Opera’s mobile web browsers have been around for almost a decade, utilizing remote servers to compress data, ultimately saving users’ bandwidth. The novel concept works, which is why the company’s browsers have a big fan following, particularly in emerging markets. Opera has now turned towards app data usage, which we know all too well can have drastic effects on bandwidth limits. Opera Max is here to compress all non-encrypted data being used by apps on your device, routing it through its servers just like it does on its mobile web browsers.
At first the Opera Max app was only available via the Google Play Store beta program but starting today the company has made it available for anyone and everyone. It claims that the app can compress data up to 50 percent, thus allowing users to stay well within their data caps. The app has a timeline which shows which apps ended up saving data and exactly how much data was compressed and saved during the entire session. Users have the option to disable compression when needed, particularly if they don’t want to view slightly pixelated video, the kind they get when its being compressed. There a $1 per month subscription for unlimited usage, those not willing to pay will be subject to advertisements. Opera Max is now available for download through the Google Play Store.