This Norwegian desktop and laptop software maker is best known for its browser Opera, as well as its mobile versions Opera Mini и Opera Mobile.
It all started on August 30, 1995, when two former employees of the research center of a Norwegian telecommunications company Telenor decided to apply the knowledge accumulated over the years to create their own project. Jon S. von Tetzchner and Geir Ivarsøy are not only talented but very ambitious people. They left Telenor not of their own free will, but as a result of the disbandment of the division in which they worked, when it was decided to curtail research and development in creating a fundamentally new browser for financial reasons. And as you can see, it’s completely in vain, because on their basis a world-famous company was created.
First commercially viable browser Opera appeared in 1997. Unlike competitors, the developers managed to offer some very interesting ideas that allowed a newcomer to the world of browsers to attract the attention of users. Initially, the browser distribution model was such that any user could install it on their computer for free, but at the same time they had to endure advertising, which only a certain amount of money could get rid of. Probably, this was not the most successful decision - the browser managed to gain a sufficient number of users, but it did not become very popular. Since 2005, Opera distributed completely free of charge. This browser is one of the most popular, significantly inferior to Internet Explorer, Google Chrome и Mozilla Firefox.
Things are quite different in the mobile platform market, where Opera Mini и Opera Mobile became really popular. The developers paid attention to the development of this market direction in time, and by the beginning of the 21st century they were able to provide users with really interesting solutions (which were also initially paid). Opera Mini interesting in that it can work even on those models of mobile phones that were not originally designed to work on the Web at all. Opera Mobile designed for smartphones. There are versions Opera and for TVs, game consoles and other devices capable of accessing the Internet.
Basic Income Opera Software they earn royalties from manufacturers of mobile devices in which this browser is embedded, as well as from mobile operators who are interested in their customers using the Internet more actively.
Headquarters Opera Software ASA located in Oslo, Norway. Representative offices of the company, which already employs several hundred people, already exist in many countries around the world.
