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Opera discontinues its mobile VPN app (updated)
Opera's free mobile VPN app wasn't long for this world, unfortunately. The browser maker has discontinued both its Android and iOS VPN clients after SurfEasy, the developer Opera had acquired in 2015, parted ways with the company. We've asked about the fate of desktop support, but it's safe to say this reduces your choices when you're accessing content from other countries or adding a degree of secrecy to your surfing. You're not out of luck if you want to use Opera VPN's underlying technology, though.
Opera's VPN-equipped browser is now available to everyone
You no longer have to grab test software to try Opera's VPN-toting web browser. The company has released the finished version of Opera 40 for desktops, which revolves around a free virtual private network (provided by SurfEasy) that offers both a more secure connection as well as access to foreign content that would otherwise be blocked. Hi, Hulu and Pandora! It can automatically choose whichever VPN server will provide the fastest connection, but you can specify one of five countries (Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore and the US) if you're more concerned about visiting region-specific sites.
Opera's free VPN for iOS offers more control over your browsing (updated)
Opera's fondness for virtual private networks isn't limited to the desktop. The browser maker is releasing a free VPN app for iOS that should give you more control over how you surf the internet. It's helpful for usual VPN tasks like dodging corporate site blocks and regional content restrictions (shh, don't tell Netflix), but Opera sees it as particularly handy for the privacy-conscious -- it gets rid of advertisers' tracking cookies and makes you that much more anonymous. You can only pick from one of five simulated locations for the VPN (Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore, the UK and the US), but hey, it's the first free VPN app for iOS from a well-known tech company. Right now, just having that option is a big deal. Update 5/11: SurfEasy, which Opera acquired last year, says that the VPN app will "likely" include ads (albeit ones that can't identify you) in the future. That's the cost of going free, apparently. If you like the technology but don't want sales pitches, SurfEasy's paid VPN service is sticking around.
Opera's next move is to keep your online data private and secure
For years now, Opera Software's been creating speedy and data-saving internet browsers for consumers, making them available on desktop and mobile devices at no cost. But it doesn't want to stop there. The company, which is responsible for web-browsing products like Opera, Opera Max and Opera Coast, has announced its acquisition of SurfEasy, a firm that focuses on online privacy. According to Senior Vice President of Products Nitin Bhandari, this move isn't just to strengthen the company's portfolio, but also to show its users that it is committed to serving tools that keep their data extremely secure and private. With SurfEasy now a part of Opera, Bhandari says that the goal is to offer features that Opera browser users have requested -- such as encrypting personal information, among other things.
