Mobile browser company, Opera, has announced a tie-up with seven Indian handset makers, namely Celkon, Karbonn, Lava, Intex, HCL, Zen and Fly to preinstall the Opera Mini mobile web browser on their Android devices. While it will be the only third-part browser on all Android devices made by Celkon, Karbonn, Lava, and Intex, the browser will be offered on select devices made by Zen and Fly and on HCL's ME tablets.
"The number of Indians accessing the web from mobile devices is growing at a much faster rate than those using a computer. This unique environment has made it essential for handset manufacturers to ensure their upcoming mobile devices are web enabled and are ready to deliver the best browsing experience," said Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software
"We are extremely pleased to work with these Indian mobile OEMs who have chosen Opera Mini for their devices based on Android, a very promising mobile OS for smartphones. A combination of affordable Android devices and smart applications such as Opera Mini will ensure that users enjoy a seamless browsing experience and encourage newbies to get on board the web express," added Boilesen.
Opera also revealed that Opera Mini users on smartphones in India increased by 136 percent, making 19 percent of the total number of Opera Mini users. Opera Mini users on Android increased by 62 percent, comprising 12 percent of the total number of Opera Mini users.
The Norway based company also informed that Samsung tops the list of Android devices used to access the web via Opera Mini with a 31 percent market share, followed by Sony at 23 percent and Micromax at 15 percent. The top 10 mobile devices used to access the web through the browser cost less than Rs. 10,000 with the exception of the Samsung Galaxy S2, informed Opera.