Opera doesn't appear to mind, however. Because in this case, the end justifies the means. And the end? To maintain its position of dominance in the mobile browser ecosystem.
For years, Opera's mobile browsing software has enjoyed outsize popularity on mobile devices across the world, exerting unquestioned dominance in the feature phone category for its speed and compression abilities that make browsing fast and economical, even on the least capable of internet-enabled phones.
Things are changing, however. More capable mobile devices --smartphones -- are slowly but surely proliferating globally, along with cheaper and faster access to the internet. Speed and data compression are still important, but not nearly as much as they used to be, allowing other mobile browsers like the Asian UC Web to steadily erode Opera's advantage.
In its bid to remain the browser of choice for the masses, Opera has turned to -- interestingly -- allies from Asia. The Norwegian software company has initiated powerful co-branding agreements with OEMs like Tecno and Gionee. The agreements range from dedicated Opera Mini buttons to all out Opera-esque visual branding, like is pictured above.
Opera assuredly has nothing to do with the manufacture of these phones -- yet, the average person will likely be convinced that this is indeed an "Opera Mini phone" --which is precisely what a guest I had over at my house the other weekend called it, on first sighting the packaging of the Gionee Pocket.
It's win-win. The ordinarily nondescript OEMs gain considerable visibility and therefore market traction, simply by associating with Opera's globally conspicuous brand. And Opera? Asides from from being the default browser on millions of phones, the co-branding features keep Opera in the front and center of the user's consciousness, as far as access to the web is concerned -- pressing the Opera Mini button, for instance, obviates the need to dig through menus to get at a browser and actively re-inforces the habit of using Opera, till it becomes instinct.
Partnering with Tecno and Gionee also has another advantage. Some might have noticed that these companies are currently flooding the global market with the cheapest Android devices ever made -- the cheapest ones currently going for about N10,000, less than $65. This is perfect for Opera, because the predictable mass uptake of these low priced smartphones by the immense BoP demographic would dramatically widen the addressable audience for Opera's smart advertising technology, which works best on smartphones.
Partnering with Tecno and Gionee also has another advantage. Some might have noticed that these companies are currently flooding the global market with the cheapest Android devices ever made -- the cheapest ones currently going for about N10,000, less than $65. This is perfect for Opera, because the predictable mass uptake of these low priced smartphones by the immense BoP demographic would dramatically widen the addressable audience for Opera's smart advertising technology, which works best on smartphones.
Bankole Oluwafemi
About the author.
"My name is Bankole. For some reason, people call me Lordbanks. Stay with me for practical, no frills, hard-hitting, in your face African tech talk. Follow me on Twitter here."
