Internet firm Opera has started rolling out an update for its Opera Mini for Android browser application with enhanced video features.
The highlight of the update is the new Video Boost feature which helps Opera Mini users to see less of the video-buffering wheel, the firm said.
After updating to Opera Mini 15, users can tap the savings summary to change to high-savings mode under the “O” menu and check the Video Boost box at the bottom. The feature also shows the number of videos that have been optimized.
According to Opera the new feature shrinks the size of the video data to lessen buffering delays. The firm also boasted that it was the first firm to integrate video optimization into a web browser.
Other features of the new update are ‘Save to SD card’ feature on handsets with Android 4.4.4 KitKat or higher OS versions and SD-card file access when uploading on the Web.
There’s also an updated high data-savings mode, improved fast scrolling, option to shrink photos before uploading, and automatic status bar color change. The updated app can be downloaded from Google Play.
Opera’s South Asia & South East Asia Vice President, Sunil Kamath has this to say about the update:
“In India alone, 70 percent of smartphone users stream video on their phones. Unfortunately, this eats up data plans quickly, and stalled videos waste time and create frustration. Opera Mini for Android comes to the rescue with video boost. It works to make the video sizes smaller serving up slimmer mobile videos and keeping data plans in check. If you love to watch videos on your Android device, but hate getting surprises on your data bill, it’s time to switch browsers,” said
This isn’t the first time Opera will be rolling out video enhancing updates for its Opera Mini app. Last year there was an update that helps users use less data when watching videos on the app. This new update is an upgrade on that update.