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Apple Blocking Certain Browsers from iDisk Access

by , 1:40 PM EDT, June 16th, 2008

Accessing an iDisk, Apple's online storage system that's part of the .Mac service, isn't quite as easy as it used to be because the Cupertino company has begun limiting its Web browser requirements to Safari 1.3 and Firefox 1.0.4 and later. Unsupported Web browsers, which apparently include Firefox 3, simply display a page listing recommended browsers without an option to continue.

While Safari 3.1.1 and Firefox 2.0.0.14 are capable of displaying the contents of a public iDisk, Firefox 3 and OmniWeb were both blocked. OmniWeb, incidentally, is WebKit-based, just like Apple's Safari.

Unsurprisingly, Camino is still supported thanks to its shared foundation with Firefox. Opera 9.5 properly displays iDisk public pages as well.


iDisk: Not all browsers are welcome.

Windows users have a different set of Web browser requirements: Firefox 1.0.4 or later, and Internet Explorer 6 or later. Apple's own Safari for Windows isn't on the list.

The Web browser limits look to be imposed only on iDisk access since Apple's .Mac service still supports all browsers. Since the MobileMe domain currently routes to an information page on Apple's Web site, it's not yet clear which browsers will be compatible with the service when it launches.

Apple spent some time during the Steve Jobs keynote event at the company's World Wide Developer Conference on June 9 showing off some of what's in store for its .Mac service once it transitions to MobileMe early in July. MobileMe will include "push" services to keep user's calendars and contacts up to date on multiple devices (including the iPhone and iPod touch), and a Web-based application for updating iCal, Address Book and Outlook data online.

The behind the scenes work Apple has done to create a Web interface that looks and acts strikingly like a desktop application may have played into the decision to limit which browsers can access an iDisk. That move, however, goes in the opposite direction from the company's typically any-browser-compliant stance.

It's possible, too, that the limited browser option is in place while Apple works out last minute bugs before moving away from .Mac.

While the choice to limit browser options for iDisk access may be necessary -- at least for now -- to ensure that MobileMe works as advertised when it launches, the move may not sit well with users that have grown accustomed to using nearly any browser when taking advantage of Apple's online services.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:Sir Harry Flashman Posts: 792 Joined: 08 Feb 2007
Subject: While I guess that is only fair

I can not use Safari to log on to many free WiFi locations, I get caught in a loop of clicking on the TOS agreement. I have to use FireFox or Explorer (which I only have on the aged G3 iBook) and then I can log on and switch to Safari if I want. I think that it is some sort of Javascript problem, but I am not enough of a tech to know for sure.

So is Apple's decision based on technical limitations of older browsers?

Close Name:Guest
Subject: They want you to spend money

Just spend 4,000 and they will let you in.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Much Ado About Nothing... If You Stopped to Think!

This article seems to be a bit unsure about what it's talking about. Is it talking about the existing .Mac iDisk? That would be the logical assumption based on the current screenshots. But then they throw in some FUD about the Mobile Me iDisk's web app, which is different.

It's obvious when you stop to think about it... the .Mac website is simply employing an outdated browser sniffer at the gateway to the iDisk web app. Why else would they allow Firefox 2, but not Firefox 3? It's probably just hard-coded to use certain UI Agent strings, and not being too flexible about the version numbers.

Now, does this mean that the new Mobile Me web app is going to have the same restrictions? If you think "yes," then I'll just put it bluntly: you're an idiot. The developers most likely just decided against updating the existing web app that's going to be replaced in a few weeks.

Please note that I'm not exactly defending Apple's decision to employ browser sniffing. And I also think it would be reasonable to expect Apple to properly maintain adequate access requirements to an app that's currently in use, no matter how soon it's going to be deprecated. However, it's absolutely ludicrous to think that Apple's going to employ the same restrictions on last year's web app in next year's app as well.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: iDisk

I have no problem using Firefox 3 beta and iDisk. I have part of my website in "Sites" and they open fine in Firefox 3 as of three minutes ago.

Close Name:gslusher Posts: 2088 Joined: 13 Nov 2002
Subject: Does seem to be outdated browser sniffer

If you can change the User Agent for your browser (usually pretty easy), you can get around this. I tried iCab. It got in if I used the identity (User Agent) of Firefox 2. It did not if I chose some others, including Opera 9. One other thing: be sure to clear your cache after changing the User Agent if you have received the "unsupported browser" page.

That supports the guess that it's a browser sniffer. That's hardly unusual.

I was able to find out this in less than a minute. I would have expected the author to do a little personal research before posting the article.

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