Trend Micro to Launch iPhone 3G Web Browser?

by Eric March on October 20, 2008 at 11:57 am

Straight from the Not Bloody Likely files comes this tidbit from security firm Trend Micro, known widely for their online and offline antivirus software and internet security packages.

According to Arabian Business, Trend Micro CTO Raimund Genes has apparently revealed in an interview at the Gitex exhibition that the company has plans to release an as-yet unnamed web browser for the iPhone 3G, known internally only as the “safe web browser,” apparently in direct response to Mobile Safari’s own security flaws. Progress is apparently fairly far along, and Genes states that it will be available to enterprise customers once it hits beta soon, as they hope to have a general public release by December.

Say it with me, now: Not Bloody Likely.

It isn’t that I think Trend Micro aren’t capable of doing this. On the contrary I think they’d to just fine — I don’t know how well they could manage a browser, but I have no doubt it will be safe, given their extensive background in computer security.

No, their skills I do not doubt. Their chances of getting it into the App Store however, I peg at “slim to none.” The chances of seeing a rejection letter with “duplicates functionality” or similar as the reason given, on the other hand, is squarely within “sun rising tomorrow” territory.

If Apple has rejected mail apps and podcasting apps that arguably differentiated themselves enough from the built-in apps, but not enough for Apple’s liking, what makes Trend Micro think they’re going to have any better luck? Plus, having some uppity company storming in and telling The Steve, “your browser is swiss cheese. Here, have a look at how a real browser is supposed to work”? That’ll go over well.

Look, if we can’t have Opera or Firefox — and I think it has been well established that Apple would never even consider letting those pass — then Trend Micro, a total newcomer to the browser scene, has about as much chance at boldly going where no Mozilla has gone before as Sara Palin has of joining Mensa.

Sorry, Trend Micro. You make decent security software, and for all I know, you might even end up making a nice browser, but the iPhone? Not yours.

(via Arabian Business)