Interview: Opera Software CEO And Co-Founder Jon S. von Tetzchner
This story was written by Dianne See Morrison
Norwegian browser firm Opera Software (OSL: OPERA) reported fourth quarter earnings Monday. Total revenues were up 48 percent year on year, with Opera Desktop revenues jumping 103 percent compared to Q4 2006 and Opera Mobile revenues climbing 37 percent compared to last year. Opera made news last week when it replaced its old search partner Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO) with Google (NSDQ: GOOG), making it the default search box on the start page of its popular mobile browser Mini. The deal a straight-up distribution agreement generated lots of headlines of Opera "dumping" Yahoo, prompting the beleaguered search firm to issue a statement saying, "Yahoo has elected not to continue its mobile search partnership with Opera at this time," implying they had been the ones to do the dumping. Such is the growing clout of Opera Mini, that the two biggest web search firms see it as a prime outlet. By the company's account Mini has been downloaded by 35 million people who actually use it. It has also been shipped on some 100 million handsets worldwide.
mocoNews caught up with Opera Software CEO and co-founder Jon S. von Tetzchner to ask him about the burgeoning mobile web, where Opera's products fit in, and how he sees the future shaping up. The interview covers everything from their recent news to partner with Google, to the business model behind both their mobile and desktop browsers, to their EC antitrust complaint against Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) and Internet Explorer, plus lots more. You can read the complete interview here.
By Dianne See Morrison