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Level 1

6 points

iPad browser: forced to mobile version of websites

Is this a common annoyance with others? Websites forcing the iPad to a mobile (and sometimes malfunctioning) version of the site?

It has always been an mild annoyance for me, but it seems that just recently something changed with a lot of websites in the past few weeks. Browsing with the iPad is forced to a mobile version, and refuses to go back to desktop version even if that link is available at the bottom of the page. And some websites like Yahoo mail even come up completely blank, even though they show up fine on a PC or even the iPhone browser! Only the iPad browser shows the site blank.

This makes me think that some common update to web server software may be the culprit?(Apache?) Maybe it was updated to "help" by making iPad browser go to mobile site by default, but is actually causing problems instead.
Is there a way to change the default browser from identifying itself as iPad or mobile browser?

iPad

Posted on Mar 4, 2011 7:49 AM

83 replies

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,227 points

Mar 18, 2011 3:06 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

Meg St._Clair wrote:
Or, the entire problem would go away if website developers stopped redirecting iPads to mobile sites. Of course, if Apple allowed Flash on the iPad, there would be no problems and wb browsing would be perfect! 😉

It's only partially web developers' fault; Safari for iOS reports itself as a mobile browser in its user agent field.

The problem is web developers who make the assumption that a "mobile" browser has lower functionality and thus must be served a dumbed-down version of the site.

Mar 18, 2011 3:44 AM in response to Dogcow-Moof

William Kucharski wrote:
FWIW I sold my iPad 1 and have not yet purchased an iPad 2 for just this reason.

Safari for Mac OS X has a "debug" menu in which you can make it lie to web servers as to what kind of browser it is; there's no good reason the same functionality can't be made available in Safari fot iOS.

William, you've seen the solution to this several times in this thread. Selling your iPad instead of spending £0.59 on an alternative browser which has the functionality you mention seems a little extreme

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,227 points

Mar 18, 2011 2:23 PM in response to igmackenzie

I don't want to use an alternative browser, I want to use Safari, for a wide variety of reasons.

This is akin to telling people who find Safari on Mac OS X broken to go use Firefox or Opera instead.

Mar 18, 2011 2:42 PM in response to Dogcow-Moof

William Kucharski wrote:
I don't want to use an alternative browser, I want to use Safari, for a wide variety of reasons.

Would you like to inform us what those reasons are?

This is akin to telling people who find Safari on Mac OS X broken to go use Firefox or Opera instead.

If it's a solution to their problem, then I see no issue with that.
As a bonus, iCab and Atomic are better browsers than Safari in my opinion with much more functionality on the iPad and other iOS devices.

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,227 points

Mar 18, 2011 3:23 PM in response to igmackenzie

I don't care about or use tabs.

Safari uses graphics acceleration in iOS 4.3, other browsers don't (yet.)

I can trust Apple; I have no idea who wrote the other browsers so if they cached all https traffic and sent passwords to a remote site, I'd never know.

Who knows what the future development plans are for those browsers; if I learn to prefer iCab then the developers feel like it's not fun to work on any more, I'm hosed.

Not the most earth-shattering reasons, but (good to me) reasons nevertheless.

Mar 18, 2011 3:48 PM in response to Dogcow-Moof

Seriously?

Then basically, no, we don't really have a solution for you.

Mar 18, 2011 4:41 PM in response to Dogcow-Moof

There is a lot more to iCab than tabs. Although on that subject, Safari requires 2 taps to move from tab (page) to tab whereas other browsers need just one.
Other advantages of iCab include full screen option, huge number of gestures supported, download manager, quick start pages, and many more.
But, each to his own, I guess.

jenhi Author

Level 1

6 points

Mar 19, 2011 8:04 AM in response to Dogcow-Moof

Actually, I feel the same way.

I don't trust putting my credit card numbers and numerous passwords into some obscure fly by night programmer's browswer. Apps are one thing, a cool utility here, angry birds there. But personal secure information is best handled through reputable browsers like Safari, IE, Firefox, etc. Have enough to worry about with data mining and phishing without worrying about the actual underlying browser application itself!

Still using Safari mainly, even though have to deal with mobile site issues from time to time. I did complain to a few websites that changed recently and they fixed whatever it was that causing the issue. Not sure if was due to my complaint, more likely due to multiple complaints by other users.

William Kucharski wrote:

I can trust Apple; I have no idea who wrote the other browsers so if they cached all https traffic and sent passwords to a remote site, I'd never know.

Who knows what the future development plans are for those browsers; if I learn to prefer iCab then the developers feel like it's not fun to work on any more, I'm hosed.

Not the most earth-shattering reasons, but (good to me) reasons nevertheless.

Mar 21, 2011 2:17 AM in response to jenhi

Have Apple fixed this problem with iOS 4.3?

Mar 21, 2011 11:55 AM in response to boymacwerter

No, it's not been 'fixed' in 4.3. It's also not 'a problem'. It behaves in the way Apple designed it.
As has been said several times now, use a different browser to Safari that can identify itself as desktop versions of various browsers if you want to avoid the 'problem'.

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,227 points

Mar 21, 2011 8:09 PM in response to igmackenzie

To be clear, it's not Apple's problem, it's the fault of websites that force you into their mobile sites without a way to access their full site.

But for me that makes an iPad less than useful; it's as if I wanted to use an iPad to access Flash content.

Not Apple's problem, but a problem for me nevertheless.

Mar 22, 2011 12:43 AM in response to Dogcow-Moof

I didn't say it was a problem at all, far less Apple's problem. However, the 'problem' is easily solved for you but you choose not to accept the solution.
Additionally, Apple could resolve this by allowing Safari to have an option to identify itself as another browser as the desktop version and other iOS browsers do.

Hawk_Eye

Level 1

5 points

Mar 22, 2011 2:00 PM in response to Dogcow-Moof

Given that Safari was one of the fastest hacked/exploited of all the browsers in a hacking competitioned I'd be a little more wary of this particular browser with my personal data.

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,227 points

Mar 23, 2011 7:58 PM in response to Hawk_Eye

Why? The "hack" had nothing to do with compromising https.

Chris CA

Level 10

82,434 points

Mar 23, 2011 8:08 PM in response to Hawk_Eye

Perhaps you should read a bit more on the "hacking competitioned" and see how it was done so quickly and why it's irrelevant to you.

iPad browser: forced to mobile version of websites