Opera browser proves popular on the iPhone

Opera claims success with its Opera Mini release for the iPhone

Opera has revealed that the iPhone is already the third most popular handset for Opera Mini users, just a few weeks after the Norweigan browser firm released its app for the Apple handset.

The results came in the firm's latest State of the Mobile Web report, which Opera noted has seen dramatic changes thanks to the iPhone version.

The report found that, thanks to the iPhone release, the US will soon have the fifth highest number of Opera users, and will continue to ascend the list. In the last report it was eighth.

The US will displace other markets, including Nigeria, South Africa and the Ukraine. The iPhone is currently the most popular device with Opera Mini users in the US, and is "well ahead of BlackBerry", which led the table in the last report, Opera said.

The UK has the most users in Europe, followed by Poland and Germany. Overall, by March 2010, Opera Mini had over 55.2 million users, a 9.3 per cent increase from February 2010 and a rise of more than 140 per cent compared to March 2009.

"These numbers are more than just bragging rights; they are proof that the joint efforts of our industry matter," said Jon von Tetzchner, co-founder of Opera Software.

"We can clearly see that making the web available to everyone, no matter where they are or how they choose to access it, makes a difference."

Overall, users prefer Nokia and Sony Ericsson handsets, the firm added.

Opera also announced version 10.52 of its main browser for Mac and Windows, which includes a number of bug fixes and an overall "polish".