More mobile web satisfaction in Hungary

Vodafone Hungary and Opera Software launched a special version of the Opera Mini mobile web browser, available now for almost all internet-capable phones on the Vodafone network, as a part of an extended agreement between both companies.

This special version of Opera Mini for Vodafone’s subscribers provides a better and faster browsing experience for both smartphones and non-smartphones. With its new Speed Dial website shortcuts, users get instant access to their favorite local websites and services, such as Vodafone Live and Vodafone Kedd.

Opera Mini is the most popular mobile browser in the world, used by 160 million people. It works smoothly on all major mobile platforms and devices. With its speed, cost savings and platform integration, Opera Mini usage is booming in Hungary, and Opera Mini for Android is already almost as big there as Opera Mini for Java.

Richard Sherwood, Consumer Director at Vodafone, said: “We continuously strive to provide our customers with the best mobile internet experience. That is why we have decided to modernize our network in its entirety. However, not all of our customers use smartphones, so they can’t utilize the real advantages of our lightning-fast network. Opera Mini is a perfect solution for them, as it compresses web contents, so mobile internet can be almost as fast, as with brand-new smartphones.”

Satisfied “mobile only” generation

Opera and OnDevice Research asked Opera Mini users in several countries from different regions of the world how satisfied they are with their operator and mobile device. The research showed that Hungarians lead the ranking as the most satisfied users in both categories. The same study indicates that 33% of Hungarians who use the mobile web either never, or infrequently, use desktop internet. This group, called the “mobile only” generation, is considerably larger in Hungary than in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom (25% and 22% respectively).

Hungary is also one of the largest countries for Opera Mini usage in the European Union and is still growing spectacularly. Last year, over 159% more Hungarians used Opera Mini compared to 2010. In this category, Hungary overtook not only its European neighbors, but also global trends, far ahead of the 78.45% global growth in Opera Mini usage in 2011.

“We see Hungary as one of the fastest growing markets for Opera Mini around the world,” said Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. “In this country, where we have so many satisfied users, bringing the new special version of Opera Mini guarantees a more convenient and enjoyable web experience.”

About Vodafone Hungary

Vodafone is one of the world’s largest mobile communications companies by revenue with approximately 382 million proportionate customers. Vodafone currently has equity interests in over 30 countries across five continents and over 40 partner networks worldwide. Vodafone provides full range of mobile communication services including voice and data communication. Vodafone Hungary Ltd. launched its service in 30 November 1999 in Hungary and currently has a market share of 22.57% (January 2012). Vodafone Hungary is an integrated technological service provider focusing strongly on offering services for mobile communication, mobile internet and broadband data providing for personal and business subscribers as well.

About Opera Software ASA

The worldwide World Wide Web — any device, any platform, any bandwidth, absolutely anywhere in the world. Opera Software was founded in 1994, based on the idea that access to the web should be a universal right. 250 million people (and counting) use the Opera web browsers for computers, mobile phones, TVs and other connected devices. Opera also delivers tools, distribution, engagement, monetization and market insights to developers, publishers and brands around the world. We are passionate about breaking down barriers, so everyone can share in the power of the internet. Our vision of one web for all remains at the heart of what we do, because we believe that participation changes everything. Opera Software ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at www.opera.com.

Samsung delivers a faster web on non-smartphones

Enjoying a fast web browsing experience does not require a smartphone. The speed of web browsing on non-smartphones can be as fast as that on smartphones--if you have the right browser. And, it can go even faster when you are on a crowded network! Samsung has now preinstalled the Opera Mini mobile browser on its new feature phones to deliver faster and cost-saving web browsing. The browser is now available on the Star3, Star 3 Duos, Champ Deluxe and Champ Deluxe Duos. More new models with Opera Mini preinstalled will be released in 2012.

Opera Mini is built for speed. Webpages are compressed before being sent to the phone, resulting in page loading that’s up to 10 times faster and consumes up to 90% less data. In addition, the browser has pioneered mobile-web browsing and delivered most of the innovations that make browsing the web on mobile phones easier and more convenient, including tabs, password manager, Opera Link and Speed Dial.

“These days, the difference between feature phones and smartphones has decreased. No matter the hardware specification or the user experience, feature phones are matching what the smartphone can offer,” said Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. “Samsung bridges the gap between smartphones and feature phones by choosing to preinstall Opera Mini on its new feature phones so that people can enjoy a fast and affordable web.”

Opera Mini is now the most popular mobile browser in the world, with more than 160 million monthly unique users. In January 2012, Opera Mini users generated over 1,832 million MB of data for operators worldwide. If this data were uncompressed, Opera Mini users would have viewed over 12.24 petabytes of data, which is equivalent to approximately 200 years of continuously running HD-quality video.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2011 consolidated sales of US$143.1 billion. Employing approximately 222,000 people in 205 offices across 71 countries, the company operates two separate organizations to coordinate its nine independent business units: Digital Media & Communications, comprising Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, and Digital Imaging; and Device Solutions, consisting of Memory, System LSI and LCD. Recognized for its industry-leading performance across a range of economic, environmental and social criteria, Samsung Electronics was named the world’s most sustainable technology company in the 2011 Dow Jones Sustainability Index. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

About Opera Software ASA

The worldwide World Wide Web — any device, any platform, any bandwidth, absolutely anywhere in the world. Opera Software was founded in 1994, based on the idea that access to the web should be a universal right. 250 million people (and counting) use the Opera web browsers for computers, mobile phones, TVs and other connected devices. Opera also delivers tools, distribution, engagement, monetization and market insights to developers, publishers and brands around the world. We are passionate about breaking down barriers, so everyone can share in the power of the internet. Our vision of one web for all remains at the heart of what we do, because we believe that participation changes everything. Opera Software ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at www.opera.com.

Are you in a weekend or weekday surfing country?

Is there such a thing as an universal surfing pattern? Are mobile web users worldwide more active during certain periods of the week? In their latest State of the Mobile Web report, Opera Software looks at the shifts worldwide in surfing patterns between weekdays and weekends.

The analysis, based on anonymous and aggregated data from the servers of Opera Mini, the world’s most widely used mobile web browser, shows that users in two-thirds of all countries surveyed are more active on the mobile web during weekdays than the weekends. Different countries have different patterns to their surfing, and many can be divided into “weekend surfers” and “weekday surfers”.

Typical “weekend countries”, in terms of the total number of users, are Egypt, Iran, Ghana, Ethiopia and Tanzania, who top the list for increase in weekend users as compared to weekday users. For Egypt, this means a 7.6% increase in the unique user number as soon as the weekend comes around.

Typical “weekday countries” are Romania, Belarus, Moldova, the United States and Poland, who show the opposite trend on weekend days. When the weekend is over, consumers resume surfing again.

A drop in users on weekends doesn’t necessarily correlate with a drop in page views and data traffic. For example, the country of Georgia had a slight drop in users over the weekend, but topped the list for growth in pages viewed during the weekend.

“With a large population of users of Opera Mini worldwide, you start to see cool trends in the aggregated statistics,” says Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. “The trends in this edition show that mobile web users in different countries do behave differently on the mobile web. Their reasons to to be a ‘weekend surfer’ or a ‘weekday surfer’ may vary, but the statistics remain very consistent througout the measured period.”

Similar trends could be observed in the page views, but to different degrees. Some countries had more than a 10% increase from weekdays to weekends, while others decreased. However, the increase in page views from weekday to weekend is greater than the decrease after the weekend.

To read more about the differences in country day-to-day surfing habits, go to www.opera.com/smw/ and read the full report.

Opera Mini growth

January 2012 was another strong month for Opera Mini. All in all, more than 159 million users surfed with Opera Mini in January. Compared to December 2011, the increase was 4.2 % on a month-to-month basis.

Opera Mini users viewed 108.7 billion pages in January 2012. Since December 2011, page views have gone up 5.4%. Since January 2011, page views have increased 107.6%.

About Opera Software ASA

The worldwide World Wide Web — any device, any platform, any bandwidth, absolutely anywhere in the world. Opera Software was founded in 1994, based on the idea that access to the web should be a universal right. 250 million people (and counting) use the Opera web browsers for computers, mobile phones, TVs and other connected devices. Opera also delivers tools, distribution, engagement, monetization and market insights to developers, publishers and brands around the world. We are passionate about breaking down barriers, so everyone can share in the power of the internet. Our vision of one web for all remains at the heart of what we do, because we believe that participation changes everything. Opera Software ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at www.opera.com.

Opera acquires Mobile Theory and 4th Screen Advertising

Opera Software announced hat it has acquired Mobile Theory Inc. and 4th Screen Advertising, Ltd., to significantly expand its offering to advertisers and mobile publishers that engage consumers via the mobile web and applications, across all mobile platforms. Opera offers complete advertising solutions for mass-market feature phone and smartphone platforms, including iOS, Android, Blackberry, Java and Symbian.

Additionally, these acquisitions will enable Opera to better monetize the traffic that flows through Opera Mini and Opera Mobile browsers. With the world’s most popular mobile browser, Opera serves more than 160 million monthly active users that generate more than 100 billion page views, and consume more than 16 Petabytes of mobile data services a month, as of December 2011.

Mobile Theory is a leading premium mobile advertising network focused on the U.S. mobile advertising market, based in San Francisco, with offices in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle.

4th Screen Advertising is a leading premium mobile advertising network focused on serving the European mobile advertising markets, based in London.

“This is yet another important step in Opera’s quest to create even more economic value in the mobile ecosystem. Two years ago, we announced the acquisition of AdMarvel – which has grown to become the global leader as a supply-side platform (publisher platform) for mobile advertising. Last year, Opera helped generate well over $200 million in revenue for our publishers globally,” said Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software.

Today, we are announcing the acquisition of two great demand-side platforms for mobile advertising. With these assets, and our very popular mobile browsers, Opera is uniquely positioned to deliver end-to-end mobile advertising solutions to brands, agencies, publishers and mobile operators across the globe. We are delighted to welcome the Mobile Theory and 4th Screen team to the Opera family.”

About Mobile Theory

Mobile Theory is the premier mobile ad network built for brand advertisers. Through an exclusive network of premium-quality mobile sites and apps, Mobile Theory enables the world's top agencies and brands, such as Microsoft, Chevrolet, AstraZeneca, Coca-Cola and Capital One, to deliver rich media advertising campaigns that engage and immerse the mobile consumer. Reaching more than 60 million mobile users on over 300 mobile sites and apps, Mobile Theory serves up 2 billion impressions per month. For more information, visit www.mobiletheory.com.

About 4th Screen Advertising

4th Screen Advertising is one of the world's leading premium mobile advertising agencies. 4th Screen goes beyond just clicks, offering brands and advertisers engagement and rich media based mobile campaigns. Publisher clients include The Guardian, MTV, Global Radio, Shazam, and IMDb. For more information visit www.4th-screen.com.

About Opera Software ASA

The worldwide World Wide Web — any device, any platform, any bandwidth, absolutely anywhere in the world. Opera Software was founded in 1994, based on the idea that access to the Web should be a universal right. 220 million people (and counting) use the Opera web browsers for computers, mobile phones, TVs and other connected devices. Opera also delivers tools, distribution, engagement, monetization and market insights to developers, publishers and brands around the world. We are passionate about breaking down barriers, so everyone can share in the power of the Internet. Our vision of one Web for all remains at the heart of what we do, because we believe that participation changes everything. Opera Software ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at www.opera.com.