Opera Software is launching Opera Max, the free app that promises to extend the life of your data plan by up to 50%. This magic happens thanks to compression algorithms used on Opera’s servers which process the page, zip it and then send it back to your phone. The best part – it’s not a watered-down version of the Internet (as Apple used to say), and you’ll still be able to see all the images and videos.
The calculation is simple: let’s say you pay $40 a month for a 1GB data plan; using Opera Max on your smartphone can allow you to consume up to 1.5GB per month for the same cost. If you have a pre-paid data plan, pay per megabyte of use, or are roaming internationally, this adds even more value. And it’s all free.
Once you download Opera Max, it will instantaneously start compressing and rerouting data using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to the data-savings cloud. All non-encrypted data requests (excluding websites and apps with HTTPS connections) are sent through compression servers, which optimize video, images and websites to use less data. It sounds simple though there’s some serious tech stuff happening in the background.
Opera Max beta will first roll out to Android users in Europe and United States who pre-registered for Opera Max on a first-come, first-served basis. The application will be launched in other regions worldwide, gradually.