14 DAY TRIAL // Today, Opera Software announced that it has acquired Handster Inc., a known mobile application store platform company, which is based in Northbrook, Illinois, with operations in Odessa, Ukraine. The company offers services to a wide range of wireless services providers around the world, as well as to various mobile phone makers, and to application stores all around the world.
Moreover, the company managed to assemble one of the largest independent Android content library in the world, Opera notes.
Handster offers a white-label app store platform, along with content management and content curation, as well as a series of developer tools, and financial settlement services.
At the moment, the company's platform offers support for mobile operating systems like Android, Java, Symbian, Windows Mobile, or BlackBerry, in addition to supporting netbook and tablet applications.
Moreover, the company offers services to various mobile operators around the world, as well as to device manufacturers like MTS, Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Huawei and LG.
“Handster could not have found a better suitor,” said Handster Founder and CEO Victor Shaburov.
“The combination of our platform, along with Opera’s position in the market, will make a big impact on the mobile ecosystem, benefiting developers, publishers, operators and handset manufacturers around the world.”
Opera has its own mobile app portal, Opera Mobile Store, which was launched back in March, and which already became a top 10 mobile app store globally, offering software to users on iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Java, and Symbian.
“Opera is evolving from being a browser company into a fully integrated mobile services company and this acquisition is an important step in that direction,” said Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software.
“We are delighted to welcome the Handster team into the Opera family. Handster will enable us to strengthen our mobile store offerings to consumers, mobile operators and handset manufacturers.”
Opera also announced that Victor Shaburov will join the Opera Mobile Consumer and Publisher management team in San Mateo, California, USA.