Opera Max
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Opera uses free apps to coax emerging nations toward the internet
Mobile data is pricier in developing regions than in the west, a paradox that has held back mobile internet adoption on most of the planet. To help, Opera has unveiled App Pass, a service that lets smartphone users download and use apps without paying for data. It comes as part of Opera Max, an Android app that cuts mobile data usage by compressing it up to 50 percent. App Pass is targeted at emerging markets, and will let operators offer "free, sponsored or low-cost access to select apps." Users can then download and use them without paying for data over the duration of the pass.
Opera Max beta compresses most of the data going through your Android device
Opera's mobile browsers are quite popular because of their ability to compress data, but it's unfortunately been limited to just that -- the browser itself. This becomes less and less useful as smartphones continue to evolve, since our data usage patterns encompass so much more than just the simple browser: many of us are constantly streaming music, uploading and downloading images and apps, and so on. To lighten the hefty load we inflict on our monthly data allotments, Opera has launched a beta of its new Android app called Opera Max, which compresses most of the information that goes through your device -- websites, images, videos and many of your usual apps (Instagram and Vine immediately come to mind, but the possibilities are wide open). Opera makes this happen by setting up a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that measures all of the data coming through your device. Data requests are then sent through Opera's servers, though the company tells us that it only measures how much data you use and how much you save -- in other words, it says your information is safe. There's no guarantee on how much data you'll save, but if you're a gulper like us, we suspect it'll be a significant amount. While the company hasn't specified how many beta testers are allowed, it does say that room is limited; if you're into the idea, you'll need to join its Google Plus Community, opt in to the beta and then download the app from the Play Store.
