Opera has just announced the launch of its new dedicated chat service Hype, built into the mobile web browser Opera Mini. With the introduction of Hype, Opera is rethinking the concept of mobile browsers, providing users with a personalized, engaging browsing experience that enables seamless surfing, sharing and communication – without compromising speed or driving increased data consumption.
Opera Mini boasts more than 100M users worldwide and is one of the most widely used mobile browsers in emerging markets. With features like Data Compression, Offline File Sharing, and a built-in Ad-blocker, the app saves users roughly 90% on data use and enables safe, fast browsing where unlimited data isn’t the norm. By integrating chat functionality, Opera Mini users can now browse, chat and seamlessly share content. Charles Hamel, Product Lead for Hype said:
“Chat services and browsers are apps people use every day and feel very personal about. With the integration of Hype in Opera Mini, we are not only rethinking what a chat service should be like in 2021 but also changing the very definition of what a mobile browser should be.”
Hype is launching first in Kenya as a pilot market and users will be able to easily set up their Hype account and start chatting with secure end-to-end encryption. This launch is a facet of Opera’s emphasis on investing and growing its digital ecosystem in Africa. Since 2018, Opera has grown its user base in Africa by 40%. Hamel added:
“Hype was developed first and foremost with African consumers in mind. Today, 40% of the Kenyan population has access to smartphones, with younger generations dominating as 75% of their 47 million inhabitants are under 30 years old. With such early adopter demographics at play, there is massive potential for the growth of Hype in Kenya. On top of that, we are also partnering with the leading telecommunication carriers in the country, offering free daily browsing to all Opera Mini users. We believe the combination of these factors will lead to the rapid adoption of Hype in the country.”
Today, more than 80 million users enjoy the integration of services such as Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Whatsapp, Instagram and Twitter. Hype also brings WebSnap – a feature previously known from the Opera desktop browser, that allows users to take editable snapshots from the web. WebSnap allows users to share the link of the original website from which they took their snaps.
Hype is the first African inspired chat service built into a mobile browser. It offers its users a series of stickers created by Kenyan artists and provides users with a more engaging experience when communicating with others. Charles Hamel commented:
“We are extremely happy to celebrate African culture with Hype, and we are very excited with the end result and the collaboration we had with Brian and Lulu. These unique stickers with original designs are something we are very proud of at Opera as we become the first major browser to integrate real African art and pop culture into our products.”
Photo credits: Opera Press
This unique offer from Hype stands out from other chat services and enables Kenyans with the ability to express themselves more accurately when using chat apps.
