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Brad Ward
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Opera Mini for Android has received a new update, bringing with it a handful of interesting features, including Video Boost.
Video Boost is the main feature in this update, allowing users to cut down on buffering times thanks to Opera’s mobile compression software. Video Boost will reduce the size of a video you’re loading so that you don’t have to experience those annoying buffering times and still save data.
The high-savings mode has been altered as well, meaning that Opera Mini will automatically detect that you’re connected to a Wi-Fi connection and will turn off Video Boost as a result so that users can enjoy that higher quality connection. Unfortunately, not all Wi-Fi connections are great, and if you’re experiencing one of those bad Wi-Fi connections, you can turn that data savings back on to continue getting that data compression when watching video.
Here’s the full change log for this update, per the Opera Mini app page:
- Added “Save to SD card” for phones on Android 4.4.4 or higher.
- Access your SD-card files when uploading on the web.
- Included the “video boost” option to compress video.
- Updated high data-savings mode so it can save data on Wi-Fi.
- Improved fast scrolling, triggering a handle you can drag.
- Added an option to shrink photos before uploading, with three different sizes.
- Introduced automatic status bar color changes, to match the environment (for Lollipop and Marshmallow devices).
Overall, it’s a neat update for Opera Mini users. If you haven’t been prompted to download the update just yet, you can head on over to the download link below to grab the Opera Mini 15 update manually.
We’ve got the full press release below.
Video boost debuts faster video on Opera Mini for Android
Feature brings data savings and less buffering to video viewers
March 8, 2016 – Oslo, Norway
Android users will see less of the video-buffering wheel, as the unique “video boost” feature arrives today
in the Opera Mini mobile browser, available for free in Google Play. The release brings smoother video
viewing and data savings to almost 120 million users on Opera Mini for Android, Opera’s biggest user
base.
Opera’s video boost technology reduces the size of video data, to lessen video loading time and combat
buffering delays, plus extend the life of a mobile data plan. Stalled videos create frustration and waste
time, and watching from a mobile or tablet can quickly chew through a data plan. Unstable or congested
networks also cause a poor, choppy video viewing experience.
Opera has been the first company to integrate video optimization into a web browser. The default web
browsers on Android do not reduce the size of video data.
“Video boost is a vital feature for video fans or those on limited mobile networks, handsets or data plans.
If you love to watch videos on your Android device, but hate getting surprises on your data bill, it’s time to
switch browsers,” says Nuno Sitima, SVP, Head of Mobile Browsers at Opera.
Users demand better video
Mobile video consumption is growing globally, and video boost helps today’s content meet this demand. A
2015 study by Conviva showed that viewers have little patience for video interruptions: 75% of viewers
abandon poor-quality video in four minutes or less, and 33% within 30 seconds.* Interactive Advertising
Bureau research found that buffering/speed is among the top-three most important factors for mobile
viewers on smartphones.**
Start boosting
Under the “O” menu in Opera Mini 15, simply tap the savings summary to change to high-savings mode.
Below, tick the box beside video boost to switch on smoother viewing. The video boost feature also
shows a count where users can keep track of how many videos have been optimized.
More speed
The latest version of Opera Mini for Android brings even more speed, savings and efficiency features:
● In high-savings mode, Opera Mini will automatically turn off data compression when it detects Wi-Fi,
to take full advantage of the high-quality internet connection. Crowded Wi-Fi? Simply turn data
savings back on under the savings summary.
● Opera Mini now lets you re-size images in the browser before you upload them to the web. Re-
scaling an image – say, from 2240×1680 to 800×600 pixels – reduces the file size, so that you can
save data and increase the success rate for uploads on poor networks.
● With the new thumbscroller feature, scroll down to bring up a side scroll bar on the screen, for easier
navigation on long articles and webpages.
Visit Google Play to take video boost for a spin in Opera Mini for Android.
* Report by Conviva “Binge-Watching: The New Currency of Video Economics” (2015)
** Report by On Device Research for the Interactive Advertising Bureau “Mobile Video 2015: A global
perspective” (2015)
Come comment on this article: Opera Mini’s Video Boost is here, cuts down on buffering times
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