Opera Mini for iOS Updated with 'Video Boost' Feature, iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Support

[MacRumors]

Web browser Opera Mini today received an update to version 9, bringing support for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in addition to a number of new features. Most notably, Opera Mini now includes a "Video Boost" setting which promises to cut down on buffering times while conserving mobile data. The app also now features extended Speed Dial functionality for saving bookmarks, and supports the larger displays of the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus.

So, what exactly happens to the video data when it is optimized? When you select a video to watch, our servers take a quick peek at the video's resolution and quality. Video data that's too big is shrunk before it lands on your phone, lessening buffering time. All this happens in the blink of an eye.

Opera Mini launched in 2011 as one of the first third-party alternatives to Apple's iOS version of Safari and reached a million downloads in its first few days of availability. Since then, the app has seen a number of significant updates which have brought speed improvements, better mobile data optimization, and Speed Dial functionality.

Opera Mini is a free app for iOS devices and can be downloaded through the App Store. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Opera Mini for iOS Updated with 'Video Boost' Feature, iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Support

 

[BMcCoy]

Do many people use this, over Safari?

It hadn't even occurred to me to try an alternative browser..

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Do many people use this, over Safari?

It hadn't even occurred to me to try an alternative browser..

So you use IE on Windows, Safari on OS X, and have never heard of Linux or Unix.

 

[wsc9005]

So you use IE on Windows, Safari on OS X, and have never heard of Linux or Unix.

That's a little random ... there's no correlation between preferences of browsers and knowledge of alternative OSes

 

[Jessica Lares]

Do many people use this, over Safari?

It hadn't even occurred to me to try an alternative browser..

It makes sense when you're trying to sync between multiple platforms.

 

[kmpoboy2]

Do many people use this, over Safari?

It hadn't even occurred to me to try an alternative browser..

I use it because my bank's website stopped letting me log in with safari since iOS 8 on both my plus and my mini.

It's a really good browser.

 

[chinanderm]

Title should say "support" ???

 

[iolinux333]

Lately the only two iOS browsers I've been able to use are iCab and Mercury, because the both have good ad blocking. Opera Coast and Opera Mini are both wonderful in a world without ads, but lately, the ads are so intrusive (pop ups, weird creeping things), even here on MR, that I wouldn't even bother with the web any more if I was stuck with Safari.

 

[lolkthxbai]

"Report"? Or iPhone 6 and 6 Plus "Support"?

 

[iSimon]

It makes sense when you're trying to sync between multiple platforms.

Well it would make sense if Opera actually did any syncing. Unfortunately they haven't had any syncing between platforms since it moved to WebKit so unless you are using much older versions of Opera you are pretty much stuffed as far as that's concerned. Supposedly opera link is on its way back in a couple of versions' time but for the moment I wouldn't bother with it over safari.

 

[C DM]

I wonder how different this is from Opera Coast, and why have so many different Opera browsers to begin with (since there used to be Mini, Mobile, and now Coast and I'm sure some other ones on other platforms).

 

[JosephAW]

Video boost did nothing to help youtube buffering.