Opera brings its web browser and AI assistant to iOS

15 August 2024, 05:08 published

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Opera has introduced an iOS version of its AI-fueled web browser Opera One on the Apple Store. The Safari alternative offers an array of features to entice Safari users, but the centerpiece is Aria, the AI assistant that Opera has integrated across its browser portfolio over the last year or so.

Aria is free and built into the browser, combining enhanced searches with ChatGPT-style text and image generation. You can converse with Aria and ask it to compose text and software code, as well as get real-time information culled from the web, with links to visit directly. You can switch quickly between chatting with Aria and the browser with a tap.

You can also start talking to Aria by voice instead of typing, although the AI doesn’t talk back like ChatGPT’s Voice Mode or Google Gemini Live. To make an image, you just submit a prompt to Aria. The AI will make or alter a picture you can share using Google’s Imagen 2 model, as seen in the image up top.

Opera One has other distinctions from Safari beyond AI to help stand out. That includes a very different search function, with the “Bottom Search” feature doing as the name suggests and putting the search bar at the bottom of the screen. Opera claims this makes one-handed navigation easier, particularly on larger iPhone models. Opera One’s search capabilities have also been enhanced with smart suggestions and predictive keywords. There’s also a swipe-to-search gesture that mimics how you can swipe down to search for apps on an iPhone. This feature allows users to quickly access the search bar without needing to navigate through menus.

Operatic Apple

Opera One browser has a more minimalist design in general than Safari. Settings are invisible until needed, and the top and status bars change color to match the current website and better blend with the digital environment. There’s also a ticker with news, sports scores, and product tips built into the wallpaper background. Opera claims this approach keeps users informed without cluttering their screens.

Still, it’s AI where Opera One will likely win over new users on iOS. It fits with the broader trend to add AI features among browsers like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Opera is keen to stand out as a leader in the space, and expanding into Apple’s ecosystem will likely help. That said, the upcoming Apple Intelligence features might dampen any third-party browser’s success, which is why Opera isn’t limiting its AI plans to what’s currently available.

“Our research shows mobile phone users are six times more likely to be happy than not, after switching away from their system’s default browser. So with Opera One for iOS, we want to further raise the bar and deliver a better browsing experience versus what users will find pre-installed,” said Jona Bolin, Product Manager at Opera. “This is just step one. We plan to continue developing our vision of the browsing experience on iOS in the months ahead.”