Opera launches new mobile browser: Opera Touch and new PC Browser with Instant Search
Opera Touch is designed to be used on the move, with just one hand. It also makes the mobile and desktop web browsing experiences into one
OSLO - Opera announced today the release of two new products, a brand new mobile browser called Opera Touch and a new version of the Opera browser for computers. Opera Touch has been designed from the ground up to fit the way people actually use the web: on the move. The new mobile browser also seamlessly connects with the updated Opera PC browser without the need of establishing a password or login.
“Today, we are introducing a new type of web experience,” said Krystian Kolondra, EVP and Head of Opera Browsers, “one where you can have a continuous flow of your content across all your devices.’’
Opera Touch, a modern browser designed to fit the way people actually use the web
People take their mobile phones everywhere they go. According to Opera’s research conducted on US smartphone users, 86 percent prefer to hold their smartphones with one hand while also engaging in other tasks such as eating, commuting, walking or shopping. Meanwhile, conventional mobile browsers typically require people to use both hands to type in a query or a web address, which is uncomfortable for them. Opera Touch was created with these people in mind. The innovative browser navigation has been designed to be used with just one hand, offering a more comfortable experience while browsing.
“We have moved the browser’s key functions within your thumb’s reach”, said Maciej Kocemba, product manager at Opera. ”This means that, unlike in most other browsers, you can more easily browse and search the web when on the move”.
Instantly ready to search
The first thing you will notice in Opera Touch is that the starts in search mode and is instantly ready to find things on the web. The keyboard is up and the address bar cursor is blinking. Opera Touch doesn’t require the user to make any additional moves or taps before they can start searching.
“People want to quickly find a thing online and move on with their lives. That’s why we’ve reduced the number of steps before they can start their search to zero,” added Kocemba.
Opera Touch also supports voice search and lets you scan QR and barcodes. These smart additions to search make the browser useful on the go when, for example, you see a product at a shop and want to check its reviews, tutorials or prices online.
FAB: the button that changes your browsing experience
The browser also features a Fast Action Button at the bottom of the screen to accomplish the one-handed browsing experience. The neatly designed feature is always available on the browser screen and provides direct access to the most recent tabs and a search feature. It also allows the user to navigate through all of the browser’s features with just their thumb.
Flow: mobile and desktop web become one
According to Opera’s US survey, 69 percent of smartphone users don’t use use their browser’s syncing features. Additionally, 65 percent of users resort to e-mailing or sending messages to themselves or their loved ones just to save the links to important websites or to later access them on their PCs. That’s because syncing is often too problematic and takes as much as 13 steps to set up.
“People invented these life hacks because no simple solutions were available. We’ve fixed that. In Opera Touch, setting up the connection between your smartphone and your desktop browser takes only one step,” said Maciej Kocemba.
Encrypted stream of things that you share with yourself
This one step, which consists of scanning a QR code displayed in the Opera computer browser with Opera Touch, establishes Flow, Opera’s innovative way of allowing the user to share links, images, videos or notes with themselves. Flow is a stream of things that one shares with oneself. It is available both in Opera Touch and in the updated version of the Opera PC browser. And the good news? It doesn’t require any logins or passwords
Whenever an item, such as a scan of medical results or a website with top restaurants to check out, is added to the Flow on one device, the other one instantly receives it. Flow is end-to-end encrypted, and works independently of operating systems and manufacturers.
Faster searching with the new version of Opera for computer
The Opera browser for computers has also been updated. The new version of the PC browser has been carefully designed to work together with Opera Touch through the Flow feature. It also includes Instant Search, a new feature which lets users quickly search the web and their open tabs. Just hit the keyboard shortcut ALT + Space or the button in the sidebar on any page to start searching.
Watch our online launch event
A recording of our live launch event of Opera Touch and the newest version of the Opera browser for computers can be watched at www.opera.com/r2iscoming
Opera Touch is a free application available for Android on Google Play and will be coming to iOS soon. To make full use of the Flow feature, download the latest Opera browser on your Windows, Mac or Linux PC.