Chinese Firms Offer to Buy Browser Maker Opera! What Does this Mean for You?
1.2 billion dollars. That’s how much a consortium of Chinese companies has offered for Norwegian software developer Opera, the company behind the Opera web browser.
The consortium includes Beijing Kunlun Tech, a mobile gaming company, and Qihoo 360, China's top mobile antivirus provider. If the name rings a bell, it’s because last year, they were accused of cheating, of having switched the AV engine in the copies they submitted to three antivirus testing labs.
How does Opera feel about getting bought?
The Norwegian company is very much in favor of the buyout. Lars Boilesen, CEO of Opera, had this to say about it:
"There is strong strategic and industrial logic to the acquisition of Opera by the consortium. We believe that the consortium, with its breadth of expertise and strong market position in emerging markets, will be a strong owner of Opera."
After having received the 1.2 billion offer, the company’s Board of Directors released a recommendation, advising shareholders to accept it.
You see, it’s not enough for Kunlun and Qihoo 360 to make an offer. The shareholders must mull things over and then they have to approve it. And even if Opera’s investors decided to sell their shares, there are still some legal matters that have to be sorted before the acquisition goes through.
The point I’m trying to make is that at this stage, all we have is an offer. A buyout offer from a Chinese consortium to purchase Opera for 1.2 billion. It remains to be seen if the acquisition will go through or not.
How will the acquisition affect the desktop browser?
Opera’s Desktop Team believes this is a good thing. The Opera web browser will reach more users, Opera will be able to accelerate its road maps, bugs will get sorted faster, more code will be released to the web. In short, the acquisition will allow Opera’s Desktop Team to do more and make the browser better.
“We remain committed to the open web, to Opera’s legacy as innovator, and to our users all over the world. For many of us, our desktop browser remains the most important tool in our lives, and we promise to improve it even further,” said Krystian Kolondra, SVP Global Engineering, Opera for Computers. “We can’t wait to see what we come up with next.”
How will this buyout impact Opera’s mobile products?
Opera’s Mobile Team is just as excited about the acquisition as the Desktop Team. They're most excited about the fact that they’ll get to work with a really big internet player. Here are some figures to put things in perspective.
Opera has about 350 million users right now. The Chinese consortium that wants to buy Opera has more than 500 million. This acquisition will allow Opera to presents its products to more a user group of about 800 million people.
It's a great opportunity for Opera. The company will finally make it to the big leagues and get to rub shoulders with tech giants. Opera will change, but the people who work at Opera won't.
“Even though this deal will give us a bigger foothold, the people behind Opera remain the same,” said Nuno Sitima, Head of Mobile Browsers at Opera. “The same teams will be developing and delivering the mobile browsers Opera for Android, Opera Mini for Android, Opera Mini for iOS and Opera Coast for iOS, as well as our data-management app, Opera Max.”
#StillYourOpera
So to recap, some Chinese companies want to buy Opera for a lot of money. Opera is in favor of the acquisition and has even advised its shareholders to accept the buyout. The community is concerned, and understandably so. They fear that the acquisition will spell the end for Opera as we know it. Opera’s response to these naysayers is simple: the acquisition is good, we’re #StillYourOpera.
Have you tried Vivaldi?
Vivaldi is a newcomer to the browser world. It is the brainchild of Opera co-founder and former Opera CEO, John von Tetzchner.
Unhappy that Opera “changed its direction” and “it is no longer serving its community of users and contributors who helped build the browser in the first place,” John von Tetzchner created Vivaldi, a browser that promises to put the users first.
Download Vivaldi right here on FindMySoft.
The consortium includes Beijing Kunlun Tech, a mobile gaming company, and Qihoo 360, China's top mobile antivirus provider. If the name rings a bell, it’s because last year, they were accused of cheating, of having switched the AV engine in the copies they submitted to three antivirus testing labs.
How does Opera feel about getting bought?
The Norwegian company is very much in favor of the buyout. Lars Boilesen, CEO of Opera, had this to say about it:
"There is strong strategic and industrial logic to the acquisition of Opera by the consortium. We believe that the consortium, with its breadth of expertise and strong market position in emerging markets, will be a strong owner of Opera."
After having received the 1.2 billion offer, the company’s Board of Directors released a recommendation, advising shareholders to accept it.
You see, it’s not enough for Kunlun and Qihoo 360 to make an offer. The shareholders must mull things over and then they have to approve it. And even if Opera’s investors decided to sell their shares, there are still some legal matters that have to be sorted before the acquisition goes through.
The point I’m trying to make is that at this stage, all we have is an offer. A buyout offer from a Chinese consortium to purchase Opera for 1.2 billion. It remains to be seen if the acquisition will go through or not.
How will the acquisition affect the desktop browser?
Opera’s Desktop Team believes this is a good thing. The Opera web browser will reach more users, Opera will be able to accelerate its road maps, bugs will get sorted faster, more code will be released to the web. In short, the acquisition will allow Opera’s Desktop Team to do more and make the browser better.
“We remain committed to the open web, to Opera’s legacy as innovator, and to our users all over the world. For many of us, our desktop browser remains the most important tool in our lives, and we promise to improve it even further,” said Krystian Kolondra, SVP Global Engineering, Opera for Computers. “We can’t wait to see what we come up with next.”
How will this buyout impact Opera’s mobile products?
Opera’s Mobile Team is just as excited about the acquisition as the Desktop Team. They're most excited about the fact that they’ll get to work with a really big internet player. Here are some figures to put things in perspective.
Opera has about 350 million users right now. The Chinese consortium that wants to buy Opera has more than 500 million. This acquisition will allow Opera to presents its products to more a user group of about 800 million people.
It's a great opportunity for Opera. The company will finally make it to the big leagues and get to rub shoulders with tech giants. Opera will change, but the people who work at Opera won't.
“Even though this deal will give us a bigger foothold, the people behind Opera remain the same,” said Nuno Sitima, Head of Mobile Browsers at Opera. “The same teams will be developing and delivering the mobile browsers Opera for Android, Opera Mini for Android, Opera Mini for iOS and Opera Coast for iOS, as well as our data-management app, Opera Max.”
#StillYourOpera
So to recap, some Chinese companies want to buy Opera for a lot of money. Opera is in favor of the acquisition and has even advised its shareholders to accept the buyout. The community is concerned, and understandably so. They fear that the acquisition will spell the end for Opera as we know it. Opera’s response to these naysayers is simple: the acquisition is good, we’re #StillYourOpera.
Have you tried Vivaldi?
Vivaldi is a newcomer to the browser world. It is the brainchild of Opera co-founder and former Opera CEO, John von Tetzchner.
Unhappy that Opera “changed its direction” and “it is no longer serving its community of users and contributors who helped build the browser in the first place,” John von Tetzchner created Vivaldi, a browser that promises to put the users first.
Download Vivaldi right here on FindMySoft.
