Apple: You Must Be 17+ To Use Opera

An anonymous reader writes "From the techspot article: 'This week, the Opera web browser became the first non-native browser made available in Apple's Mac App Store. While Apple approved the browser, it still managed to hurt its competitor by putting this ridiculous label on it: "You must be at least 17 years old to download this app." Opera has reacted in good humor. "I'm very concerned," Jan Standal, VP of Desktop Products for Opera Software, said in a statement. "Seventeen is very young, and I am not sure if, at that age, people are ready to use such an application. It's very fast, you know, and it has a lot of features. I think the download requirement should be at least 18."'"

Comments

This is embarrassing for Apple

[Anonymous Coward]

Behavior like this will backfire... always...

In the long run Apple will lose more because of this than they might have gained in the short run.

The big money needs to understand that fast, small profit will come at the cost of slow but huge loss.

Re:This is embarrassing for Apple

[Anonymous Coward]

Actually, that just highlights how ridiculous this is. Opera is simply not big enough to be a threat to Safari's market share, warning label or not. However, they've now managed to make themselves look like assholes to thousands of people who would never have downloaded the app anyway.

Re:This is embarrassing for Apple

[SuricouRaven]

Scroll up. See all those comments condemning Apple?

Re:This is embarrassing for Apple

[Luckyo]

Actually, mobile Opera is possibly the best browser on the market. It's much more lightweight then competition, at least as good, and has some very promising features that competition lacks. While it's possible that fanboy crowd wouldn't switch to a competing product, those who aren't fanboys likely will.

Hell, one of the reasons why "omg symbian browser sucks" argument is pointless from end user POV is because both opera and opera mini on that platform work wonderfully.

Opera is so cool

[Bovius]

After reading this, I just want to go shake Jan Standal's hand. It's not often you see a a suit invert a rival's rhetoric against them so pointedly and humorously. Usually it's all serious business, especially, you know, with the internet.

Re:Opera is so cool

[Anonymous Coward]

Bawww, someone disparaged my 30 layers of bureaucracy, he must be a terrorist!

Re:Opera is so cool

[arth1]

I'm American. What was your point, again?

Then Safari should have the same warning!

[name_already_taken]

The app allows you to access mature content. Apple does this across the board. - j

Then Safari should show a warning at some point too.

I usually like Apple stuff, but this move on Apple's part is just pathetic.

Re:Then Safari should have the same warning!

[znu]

The OS has built-in parental controls that apply to Safari. And to the Mac App Store. Had Opera not been given a 17+ rating, a parent could have set restrictions on Safari, set the Mac App Store not to allow installation of apps allowing access to adult content... and little Johnny could have still installed Opera and gotten himself unrestricted web access.

The idea that this is some plot by Apple to undermine Opera is absurd. Apple gives the same 17+ rating to any app that allows access to sufficiently unrestricted Internet content, including things like Wikipedia apps, which last time I checked Apple wasn't competing with.

Re:Then Safari should have the same warning!

[PitaBred]

Safari can really restrict access to all porn over the Internet? As opposed to every single other filtering mechanism that has ever existed? And on a phone nonetheless?

I wonder what will Apple fanbois will say

[unity100]

if i say, at this point, that Apple has become a rather villainous, control whore.

its there ANY possible conclusion that anyone can draw from the endless tally of such 'incidents' from apple in the last two years ? word incident is in quotes - because after this many incidents one could logically conclude that these are not 'incidents' but company policy.

Re:I wonder what will Apple fanbois will say

[antientropic]

if i say, at this point, that Apple has become a rather villainous, control whore.

Nonsense.

They always were control whores.

Re:I wonder what will Apple fanbois will say

[NatasRevol]

And this is the whole point.

1. There are parental controls in iOS. Including for Safari. Thus no need for a warning.
2. Opera ignores these parental controls.
3. Apple gives a warning because of #2.

There is no one-sided-ness. No overt control for a competitor. Just trying to be more consistent - parental control or warning. And ironically, after being tarred and feathered for being one sided, when they're more consistent, there's even more whinging.

In the bigger picture, most kids are given sex-ed at around 10...America thinks they have to wait 7 more years for better pictures.

Re:FUD?

[Dalzhim]

Why then don't I need to be 17 to get myself an iPod and use Safari which presents the same exact risks?

So as soon as you forbid it

[PolygamousRanchKid]

The more 17- kids will want it. Doing something forbidden is always more fun! But the kids will get bored of it soon, and say, "What was the big deal about this app?"

Re:non-story

[ebcdic]

Apple deserve bashing for this. And it is a story; it shows the absurdity of their policies.

Re:No big deal

[Anonymous Coward]

No they didn't. They saw the punch line coming a mile away and said "Shut the hell up, kid."

Re:non-story

[Duradin]

"This isn't a story, this is Apple bashing."

In other words: THIS. IS. SLASHDOT!