Opera has announced the release of Opera One for iOS today, bringing the aesthetics and features of the desktop browser to mobile devices.
"Our research shows mobile phone users are six times more likely to be happy than not, after switching away from their system's default browser," said Jona Bolin, Product Manager at Opera. "So with Opera One for iOS, we want to further raise the bar and deliver a better browsing experience versus what users will find pre-installed."
Here's a look at some of the new features in Opera 5 for iOS...
Intuitive browser navigation and a new look Opera has introduced a new navigation style with Bottom Search, which shifts the search bar to the bottom of the screen. Especially useful when on the go, Bottom Search allows users to more easily manipulate their devices with one hand. Opera for iOS users can now switch between three navigation styles – Standard Navigation, Fast Action Button, and Bottom Search – to find the one that best suits their needs.
Opera One for iOS also comes with a revamped search functionality which simplifies and speeds up browsing. When a user starts typing a search query, new search suggestions provide the completion of a word or the best matching next word. Based on a set of predictive chips, these keywords enable faster, easier typing with fewer clicks.
Users also now get a new way to access the search bar through the swipe to search functionality, in which simply swiping down will activate the search bar. The intuitive gesture will be familiar to every iOS user, as it's the same movement employed when searching for apps on an iPhone.
Engineered to maximize screen space and minimize distractions, the new design of Opera One displays those elements of the browser the user is engaging with while hiding the rest. The top bar and new Bottom Search bar, for example, vanish when users start scrolling on a page – as opposed to other mobile browsers for iOS, in which the bottom bar continues to occupy space on the screen.
Furthermore, in Opera One for iOS, the color of the top and status bars adjusts to the hue of the web page visited. The result is a full screen browsing experience in which users are entirely immersed in what's at hand, without any extraneous elements to distract them.
The new version of Opera for iOS also replaces the old newsfeed with a start page carousel filled with news, live scores, and product tips. Designed to blend into the wallpaper background, the carousel maintains a clean and uncluttered start page.
"This is just step one," said Bolin. "We plan to continue developing our vision of the browsing experience on iOS in the months ahead."
An AI-powered browsing experience Like all of Opera's flagship products, Opera One for iOS is centered around AI. It features Aria, a free, unlimited built-in browser AI that comes with up-to-date results from the web, plus the ability to assist in a range of tasks such as information retrieval, text or code generation, and product inquiries. Upon embarking on an Aria query, users will be taken to the chat with Aria, which might then lead them to a website. The browser now provides them with an easy way to get back to the AI chat from the newly opened website.
Regularly updated to incorporate new capabilities, Aria now features Voice Input, so that iOS users can speak queries aloud rather than have to type them out – perfect for when on the go. And in the latest version of Opera for iOS, Aria comes with the ability to generate images using Google's Imagen2 image generation model. Users simply need to provide Aria with a prompt, and the browser AI will create an image based on that input. Users can further refine Aria's creation until it's exactly what they want, as well as copy the image to the clipboard, save it, share it – even set it as the device's wallpaper.
Offering a fast and secure browsing experience, Opera for iOS provides a range of user-friendly features built-in, such as a native, built-in ad blocker and free VPN.
What's New In This Version: 5.0.4 - Crash fix - NEW design from 5.0.0 and forward - Bottom Search layout for optimal one-handed use - Just Swipe down to trigger search. - New search experience with QuickType suggestions for easier typing - Introducing the 'Carousel' on startpage with news and live scores and product info. - Create AI generated images with Aria - Small improvements everywhere across the board
You can download Opera: AI browser with VPN from the App Store for free.