Opera One for iOS now has Data Saver, an optional mode that compresses images and text on Opera’s servers before pages reach your iPhone. Opera says it can cut browsing data use by up to 80%, and the mode stays off until you turn it on.
Opera announced the feature alongside new iOS growth figures, which put monthly users up 20% year over year in October and up 46% in the United States. Data Saver is in the latest Opera One update, so you can try it on any iPhone that runs iOS 15 or later.
Data Saver compresses pages server-side
Data Saver sends the pages you open through Opera’s servers, which compress the images and text before your iPhone downloads them. The 80% figure is an upper limit, and Opera has not said which pages or networks it measured. Data Saver applies to browsing in Opera One, so it does not reduce the data that other apps on your iPhone use.
The mode is aimed at roaming and prepaid plans with small data bundles, and it can also help on weak connections. It builds on the server-side compression behind Opera Mini, which came to the App Store in 2010. Jørgen Arnesen, Opera’s EVP of Mobile, says data saving is a signature Opera feature and that people want more control over their data use as the web gets heavier.
Opera One for iOS keeps Data Saver off by default. To turn it on, open the main menu or Settings in the app and switch on Data Saver, and the app then shows how much data you have saved.
The same update adds free data support on select carriers and History Sync, which you enable in Account settings. Look for Opera Browser with VPN on the App Store to get the free app. It also installs on iPad with iPadOS 15 or later and on Apple Vision with visionOS 1.0 or later.
Opera One for iOS already includes a free browser VPN and a built-in ad blocker. The app also has an AI assistant and tab grouping.
Opera One for iOS grows 20%
Monthly active users on Opera One for iOS grew 20% year over year in October. The United States had the biggest jump among the markets below.
- The United States grew 46%.
- The United Kingdom grew 32%.
- France grew 19%.
- Asia grew 17%.
- Europe as a whole grew 16%.
- Africa grew 14%.
Opera has not shared how many people use the iOS app, so the percentages say little about its total audience. On PC, Opera reached 100 million monthly active users in October, up 16% year over year.
