Starting on March 6, nearly 400M Europeans will get to choose their default browser on Android and iOS. You might be one of them!

March 6th, 2024

Hey all!

If you’re located in the EU, starting March 6 you will see a ballot screen asking you to choose your default mobile browser on your iOS or Android device. This comes as a result of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, which requires big tech companies to open their platforms to fair competition.

Not being one of the defaults, we are really excited about this first step towards more choice for smartphone users. We believe that open digital ecosystems are better for businesses, consumers, and society. And as a European-made challenger browser, we relish the opportunity to more fairly compete against the defaults. If you’re one of 83%* of those who are willing to try something new, your time has come!

Despite the fact that many of you are poised to try out a new browser – and that just about everybody agrees on the importance of freedom of choice – about 20% of EU users are unaware that they can change their default browser, and 49% have never done so. Starting today, you’ll have an easier way out of your preinstalled browser, and we’re here to tell you why Opera is a perfect fit for your needs!

Security & privacy

One of the primary concerns of the EU users when considering a browser was security, with 48% prioritizing a free VPN, ad blocking, and advanced privacy features. Our flagship mobile platforms, Opera for Android and Opera for iOS, feature the entire suite: a free VPN, built-in ad and tracker blockers, as well as a pop-up cookie dialogue blocker.

AI one click away

Within the last year AI has become a major theme in consumer tech – a movement in which Opera has been in the vanguard. Called Aria, our browser AI is free and features up-to-date results from around the web. Integrated into the browser, Aria enhances user interaction through intelligent recommendations, voice navigation, and automated browsing tasks, allowing you to boost your creativity and productivity by harnessing the power of AI.

User-friendly experience and speed

Many of you highlighted the importance of speed and user-friendly UI. Both Opera for Android and Opera for iOS are powerful browsers that forefront a user-centric experience, with Opera for iOS having won a Red Dot Award for its stunning user interface. A reimagined main menu puts everything – personal content, preferences, and services – right at your fingertips, so you can quickly and easily jump back into what matters most.

If you’re one of the 91% users in the EU who want more choice and transparency when it comes to selecting a browser, join those who have dared to ditch the default, and install Opera today!

* The survey was conducted by Opera between the 21st and 24th of February, 2024, via Pollfish. The target population was identified as 18-54 years old, all genders, located in Germany, France, Poland, and Spain. There were 4,000 respondents overall, with 1000 participants in each market.