Full Breakdown
Opera’s Mobile Browsers See Rapid Uptick in U.S. and U.K. Markets
7/15/2026, 11:50:48 AM
Core Event
During the second quarter of 2026, Opera Limited reported that combined monthly active users (MAUs) of its Android and iOS browsers grew 66 % in the United Kingdom and 40 % in the United States compared with the same period in 2025. The growth spans both platforms: Opera One for iOS rose 50 % in the U.S. and 93 % in the U.K., while Opera One for Android increased 30 % in the U.S. and 50 % in the U.K.
Background & Context
The surge follows the European Union’s 2024 Digital Markets Act (DMA), which mandated a browser-choice screen on iOS and heightened visibility of alternative browsers on Android. Opera first capitalized on this regulatory shift in Europe, noting a 42 % rise in iOS MAUs across the continent and a 103 % jump in France. The company has since leveraged the same momentum to expand in the two largest English-language markets.
Data & Statistics
- Combined MAU growth: 66 % (U.K.), 40 % (U.S.) YoY Q2 2026.
- iOS growth: 50 % (U.S.), 93 % (U.K.).
- Android growth: 30 % (U.S.), 50 % (U.K.).
- European iOS growth: 42 % overall; France: 103 % YoY.
- Feature-driven usage: A dedicated football hub on Android generated a 70 % increase in visitors to its scores section during the English Premier League season.
- Core features cited: free unlimited VPN, native ad blocker, integrated AI, enhanced tab management, media controls, and cross-device sync.
Why It Matters
Opera’s figures suggest that when users are presented with a genuine choice, they will migrate from default browsers—Google Chrome on Android and Safari on iOS—to alternatives offering differentiated privacy and productivity tools. The trend could reshape mobile browser market share in the U.S. and U.K., pressure incumbents to accelerate feature rollouts, and demonstrate the tangible impact of competition-promoting regulation such as the DMA.
Official Statements & Responses
“Our growth comes from people purposefully choosing us,” said Jørgen Arnesen, EVP Mobile at Opera. “What we’re seeing now is that growth is spreading to the US and the UK. People are finding their way to us on their own, which tells us the product is doing the work.” Opera also emphasized that its recent updates—such as synchronized tabs, bookmarks, passwords, and multimodal AI prompts—are central to retaining new users.
Criticism & Opposition
No published criticisms or opposing viewpoints were identified in the available reports.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
All sources present consistent growth percentages and attribute the rise to the same feature set and regulatory environment. No contradictory figures or unanswered questions were noted.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Our growth comes from people purposefully choosing us,” — Jørgen Arnesen, EVP Mobile, Opera
- “Opera gains on mobile in the US and UK According to a press release published today, Opera One for iOS saw monthly active users (MAUs) grow 50% in the US and 93% in the UK during the second quarter of 2026.” — Opera press release
- “From the press release: Opera continues to innovate upon these core features: Opera One for iOS’s latest update, for instance, gives users an updated synchronization system that lets them sync their Opera tabs, bookmarks, and passwords from desktop to iPhone and vice versa.” — Opera press release
- “Opera One for iOS grew 42% across Europe during the last year, with the sharpest gains in France, up 103%.” — Opera press release
- “Chrome may come preinstalled on almost every Android phone, but Opera says more users are actively choosing its browser instead.” — Opera press release
What’s Next
Opera has announced that the football hub and other feature enhancements will continue to roll out throughout the summer, aiming to sustain user engagement ahead of major sporting events. No further corporate milestones or regulatory actions were disclosed.
