iPhone Getting More Browsing Options? Firefox and Opera?

The Apple iPhone is undoubtedly a very popular device, but not everyone is in love with the built-in Safari web browser. Fear not, because no fewer than two additional web browsing options could be coming your way, thanks to the upcoming launch of the Apple AppStore.

There’s no explicit mention of Internet Explorer just yet, but there are rumbles that versions of Firefox and Opera are being developed for the Cupertino wonder. The biggest hurdle, it seems, is that the iPhone SDK agreement is essentially blocking development in this arena. At least, that’s how some people are interpreting this section of the agreement.

No interpreted code may be downloaded and used in an Application except for code that is interpreted and run by Apple’s Published APIs and built-in interpreter(s) […] An Application may not itself install or launch other executable code by any means, including without limitation through the use of a plug-in architecture, calling other frameworks, other APIs or otherwise.

Will Apple allow third parties to develop applications that effectively compete against applications already installed on the iPhone? Let’s hope so.