Opera Mini gets major update and fully revamped design with the launch of Opera Mini 50

More than one hundred million people to be upgraded to the new version of the popular mobile browser.

Lagos, Nigeria 25th of May, 2020– Opera, one of the world’s major browser developers, today launched Opera Mini 50. In the major upgrade, the popular browser has fully revamped its user interface to allow its users a more personal and intuitive way to interact with the browser features they love the most.

Opera Mini 50 is a small, fast, and powerful browser. It comes with unique features such as the data compression technology, a download manager with offline file-sharing capabilities, and a built-in ad-blocker.

“Since the very first launch almost fifteen years ago, Opera Mini has provided people with a better browsing experience than what they get with the default browser on their smartphones”. “Now, with version 50, it was time for major upgrade to Opera Mini, with a completely redesigned user experience, where we make the most popular features easier to use”

Completely redesigned

In the biggest upgrade for five years, the new Opera Mini 50 integrates a new and versatile status bar located at the top of the browser screen. The new status bar adds a touch personalization to the browser. In Opera Mini 50, users are able to receive welcome messages during their daily browsing sessions with greetings and hints throughout the day when using the app. The status bar also keeps users updated on what’s going around them. It shows notifications with information about the latest news and upcoming updates in the browser or events from partners.

“With Opera Mini 50, we are reinforcing the connection between the users and the features that they love in multiple touch points.” said Andrzej Czarnecki, Product Manager for Opera Mini. “We introduced new styles, themes and user experiences, to improve the access to the features users need while enjoying superior aesthetics.”

Data savings have always been important for the Opera Mini users. In Opera Mini 50, the new status bar displays a data savings widget which comes pretty handy in situations where users want to keep control of their data consumption in a glimpse.

“We know that data compression in Opera Mini is widely used among our users. Our designers have introduced the new data savings widget on the status bar, to give users detailed information about their data consumption. It tells them what they need to know about how much data they are saving without navigating through the settings of the browser.” said Czarnecki.

More browsing, less data

Today, Opera Mini is by far the fastest and best data saving browser available on digital app stores. This makes the browser particularly popular among users who want to save data or gain speed for a better browsing experience on limited or congested mobile networks.

Opera Mini offers its users to activate either high or extreme data savings mode. The extreme mode in Opera Mini is capable of saving on average an impressive 81% of mobile data versus other browsers like Google Chrome, which are only capable of saving on average to 9% of mobile data. This allows Opera Mini users to browse for nine times longer versus using other mobile browsers without data compression capabilities. (source: Data saving test, Q3-19)

Easier access to offline file sharing

Opera Mini is the only major browser that allows its users to also share files without the use of mobile data. With its “offline file sharing”, it allows users to transfer images, videos and audio files to nearby devices at super high speeds using a safe Wi-Fi direct connection.

The freshly added offline file sharing feature works with the popular download manager in Opera Mini. By combining these features, Opera Mini makes it easier for users to share files they have already downloaded from the web to their phones, as they don’t need to navigate through their phone drive to share the files they are searching for.

Offline file sharing can now be accessed easily in Opera Mini 50 through the shortcut on the new navigation bar located at the bottom of the browser screen.

Free music everywhere

Last year Opera Mini partnered with Mdundo, the leading music sharing platform with the largest catalog of independent artists across Africa. Throughout this partnership, Opera integrates Mdundo’s music catalog into Opera Mini 50 providing users with free access to the music they love through their browser wherever they go.

“Every time users listen to an artist with Opera Mini and Mdundo, they are also supporting local and independent African artists, helping them to increase their chances of being discovered by more people, generate more streams and downloads, and motivate them to keep making their favorite music.” said Czarnecki

With Opera Mini and Mdundo, users can decide between streaming music or download their favorite songs. Thanks to the hybrid advertising model of Mdundo, users can download their favorite songs for free.

Cutting the connectivity gap in Nigeria in 2020

 Opera Mini has always been a challenger mobile browser. The fast and small browser is extremely popular across the African continent where it has challenged the status quo of expensive mobile data due to its unique data compression capabilities.

Since the beginning of 2020, Opera has partnered with MTN and Airtel in Nigeria to bring free browsing up to 50MB to its users and those using MTN and Airtel networks.

“We chose to work with MTN and Airtel in Nigeria, because they are the major internet service providers locally.” said Jørgen Arnesen, Head of Mobile Browsers at Opera. “The goal is to make mobile data more accessible for everyone, and reduce the digital divide, especially now when online information is vital.”

About Opera Mini

The new Opera Mini is available for download in Google Play Store.

Launched in 2006, Opera Mini is used by more than 100 million monthly active users who chose to download it instead of using pre-installed browsers on Android mobile devices. Opera Mini has a 4.4 star rating on Google Play and has been reviewed by more than six million people.

About Opera

 Opera is a global web innovator. Opera’s browsers, news products and fintech solutions are the trusted choice of more than 350 million people worldwide. Opera is headquartered in Oslo, Norway and listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange (OPRA).

Vanguard.

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