The iPhone has one of the best browsers available, with a pretty fast javascript...

JeffJenkins · on Sept 21, 2008

A significant portion of my purchase decision was that OmniFocus was releasing a portable version of their program.

The trouble with browser-based iPhone apps -- around here, anyway -- is that you can't use them on the subway. The GMail client on my old blackberry was like that and it was totally worthless during most of the time I was mobile.

I do think that web apps with the HTML 5 database ( http://www.w3.org/html/wg/html5/#sql ) and clever caching would cover most use-cases. It does still leave email-outbox style functionality out of apps, but a simple message-passing service in the API would solve that.

radley · on Sept 21, 2008

It's not the JS engine speed - it's the connection/download speed that matters, especially for iPhone v1.

Apps were essential even before the app store opened. Jailbreaking, yo, remember?

axod · on Sept 22, 2008

The answer to that thought would be to demand better carriers, more wifi, etc if they are not present in your country.

nonrecursive · on Sept 21, 2008

I also bought the iphone because OmniFocus was going to be available for it

DabAsteroid · on Sept 21, 2008

I'd be really surprised if anyone bought the iPhone because of a certain app in the app store.

So would I, which is why I said that people want the availability of a wide variety of applications, not any particular application.