The company announced last week that Opera One, the most recent version of its AI-enhanced browser, will soon be available for iOS devices in Europe. The announcement was made the day after Apple disclosed the adjustments it would be making to iOS in order to abide by the Digital Markets Act (DMA) of the European Union. Finally, the non-WebKit app will be able to be downloaded from the App Store by third-party browsers in the area thanks to the modifications. As a result, Opera has announced Opera One, its redesigned browser for European iPhone users, which includes the built-in AI assistant Aria.
“As the leading European browser developer, we embrace the changes introduced through the DMA, aimed at fostering competition and offering users a more diverse selection of browsers on iOS,” stated Jørgen Arnesen, EVP Mobile at Opera, in making the announcement. We plan to fulfill this promise with the AI-focused Opera One for iOS. The company stated that the browser will be available in the upcoming months, but it did not provide a launch date. Notably, Apple has until March 6th to abide by the DMA.
Opera One, the most recent iteration of the Opera browser, was released last year and sports an updated user interface along with artificial intelligence features. The primary addition is Aria, an AI chatbot that works similarly to Microsoft Edge’s Copilot. It is located on the side panel and can help users with a variety of tasks, including writing code, creating emails and essays, creating itineraries, and responding to queries. Opera’s inbuilt Composer AI engine powers Aria. The chatbot can provide real-time information because it is also online.
The primary impetus for Opera’s decision is reportedly Apple’s acceptance of non-WebKit-based browsers on iOS in Europe. A WebKit code-base, the browser engine that powers Safari, was previously a requirement for all third-party browsers running an iOS app from Apple. This requirement from browsers in the area will no longer apply to Apple in order to comply with DMA.
Opera also emphasized how important it was for the company to bring its flagship browser to the iPhone, given the news of the browser choice screen coming for iOS. Users will be able to see the option to change the default browser up front, unlike in the past when they had to search far into the settings to find it.
