Opera Mini, the popular browser for mobile devices and PCs, is expanding its brand portfolio with the addition of a new messaging service called Hype. The new messaging platform is integrated into the Opera Mini browsers, allowing users to do more with the mobile app than just surf the web.
Hype, the company’s dedicated chat service, aims to revolutionize mobile browsers by offering users a far more immersive browsing experience that allows seamless talking, surfing, and sharing all from a single application.
This chat capability, according to the firm, is the first African-inspired messaging solution incorporated into a mobile browser. With it, users can quickly create an account, make new friends from all across Africa, network, and communicate straight away thanks to safe end-to-end encryption.
“Hype is an original instant messaging service from Opera, designed for the new generation of African internet users to elevate the traditional browsing experience and make it more engaging. With Opera Mini and a Hype account, Nigerians can enjoy a browsing and chatting ecosystem tailored to their needs,”
said Jørgen Arnesen, EVP Mobile Browsers at Opera.
“Hype bridges cultures from Sub-Saharan Africa with mobile technology, as the world’s first African-inspired chat service”, he adds.
A browser with a chat feature?
Younger generation internet users expect that their mobile browsers allow them to do more than just surf the internet. The company says that this idea inspired it to build hype to allow for social connectivity from a browser app that they already have on their devices.
With this integration, opera mini becomes the first major browser in the world to have a social component that allows users to stay connected to the people who matter the most. This unique combination is presently unavailable in any other mobile.
The company says its new chatting functionality is gaining popularity in the Anglophone African countries as it has recorded close to 2.4 million activations so far.
The new “Find New Friends” feature introduced in the latest version of the app is Opera’s innovative step in allowing users to make new friends and find interesting people to chat with.
How Hype compares
Establishing a competitive advantage for Opera Mini’s Hype would be challenging given the rising popularity of social messaging services like WhatsApp, Telegram, and WeChat.
However, the company says its solution is unique because it combines browsing and chatting into a single application.
The Opera Mini browser is known for its data compression, and the company through Hype intends to also allows users to chat with friends and family without incurring high data consumption.
How it works
To get started, click the Hype logo at the bottom of the opera mini app or go to the O menu. Users must enter their phone numbers and authenticate them with a one-time password given to their phones.
Users may then choose a name and a personalized photo for their profile image, which will be seen to other Hype members. Following that, Hype syncs with your phone contact list, allowing you to find people who are also using the service.
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