Widgets go mainstream

Opera expands widget offering to all mobile phones

Oslo, Norway – March 22, 2010

Opera Software today announced that Opera Widgets will now be available on nearly any mobile phone. By using the same technology that powers Opera Mini, Opera has re-built its Opera Mobile Widgets experience for the mass market. Operators and handset manufacturers can now deliver exciting, Web-based content and services across their entire mobile phone portfolio.

The new widgets platform takes advantage of Opera’s recently announced cross-platform UI framework. This framework was developed to help operators and manufacturers efficiently distribute a single browser UI across a wide range of devices. Similarly, a singular Opera Widgets experience can now be quickly developed and deployed on nearly any platform. Operators will benefit as widgets drive end-user data consumption and encourage the uptake of content and services throughout their network.

“Our new Widgets platform releases operators and manufacturers from the native application box and gives them the tools needed to develop Web-based content that is fun, useful and available to everyone,” said Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. “By rebuilding our Opera Mobile Widgets Manager with our cross-platform UI framework, we are able to help our customers deliver a better, more unified user experience on nearly any mobile phone.”

Opera’s Mini-based Widgets platform includes the same UI and feature set as the Opera Mobile Widgets Manager. Opera Mini’s server-side rendering allows nearly any mobile phone to run a Web browser and now, widgets.

Widgets check list:

Based on open Web standards
Provides instant access to content and services
Rapid development and time-to-market
Cross-device, cross-platform deployment
Drives data consumption
Creates new revenue stream through sale of content and services
Now available for nearly any phone on your network

For more information on how to bring Opera Widgets to your customers, visit http://www.opera.com/business/.

About Opera Software ASA

The worldwide World Wide Web — any device, any platform, any bandwidth, absolutely anywhere in the world. Opera Software was founded in 1994, based on the idea that access to the Web should be a universal right. 220 million people (and counting) use the Opera web browsers for computers, mobile phones, TVs and other connected devices. Opera also delivers tools, distribution, engagement, monetization and market insights to developers, publishers and brands around the world. We are passionate about breaking down barriers, so everyone can share in the power of the Internet. Our vision of one Web for all remains at the heart of what we do, because we believe that participation changes everything. Opera Software ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at www.opera.com.