Opera Max data-saving app for Android now open for pre-registrations

By Rohan Swamy | Updated: 19 February 2014 16:25 IST

Norwegian browser developer and maker, Opera, on Tuesday announced it will be opening registrations for its data-saving app developed for the Android platform - Opera Max. The limited public beta version will be available for registrations on a first-come-first-serve-basis. The app was announced in December and for the last two months was in a private beta, it will now be a public beta version.

The Opera Max app helps users compress all non-encrypted mobile data being downloaded on to their smartphones, whichever the app downloading it, and is helpful for those who have limited data plans, or low bandwidth. In addition, reports also say that it helps to reduce the load that comes in through heavy apps like Instagram, Vine amongst others. Google very recently launched an updated version of its Chrome app which promises to reduce data consumption by half for both the Android and the iOS platforms. The announcement was made in the middle of January this year.

Opera has for years been offering compression technology for its Opera Browser, ensuring all non-encrypted data that passes through its servers is compressed. That it has decided to bring such technology to all mobile data for Android smartphone users via Opera Max is a welcome move for those who use their phones on a very short lease, data plan. Again, it would eventually boil down to the user's comfort and confidence in letting their data pass through Opera's servers.

Currently the Opera Max app is available on the Google Play store, but only for Android users in West Europe and the US as of now. The description on the Google Play store reads that Opera Max helps achieve data savings of up to 50 percent by compressing videos, texts and images. In addition it reads, "We now wish to test our capacity for data-savings properly before we roll it out worldwide. Invitations to the app will come on a first-come, first-served basis. So just download this app to reserve your place in line. We'll start giving the early birds access in a few days."

Opera will also be speaking at the Mobile World Congress (MWC 2014) in the coming week. There might be more information related to the Max that the Oslo browser maker would like to make public then.

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