Norwegian software maker Opera is mounting pressure on Apple's tight-fisted App store, in the hope its iPhone Web browser will get approved. Opera announced on Wednesday it would launch a version of its Mini browser for the iPhone next week, which will offer faster download speeds.

At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, next week, Opera said it would demo the iPhone version of the Mini Web browser. The company claims its software is up to six times faster than Safari on the iPhone and iPod touch, due to the compression technology used in the background.

Opera also claims the mini browser for the iPhone can cut data traffic by up to 90 percent, which could relief wireless carriers from high iPhone traffic strain on their networks. This is achieved by compressing text and images on Opera's servers before they reach the end users' device.

A Troubled History

Rough waters could wait ahead for Opera Mini on the iPhone: the company said it has yet to submit its app for approval in the App Store, which has a history of rejecting applications that duplicate functionality of native iPhone apps.

With this premature announcement, Opera hopes to sway Apple into approving its iPhone app, but we are yet to see how Apple will react. Google's Voice app didn't make it on the iPhone because Apple claims it duplicates functionality of the native software.

Even FCC intervention didn't achieve much to bringing Google Voice on the iPhone. And as Opera Mini for the iPhone basically duplicates functionality of the native Safari browser, chances are we are going to see a similar debate.

More Reasons to Fear Opera

Besides duplicate functionality, Opera's mobile browser is also the biggest competitor to Safari mobile. Latest figures from StatCounter show that Opera is the largest player in the mobile browser market with over 25 percent share, closely followed by Safari on iPhone and iPod touch with just over 22 percent.

Allowing Opera on the iPhone would mean that the gap between the Norwegian browser and Safari mobile could widen further, something that Apple surely doesn't want to happen.

Yet this is a very bold move from Opera. The company is forcing Apple's hand at approving its browser, something that its bigger brother, Mozilla's Firefox, didn't even bother to try with its Fennec mobile browser.

Opera Mini: 5 Reasons iPhone Owners Need It

But what's the big deal, anyway? See for yourself with the Opera Mini simulator, or check out these five reasons Opera Mini could become your favorite iPhone Web browser, if Apple approves it:

Super Speed

Opera claims that its mobile Web browser can cut the iPhone's Web data traffic by 90 percent, thanks to a method of compressing images and text on its own servers. This would, of course, improve the loading time of Web pages as well.

Home Page

Forget loading up a new browser window with nothing in it. Opera Mini's “Speed Dial” feature lets you customize a grid of nine favorite Web sites for quick loading without visiting your list of bookmarks.

Find in Page

The inability to search within a Web page for text is Safari's most glaring omission. In Opera Mini, it's as simple as clicking the Tools icon, then clicking “Find in Page” and typing whatever you're looking for. Sorry Apple, sometimes Web pages just need to be searched.

Greater Flexibility

Here are some other things you can't do in Safari, all of which can be controlled or enabled in Opera Mini's settings menu: Saved passwords, adjustable image quality, full screen browsing, adjustable font sizes and customizable skins.

Free, Presumably

iPhone experts might point out that there are already plenty of other browsers to choose from, but the vast majority of them cost money. Opera Mini is a free download for other phones, so I assume it'll be free if Apple approves it for the iPhone. That alone could make it the most attractive Safari alternative yet.