Opera and Spotify partner to put your favorite music inside the browser

Rhea-AI Summary

Opera [NASDAQ: OPRA] and Spotify have partnered to integrate Spotify as the default streaming service within Opera One's upgraded Music Player. The integration allows users to listen to music, podcasts, and audiobooks while browsing, with a floating multimedia player that can be detached and moved around the screen. According to Opera's survey, 66% of users stream music on phones while at desktop computers, and the same percentage indicated they wouldn't get distracted with the integrated player. The partnership includes a promotional offer of free Spotify Premium for several months in selected countries. The feature will expand to Opera for Android in early 2025.

Positive

• Strategic partnership with Spotify, the world's largest audio streaming service
• Expansion to Opera for Android planned for early 2025, indicating growth potential
• Promotional offer of free Spotify Premium could drive user acquisition

Negative

• initial rollout to selected countries only
• Feature currently restricted to Opera One browser only

Insights

Tech Expert

The Opera-Spotify integration represents an incremental product enhancement rather than a significant business development. While it may improve user experience and potentially drive some user acquisition, the financial impact is likely minimal. The free Premium trial promotion in select markets is a standard marketing tactic that rarely translates to meaningful revenue.

The partnership mainly addresses a user convenience issue, with 66% of surveyed users streaming music on phones while at desktop computers. However, this integration doesn't create substantial competitive advantages or new revenue streams for Opera. The browser market remains highly competitive, dominated by Chrome and such features are unlikely to dramatically shift market share.

OSLO, Norway, Nov. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Oslo-based browser company Opera [NASDAQ: OPRA] and Spotify, the world's largest audio streaming service, have partnered to make it easier than ever for users to listen to their favorite music, podcasts, and audiobooks while browsing on their computers. As part of this partnership, Spotify becomes the default streaming service within the upgraded Music Player in Opera's flagship browser, Opera One. Opera users* are also getting the chance to try out Spotify Premium for free for a limited time, unlocking ad-free music, the ability to download playlists and albums to listen offline, higher quality audio, and more.

"People love listening to music and podcasts while at their computers. Now, with Spotify in the sidebar of Opera One, everything's right there at your fingertips – you can shop, write, plan a trip, all while never having to stop listening to your favorite music and audio via the browser's floating multimedia player," said Joanna Czajka, Product Director at Opera.

According to a survey conducted by Opera, 66% of respondents stream music on their phones even when they are at their desktop computers, with 89% explaining that it helps keep their music at hand without having to switch tabs and apps or look up websites. When asked what integrating a music player into their desktop browser would give them, 66% replied that they wouldn't get distracted with all the jumping around, and that they could then easily control their music while doing other things. Together, Opera and Spotify are addressing this need.

The new music player with Spotify as the default streaming service is located in the sidebar of the Opera One browser. When activated, it can be detached and moved around the screen without interrupting a user's browsing flow. So instead of having to frequently switch between what they're working on and which song to queue, the solution is floating inside the browser window with Opera's Music Player. The feature also caters to users who often join meetings or calls: the audio playing inside the browser automatically fades out, pauses for the duration of the call, and resumes thereafter.

In addition to Spotify becoming the default music player in the sidebar of Opera One, users in selected countries worldwide are getting a chance to benefit from several months of Spotify Premium for free, if they are not subscribers already*. The specifics of the offer vary by country. Presently available just within Opera One, the promotion will be expanded to Opera for Android in early 2025.

Opera One R2

Released last month as Opera One R2, the upgraded desktop flagship is Opera's most powerful and best-looking browser to date. In addition to the new Music Player, Opera One R2 introduces a host of new features that offer further options for personalization, improved tab management, and the latest AI innovations.

So, see why Opera's flagship desktop browser is the best for music lovers – download Opera today!

*Opera users in selected countries will be offered an opportunity to upgrade to Spotify Premium and enjoy 2-3 months for free; those countries are: Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Vietnam. This offer is available in the Music Player from the Opera One R2 sidebar.

About Opera

Opera is a user-centric and innovative software company focused on enabling the best possible internet browsing experience across all devices. Hundreds of millions use Opera web browsers for their unique and secure features on mobile phones and desktop computers. Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Oslo, Norway, Opera is a public company listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker symbol OPRA. Download the Opera web browsers and other Opera products from opera.com. Learn more about Opera at investor.opera.com.

About Spotify

Spotify's mission is to unlock the potential of human creativity by giving a million creative artists the opportunity to live off their art and billions of fans the opportunity to enjoy and be inspired by it. Spotify's platform revolutionized music listening forever when we launched in 2008. Our move into podcasting brought innovation and a new generation of listeners to the medium, and in 2022 we entered the next audio market primed for growth with the addition of audiobooks.

Today, more listeners than ever can discover, manage and enjoy over 100 million tracks, 6 million podcasts titles, and 350,000 audiobooks a la carte on Spotify. We are the world's most popular audio streaming subscription service with more than 640 million users, including 252 million subscribers in more than 180 markets.

 

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SOURCE Opera Limited

FAQ

When will Opera (OPRA) integrate Spotify into Opera for Android?

Opera plans to expand the Spotify integration to Opera for Android in early 2025.

Which countries are eligible for Opera's (OPRA) free Spotify Premium promotion?

The promotion is available in 16 countries including the US, UK, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Philippines, Poland, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, and Argentina.

What percentage of Opera (OPRA) users stream music on phones while at desktop computers?

According to Opera's survey, 66% of respondents stream music on their phones even when at their desktop computers.