iPad browser: forced to mobile version of websites

igmackenzie wrote:

Thanks William.

Can you just explain to me - in very simple terms! - how web developers go about forcing iOS devices to go to a mobile version of their site?

Basically there's code on their site, usually executed via JavaScript or PHP, that checks the incoming reported user agent string and redirects all browsers that self-report as "Mobile" to the mobile version of their site - for example, the code available here or here.

Better web sites will include a link on their site to jump to the "full" version of it; far too many web sites do not.

This is thought to be the "right" way to handle things, as the vast majority of mobile web browsers (think cell phones like Blackberrys and just about any cell phone not powered by iOS or Android) will choke and die on the full version of most web sites.

I've read through the posts and can't find a reason to my issue. I have both the iPad and iPad 2. On the iPad I am getting directed to the mobile versions of websites while on the iPad 2 I see the full version of then site. Best example is CNN.com loads the mobile version on iPad and full version on iPad 2. I checked the safari settings and they are exactly the same on both. Any ideas?

Check the site itself - some allow you to set cookies that tell the site to always load the full version.

Lets do ourselves a favor and start requesting this feature be added to mobile safari. This thread has been view 14k times, now imagine 10k requests for a feature that takes very little effort to implement.

Lets all request this be add as a feature: to be able to SELECT mobile or desktop versions, with absolute disregard to what the website wants to display use.

There are just to many websites doing this, and thinking their mobile version is whats BEST FOR US. Sorry we know whats best for us, the majority of these websites worked fine before they started forcing their users to the Dumbed down, limited accessiblity mobile version.

Please Everyone make the request to apple

http://www.apple.com/feedback/

I made the request as you suggested. Good luck with this and I hope you don't get the flames that I did from the obnoxious ones pointing things out from "Safari is complying with the "rules" of the web" to "viewing does not imply agreement" to "No, the topic has been viewed 14K times. It could be the same 14 obsessed people 1000 times each" and my favorite - "Use another browser". My feeling - Why should I have to? .Made me want to leave and never come back - Guess I'm not an apple person and never will be.

What is "obnoxious" about stating the fact that Apple complies with the protocols of the web?

DonnaLN wrote:

and my favorite - "Use another browser". My feeling - Why should I have to?

and, what is 'obnoxious' about offering a solution to your issue? It's up to you whether you accept it or not.

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! 😉

Wait! You mean I can't do Flash on my iPad? What's up with that?

DanAnderson wrote:

......... Lets all request this be add as a feature: to be able to SELECT mobile or desktop versions, with absolute disregard to what the website wants to display use. ...........

I don't think I'd put it quite that way. You can't force most sites to use one or the other from your end; the site itself makes that determination based on what it sees trying to connect. So, you work the other way; mask yourself as a desktop version of the browser, or perhaps a different browser altogether if that works.

Understand the reasoning for Safari redirection and User Agent string requirement. I have a question, if iPad users ae not allowed to change the default browser, is this not the same problem Microsoft had with IE. In that they were forced by law ( European or Otherwise ) to give the user a choice of which browser they used ?

Yes, I've wondered that about iOS and OS X as well. Not clear to me why it's OK for Apple to deliver Safari only, and yet MS had the problem with IE.

Maybe it's a desktop OS market share issue, with MS having huge domination, but iOS? I don't know, but it does seem strange.

Thanks for the reminder to send feedback to Apple - it's the only way to get them to respond.

The point I really wanted to make, on the matter of mobile versions of websites, is how differently Safari and Chrome display the mobile version of Twitter.

Have a look and you will see.

In Safari's case it displays something more suitable for display on a smart phone, while Chrome displays what looks like an iPad version.

In both cases however, I resent being forced to view the mobile version.

Don't take my choice away from me!

WyndhamClampett wrote:

The point I really wanted to make, on the matter of mobile versions of websites, is how differently Safari and Chrome display the mobile version of Twitter.

Just get the Twitter app.

I use the App Dolphin browser for iPad and it is working perfectly ℹ

Thanks for the suggestion Christ CA, but it shouldn't be necessary. Why should I be forced to use an app when I want to use the browser.?

Why is the choice taken away from me?

As it happens I do have the Twitter app and find it rather poor compared to theTwittelator app.

I only used Twitter as an example of the issue which remains!