Opera (company)

Opera is a Norwegian multinational technology conglomerate holding company headquartered in Oslo, Norway with additional offices in Europe, China, and Africa. The company's total user base, including users of its desktop browsers, mobile browsers and other services exceeds 380 million monthly active users. In 2016, Opera was acquired by an investment group led by a Chinese consortium. On July 27, 2018, Opera Software went public on the NASDAQ stock exchange, raising $115 million in its initial public offering. History of the Opera web browserOtello Corporation#AcquisitionsOpera Mobile#HistoryOpera Mini#HistoryNintendo DS Browser#Launch and Internet Channel#History Opera Software was founded as an independent company in Norway in 1995 by the Icelandic Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner and Geir Ivarsøy. They had initially begun development of the Opera web browser while both working at Norwegian telecommunications company Telenor. Opera Software's first product, the Opera web browser version 2.10 for Windows, was publicly released in 1996. Opera began development of its first browser for mobile device platforms in 1998. Opera 4.0, released in 2000, included a new cross-platform core that facilitated creation of editions of Opera for multiple operating systems and platforms. Up to this point, the Opera browser was trialware and had to be purchased after the trial period ended, however, this ended with version 5.0, released in 2000. Instead, Opera became ad-sponsored, displaying advertisements to users without a license, which was commonly criticized as a barrier to gaining market share. In newer versions, the user was allowed a choice of generic graphical banners or text-based targeted advertisements provided by Google based upon the page being viewed. In February 2004, Opera Software announced it was preparing for an initial public offering on the Oslo Stock Exchange in March. On March 11, Opera's IPO opened, trading under the symbol OPERA. In 2004, Opera Software settled a lawsuit with an "international corporation" paying to Opera.