14 DAY TRIAL // The recent announcement that Microsoft and Opera have signed licensing agreements regarding the inclusion of the latter’s web browser into its former’s feature phones does not come as a surprise at all.
For those who don’t remember, in late June it was announced that Opera Browser would be the default browser for all Nokia X smartphones. Although Opera Browser came pre-installed on the Nokia X devices anyway, it wasn’t the default browser, though users could set it as default whenever they wanted.
Well, it appears that Microsoft wanted to make sure that you would try out Opera Browser first and then look for alternatives in case you didn’t like this browser.
Today, the history repeats itself and Opera has announced that it has entered a licensing agreement with Microsoft to make its Opera Mini app the default browser on the Redmond-based company’s feature phones.
In addition, the Asha series of smartphones will also have Opera Mini set as the default browser, so the only thing that remains is for Microsoft to license Opera for its Windows Phone devices.
“We continue to sell and support classic first and feature phones as well as the Asha range, which have performed well with millions of people who want new mobile experiences at lower price points.
The agreement with Opera will enable us to provide continuity of service as we transition from Xpress Browser to Opera Mini,” said Rich Bernardo, head of legacy business, Phones, Microsoft.
According to the partnership between the two companies, the agreement applies to mobile phones based on the Series 30+, Series 40 and, as mentioned earlier, Asha software platforms.
Apparently, those who are now using the Nokia Xpress browser will be pushed (read “encouraged”) to upgrade to Opera Mini, but all handsets that are now going on sale will already have Opera Mini pre-installed and set as default browser.
“This is a great opportunity to spread the benefits of Opera Mini to millions more consumers in our core markets. There are still massive numbers of people who have not moved to smartphones, but Opera Mini can provide them with an amazing browsing experience right now,” said Lars Boilesen, CEO of Opera Software.
Considering that Internet Explorer for Windows Phone does not offer a satisfying browsing experience, do you think that it will be beneficial for Microsoft to license another browser that works better on this mobile platform? Which one do you think would fit better in the Windows Phone ecosystem?