2% of iPhone users download Opera Mini, declare themselves a majority

According to Opera, the web browser developer whose “Opera Mini” app for iPhone and iPod touch was admitted into the App Store by Apple despite the company’s preference that users stick with the built-in Safari mobile web browser, more than one million users have downloaded Opera Mini in its first day of availability. While some geeks and power users have hailed this as a revolution and “proof” that iPhone and iPod touch users are seeking alternate web browsers en masse, the math shows that one million downloads represents less than two percent of the overall iPhone/touch userbase, which consists of close one hundred million users – in other words, thus far more than ninety-eight percent iPhone and touch users have opted not to download Opera Mini despite the fact that the app is available for free.

What does it all mean? Time will tell. But judging by the fact that many geeks appear to consider their “right” to put an alternate web browser on their iPhone to be more of a political issue than an actual desire to use something other than Safari mobile to surf the web, one has to wonder what percentage of those one million downloads are actually being used or even being installed – or even whether those million Opera Mini downloads even came from a million unique users. Even more peculiar is the fact that another alternate web browser, iCab, has already been available as an iPhone (and iPad) app in the App Store, without nearly the same politically charged fanfare – perhaps due to the fact that iCab actually costs money.

We’ll keep tabs on this as it progresses, and if downloads of Opera Mini remain strong going forward, then it may indeed signal that the geeks aren’t the only ones who want multiple web browsers on their iPhones and iPod touches. But if Opera Mini download numbers crater after the initial rush, then it may be safe to assume that the entire thing was much ado about nothing.