Opera Software expands anonymous navigation to a new platform. The developers behind the well-known web browser launched an Android version of its VPN app on the Google Play Store today.
Opera VPN provides five server locations where the user can choose to appear when navigating on public networks or geo-restricted regions. The app is free of charge and doesn’t require users to create an account or limits data consumed through the service.
In 2015, Opera Software acquired SurfEasy, a Canadian VPN developer, to integrate the service into a new private network division. Krystian Kolondra, SVP of Global Engineering at Opera for Computers, announced the new VPN software on the company’s blog back in April.
The app was only available for iOS users and focused on unlimited data consumption without paid subscriptions, as well as the native ad blocker, a noteworthy aspect of the browser.
Android users can now enjoy unlimited VPN navigation
Now debuting on the Android OS, the VPN app comes with the same features offered by its previous iOS version, such as a Wi-Fi test tool to scan a network for encryption or whether it’s safe to use.
This option provides a brief security report when the app finds vulnerabilities regarding IP addresses and exposed locations.
Opera VPN supports several languages and locations
Users can choose from five different servers including the U.S, Canada, Germany, The Netherlands, and Singapore. The app handles IP settings automatically to ease the usage.
Ironically, the free VPN uses adverts to cover service costs
Although the ad blocker built within the app has helped Opera gain notoriety over the years, the free version of the VPN includes some ads and collects anonymous information. However, this shouldn’t be a reason for concern, according to a statement from Chris Houston, President, and Founder of Opera’s SurfEasy VPN Division.
“IT’S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT DATA ABOUT WHAT YOU DO WITH YOUR PHONE, ” he wrote in a post about the app on SurfEasy’s blog three months ago.
M. Houston clarified the data collected would serve to analyze how large groups of people use their devices and browsers, much like a survey, rather than an individual questionary.
The Opera Free VPN is available on the Google Play Store. The size of the app is 46MB and requires Android 4.0.3 and up to function. It has already received positive reviews and downloaded over 5,000 times by Android users on its first day.
Source: Google Play Store