Opera hints at US breakthrough at CTIA show
Published: 25 March, 2009
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Opera Software, its strong mobile browser position under threat from the rising number of vendor offerings such as Apple Safari, has been expanding its software far and wide. Last year, the main focus was on lower end phones, to tap into emerging internet markets and run on slower networks. Now it is hinting at major deals with US carriers, apparently to be announced at next week's CTIA Wireless event.
The US has been a weak spot for the Norwegian software house, whose carrier and vendor deals, with the likes of Vodafone, T-Mobile International and Nokia, have mainly been Europe-focused. Now the firm is telling Forbes magazine that it will break into the US carrier stronghold this year, and though it would not name the partners, it gave some clues by stressing that it normally works with 'tier one' operators.
Like Yahoo with search, Opera is shifting its attention towards operator deals, as the handset makers, with which it has traditionally partnered, develop their own browsers and mobile web platforms. In particular, its key ally Nokia is relying on its own WebKit-based browser for Symbian/Series 60, though Opera remains strategic for Nokia's lower end platform, Series 40.
The operator focus will be more appropriate to the US model than working with vendors, especially as Opera's main partners, Nokia and Sony Ericsson, are both weak in north America too (though it also works with HTC). And Opera will look to take advantage of the US' belated move away from simple WAP-based mobile browsing to full internet systems, a trend that happened far earlier in Europe. Carriers can sign either licensing or distribution deals with Opera.
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