Opera Acquires Skyfire For $155M

Opera Software announced today that it has acquired Silicon Valley based Skyfire Labs, a leader in mobile video optimization and cloud solutions for mobility.

Skyfire, headquartered in Mountain View, California, is known for its Rocket Optimizer™ software. This allows mobile operators to leverage cloud computing to optimize virtually any video and other multimedia on crowded cell towers, including 3G and 4G LTE networks. Rocket Optimizer on average provides mobile networks a 60 percent boost in capacity by reducing the size of video and other multimedia content as needed to fit the available bandwidth. Skyfire can detect when specific users are facing poor quality of experience or connections that need assistance, and intervene in milliseconds. This can minimize the long start times, re buffering  and stalls on video and audio streams that frustrate mobile users around the world. The approach aligns with the trend toward SDN (software-defined networking) and NFV (network function virtualization) among telecommunications operators, thanks to its elastic and virtualization-friendly cloud architecture.

Skyfire also offers Skyfire Horizon, a mobile browser extension and toolbar platform that allows users to personalize their smartphone browser and operators to gain new monetization opportunities. Skyfire has honed its technology through a variety of top-selling consumer applications, which have more than 20 million worldwide downloads to date.

Skyfire currently counts three large U.S. mobile operators as customers for its Rocket Optimizer and Skyfire Horizon solutions, and is in trials with ten other operators around the world.

“Opera and Skyfire are a natural fit,” said Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. “Both companies have evolved far beyond their browser roots. Skyfire adds capabilities to our portfolio around video, app optimization, smartphones and tablets, and strength in North America. With video expected to consume over two-thirds of global mobile bandwidth by 2015, and as time spent on Android and iOS apps explodes, we are excited to extend Opera’s solutions for operators.”

“Opera practically invented cloud compression to improve mobile user experience, and the team at Skyfire is proud to join forces and advance cloud solutions together,” said Jeffrey Glueck, CEO of Skyfire. “Opera’s over 100 carrier relationships, global sales team, and delivery organization can accelerate the global commercialization of Skyfire’s technology. Opera´s Mediaworks advertising unit with AdMarvel, Mobile Theory and 4th Screen Advertising will strengthen Skyfire Horizon by offering mobile operators a complete turnkey solution including ad optimization, ad sales, and rich analytics. The synergies across all the product lines for both companies are tremendous.”

After the deal closes, Glueck will assume the role of EVP of the Operator Business for Opera, as well as CEO of Skyfire, and will oversee the joint offerings for Opera across Opera Mini co-brand solutions for Operators and Skyfire’s product lines. Skyfire will remain an independent entity as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Opera, and will continue to develop and support the Skyfire browser.

The two companies envision a powerful new set of joint products to be released over the coming year by combining their talents and know-how. In particular, they look to expand on Opera’s Web Pass offering, which allows consumers to purchase innovative data plans such as an unlimited ‘day pass’ of popular apps and web sites for an affordable price, thanks to video and data optimization. WebPass can enable new business models for operators, such as toll free data, ad-supported data, and more.

“The market opportunity for video/media optimization solutions geared towards operators and consumers is significant. After a thorough evaluation of this market, we strongly believe Skyfire is the clear leader for the future in this space”, said Erik Harrell, CFO/CSO of Opera.

The acquisition price includes a mix of cash and stock, with an upfront consideration of US$50 million (including US$8 million of cash on the Skyfire balance sheet) and performance based earn-out payments over three years, including US$26 million in cash held in escrow and funded upfront, that can bring the total deal size to $155 million.

The Opera acquisition of Skyfire is expected to close before March 15, 2013.

Source: Opera

Update: Google Chrome Coming To iPhone And iPad

Google announced that it is releasing Google Chrome for iOS on Thursday during the second day of Google I/O. The new version of Chrome will work on both the iPhone and the iPad and will be able to sync bookmarks, open pages and passwords across all iOS devices that have Chrome installed. The browser is designed to work on versions of iOS 4.3 and higher. Google says that the iOS version of Chrome will be rolling out sometime on Thursday on the App Store.


Update: Google Chrome for iOS is now available for download in the Apple App Store by following this link. 

Opera 12 Beta Available Now

Opera Software announced the beta version of Opera 12 today, codenamed “Wahoo”. The company says that Opera 12 is “smarter and faster” than older versions, and introduces some new features.


First, the team have added the ability to add themes to the browser. Opera will be offering a whole host of themes via its website, and the company says that they’re easy to create as well. Plug-ins are now hosted separately, so if they crash they won’t take the browser with it. It’s the same functionality that Chrome and Firefox have had for a while now, but it’s nice to see it make an appearance in Opera too.

Opera also say that thanks to SSL and tab optimizations that the browser is faster than ever, and the team has added an API that can tap into your computer’s webcam. That gives developers something to play around with, and Opera has created some demos for them to test out the API, such as a Photo Booth.

There are a few other minor additions too, like 64-bit browsers for Mac and Windows, plus support for the Do Not Track header, and HTML5 Drag and Drop support. The Opera 12 beta is available to go test right now from the Opera website.

Google Chrome Beta Now Available For Android 4.0 Devices

While we assumed it would be out some day, Google has officially released its Chrome browser for Android. While still in beta, Chrome for Android brings some great features to the table and we’ll likely never look at another mobile browser again if it keeps it up.

As you’d expect, the browser is hardly perfect but Google has added some truly nice features and implements some interesting takes on simple tasks you’d find on any browser of its kind.

First off, much like the desktop version, Chrome for Android is fast. Pages load quickly and you can skip through open tabs with a simple sliding gesture of your finger from the edge of the display. This fluid motion will make you get to the page you want as quick as possible. Also new in tabs is the way you manage them. The layout of Chrome is painfully simple and getting to open tabs is as easy as a button next to the search box within the browser. You’ll then be given a nice, card-like overview of your tabs where they can be dismissed with a simple swipe. Furthermore, if selected in settings, you can physically flick the device to reveal open tabs.

The layout of Chrome is very simplistic and easy to use. You’re given the search bar, the tabs button, and the “Action overflow / not a menu” button to get into your settings.  The basic landing page is reminiscent of what a new tab will show you in the desktop version of Chrome, which will show you frequently visited pages. You can also access bookmarks from your desktop if you use Chrome sync, making it that much easier to get you where you need to go.

There’s a lot more to cover about Chrome for Android and stay tuned for more as we keep digging around.

Available for Android 4.0+ only, you can grab Chrome at the Android Market here.