300 million users is a milestone worth bragging about for any software developer, but when you're a web browser underdog like Opera, that number comes with at least one forward-thinking change on the way.
Opera Software announced Wednesday that its popular web browser software is now in use by 300 million users each month. The milestone includes browser products across all supported platforms, from phones and tablets to televisions and computers.
"300 million marks the first lap, but the race goes on," quipped Lars Boilesen, CEO of Opera Software. "On the final stretch up to 300 million users, we have experienced the fastest acceleration in user growth we have ever seen. Now, we are shifting into the next gear to claim a bigger piece of the pie in the smartphone market."
That shift includes the adoption of the same WebKit engine that currently powers Apple's Safari and Google's Chrome, a "gradual transition" the company plans to make in upcoming versions of its smartphone and computer browsers.
"The WebKit engine is already very good, and we aim to take part in making it even better," explains Opera Software CTO Håkon Wium Lie. "It supports the standards we care about, and it has the performance we need."
Opera will implement Chromium in addition to WebKit, and the first fruits of that labor will be on display at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona later this month, where the company will be showing off its upcoming browser update for Android.
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