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Friday, February 15, 2013

Mobile browser companies merge as Opera acquires Skyfire

Opera Software, best known for its PC and mobile web browsers, has acquired California-based rival Skyfire Labs.

Skyfire offers consumers a mobile browser that can handle Flash Video and a variety of other video formats. These iOS and Android apps have been downloaded more than 20 million times worldwide. In addition, its ‘Rocket Optimizer’ software can be used by mobile operators to reduce the size of video and other multimedia material when mobile bandwidth is under demand.

Lars Boilesen, CEO of Opera Software, said “Opera and Skyfire are a natural fit. Both companies have evolved far beyond their browser roots. Skyfire adds capabilities to our portfolio around video, app optimization, smartphones and tablets, and strength in North America. With video expected to consume over two-thirds of global mobile bandwidth by 2015, and as time spent on Android and iOS apps explodes, we are excited to extend Opera’s solutions for operators.”

Skyfire will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Opera but will remain as a separate business unit and will continue to develop and support its own browser. Jeffrey Glueck, CEO of Skyfire, will become Executive Vice President of the Operator Business for Opera while remaining as CEO of Skyfire.

The deal is worth an initial $50 million with performance-based payments over the next three years that could bring the total amount to $155 million. It’s expected to be completed by mid-March.

[Skyfire blog]

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Opinion Articles

Is Android losing its impact for Google?

Mark Bridge writes:

Recent figures released by ABI Research have prompted the market intelligence company to ask whether Google is losing control of the Android ecosystem.

At first glance, Android dominated smartphone shipments for the final quarter of 2013. ABI Research says 77% of the 287 million smartphones shipped in Q4 2013 were running Android.

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It’s time to prepare for the upcoming surge in signaling traffic

Robin Kent writes:

After initially suffering from slow pick up by consumers, 4G has begun to accelerate, and is now well on the way to the forecasted one billion subscribers by 2017. In fact EE, owner of T-Mobile and Orange, recently announced the addition of 493,000 new 4G customers to its existing base of 1.2 million.

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Mobile phone coverage: is this as good as it gets?

Mark Bridge writes:

A new report has highlighted the issue of poor mobile phone coverage in rural Sussex villages. BBC Sussex invited me onto their ‘Sussex Breakfast’ radio show to explain what could be done - and, as usual, I made enough notes for a lecture rather than a three-minute interview.

Here’s what I would have liked to have said if I’d been given a disproportionate amount of time to talk.

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Last week at The Fonecast: 27th January 2014

Expecting the unexpected

Mark Bridge writes:

Great news for mobile phone users. Ofcom’s new rules preventing unexpected mid-contract price rises came into force last week, which means UK consumers can no longer be surprised by their subscription charge increasing while they’re still locked into a minimum-term deal.

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Ofcom changes the rules for mobile phone contracts... and so does O2

Mark Bridge writes:

This week, new Ofcom rules came into force. They’re designed to avoid unexpected price rises during the minimum term of a mobile phone contract. Yes, just because you signed a fixed-term contract doesn’t mean the charges can’t increase. Networks said they needed this option in case of inflation or regulatory changes. Customers felt trapped.

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