350 million users worldwide across multiple platforms, $845.702M market cap and a range of prestigious awards — that's Opera Ltd. nowadays. However, in 1995 it was merely a research project within Norwegian telecom company Telenor. Rise to fame, court battles with Microsoft and acquisition by Chinese consortium in Opera company profile by Adsider.
In 1995 Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner and Geir Ivarsøy created Opera Software in Oslo. First Opera 2.10 web browser was born in 1996. At the beginning, customers needed to pay for using Opera after the trial period. In 2000 the browser became free.
Key events:
1
1995
Opera Software founded by Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner and Geir Ivarsøy
2
1996
Opera web browser version 2.10 for Windows (first product)
3
2000
First free Opera browser (version 5.0) released
4
2004
Opera Software goes to IPO
5
2005
Opera Mini is released
6
2007
Opera's complaint against Microsoft in the European Commission results in the creation of BrowserChoice.eu
7
8 July 2016
Opera Software ASA sells its browser, privacy and performance apps, and the Opera brand to Golden Brick Capital Private Equity Fund I Limited Partnership
Anecdotes
In 2014, when Opera CEO Lars Boilesen came to India to celebrate 50 million Indian users for Opera Mini, he "drove into an Indian mall in a rickshaw, got off and shook a very efficient leg as he danced along with his team members."
Boilesen was not thrilled by the 2016 acquisition by Chinese consortium, but was apparently pushed into doing so by the shareholders: "They decided to initiate this process. It was kind of their decision. It wasn't our decision."
Products
Opera Browser for Windows
Opera Mini (Android and iOS)
Opera Touch
OperaNews
Opera GX
Awards
March 2015 Global Mobile Award of Best Mobile Product, Initiative or Service in Emerging Markets at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona
2018 Red Dot Award: Communication Design 2018 for Opera Touch
2019 Technology & Engineering Emmy Award for HTML5 Development and Deployment of a Full TV Experience on any Device
