getting a Phone for Mobile Internet Access
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These results are pretty interesting. THere is now a thin line between mobile browsers and full fledge browsers.