Opera is a mobile browser based on the Blink engine, which Google uses for its mobile and desktop versions of Chrome. While the Chrome browser dominates on Android and Safari rules iOS, Opera for Android carves out some space for itself, thanks to features like a built-in ad blocker, easy access to multiple search engines, text wrapping, and the ability to force a website to load the desktop version of its layout.
Imagine Chrome but with ad blocking: Mobile ads can be infuriatingly intrusive, getting between you and the content you want. Opera can block pop-up windows and ads with a toggle in the settings: Tap the red O in the upper right, then tap Settings. However, we'd also like the ability to whitelist ads, which lets us support sites that play nice. As of version 37, Opera makes ad blocking an all-or-nothing proposition.
Usability improvements: Opera offers a host of handy settings:
Better data-saving options: In Chrome, you can only turn the Data Saver off and on. All your videos and images get compressed at the same level. In Opera, you have four compression levels -- Off, Low, Medium, and High -- and you can decide to compress images and leave videos alone.
Lacks casting: Being unable to cast videos from directly within the browser isn't a big downside, but it's worth mentioning. While Chrome and Opera for Android share a large amount of code, Opera lacks the casting feature. Even Firefox can do this now, at least with Chromecast and Roku devices.
Ad blocking could use better controls: On the desktop, an ad blocker usually lets you select which page elements you want to block, or it lets you choose from different curated blocking lists, or both. Sometimes page content will not load at all if you block a certain ad provider or tracker, so it's important to be able to refine your filtering or temporarily disable all blocking on a particular page. In Opera, blocking is an all-or-nothing toggle in the Data Settings section of the browser's settings. This is a relatively new feature, though, so we can give Opera the benefit of the doubt that this feature may be enhanced as time goes on.
Unless you really need the prediction service or in-browser casting, it's honestly difficult to recommend Chrome over Opera this point, at least on Android.
Opera browser for Android is a fast, safe and secure browser. It blocks intrusive ads out of the box and keeps you up-to-date with the latest personalized news and Opera Mini mode (data saving).
Top features
Block ads for faster browsing: Opera's integrated ad blocker helps your pages load faster and saves your data for the content you're actually interested in.
Private browsing: Use private tabs to go incognito anywhere on the Internet without leaving a trace on your device.
Save data with Opera Mini mode: switch to data-savings mode to load pages faster than ever on slow networks. Powered by our famous compression technology, the Opera browser works hard to save loads of data without breaking your browsing experience.
Sync your Opera devices: Give yourself access to all the bookmarks, Speed Dial shortcuts, and open tabs from your other devices with Opera.
Smart news feed: Swipe through a range of personalized news channels within the browser, subscribe to your favorite channels, and save stories to read later.
Other highlights
Sleek new look: Our new, lightweight design makes it easier to find what you need and do what you came online to do.
Add to home screen: Add any website directly to your device's home screen to access it even faster. Sites like Facebook can even send you push notifications, just like the app.
Read comfortably on any screen: With Opera, you can force zoom on any page, making it easier to read. We even make sure the text fits nicely on your screen with automatic text wrap.
Do more with Opera: http://www.opera.com/about/products
Opera may show ads from Facebook. To learn more, see https://m.facebook.com/ads/ad_choices
Keep in touch:
Twitter - http://twitter.com/opera/
Facebook - http://facebook.com/opera/
Instagram - http://instagram.com/operabrowser/
End User Terms:
By downloading and/or using this product, you acknowledge and agree to the end user licence agreement at https://www.operasoftware.com/eula/android and Privacy Statement at https://www.opera.com/privacy.
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