# Opera Mobile Store

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Platform-independent browser-based app store

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Opera Mobile Store The Opera Mobile Store Logo Type of site Digital distribution, software store Available in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Persian, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Nepali, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Tagalog, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese Dissolved April 2022; 4 years ago (2022-04) (start of shutdown) March 2023; 3 years ago (2023-03) (fully decommissioned) Area served Worldwide Created by Opera, later Bemobi URL apps.opera.com Launched March 8, 2011; 15 years ago (2011-03-08) Current status Discontinued

Opera Mobile Store Developer Handster → Opera Release March 8, 2011; 15 years ago (2011-03-08) Operating system Android, Java, Series 30+, BlackBerry OS, Symbian, iOS, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone Website apps.opera.com

**Opera Mobile Store** was a platform-independent browser-based [app store](/source/App_store) for mobile-phone owners and a digital [application](/source/Application_software) [distribution](/source/Digital_distribution) platform used by more than 40,000 developers.[1] It was owned and maintained by [Opera](/source/Opera_(company)). Launched by a third-party provider in March 2011, the Opera Mobile Store was relaunched on a new platform, after acquisition of Handster,[2] a mobile app store platform company, in January 2012. The service allowed users to browse and download [applications](/source/Mobile_apps) for over 7,500 different devices[1] on [Android](/source/Android_(operating_system)), [Java](/source/Java_(software_platform)#Mobile_devices), [BlackBerry OS](/source/BlackBerry_OS), [Symbian](/source/Symbian_OS), [iOS](/source/IOS), and [Windows Mobile](/source/Windows_Mobile).

Opera Mobile Store had more than 1 million app downloads a day[3] and was accessible from any mobile phone via a bookmark or the Start Page of [Opera Mini](/source/Opera_Mini) or [Opera Mobile](/source/Opera_Mobile) browsers. The store was also accessible from any other browser, including desktop versions, and on any [operating system](/source/Operating_system), from [https://apps.opera.com/](https://apps.opera.com/). The Opera Mobile Store then forwarded the user to the country-specific store based on the location information provided by the mobile carrier or ISP.

Over 86% of the applications for Android-powered phones provided by the Opera Mobile Store were free of charge. The average free-vs.-paid-apps ratio for all platforms was 70% and 30%, respectively.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] These applications were generally targeted on a particular category, including [video games](/source/Video_games), business applications, [social media](/source/Social_media) apps, [e-books](/source/E-books), and others.

## History

On March 8, 2011, Opera Software announced the launch of Opera Mobile Store powered by third-party provider. On September 19, 2011, Opera Software acquired app store platform company Handster, which was the leading independent applications store for Android market at that time.[4]

Following the acquisition of Handster, Opera Software made a major overhaul since the Opera Mobile Store launch.[5] Opera Software announced a revamped Opera Mobile Store with improved distribution and [monetization](/source/Monetization) capabilities for developers, and better customization for white-label marketplaces at the [Mobile World Congress](/source/Mobile_World_Congress) in Barcelona on February 27, 2012. In July 2013, developers can now upload apps to both the [Yandex](/source/Yandex) Store and the Opera Mobile Store simultaneously, as a result of agreements between the two companies.[6]

On November 18, 2014, [Microsoft](/source/Microsoft) and [Opera Software](/source/Opera_Software) signed an agreement to replace [Nokia Store](/source/Nokia_Store) with the Opera Mobile Store as the default app store for Nokia feature phones, Symbian and Nokia X smartphones.[7] The Nokia Store was eventually closed with the Opera Mobile Store succeeding it.[8]

## Number of downloaded applications

As stated in the official Opera Software press-release, by February 27, 2012, Opera Mobile Store reached more than 30 million monthly app store visits and over 45 million monthly app downloads.[5]

Number of apps in the store tripled over the year 2013, while the number of monthly visitors to the Opera app distribution platform grew to 75 million in October, 2013.[9]

At the end of Q4 2013 Opera Software announced that it had reached a new milestone — 105 million monthly visitors, which is a 172% increase in a year since the close of 2012. The top-three countries in 2013 based on the number of Opera Mobile Store users were [India](/source/India), the [United States](/source/United_States) and [Indonesia](/source/Indonesia). By November, 2014 Opera's app store started to offer close to 300,000[1] mobile apps and games across most mobile platforms. Earlier, in early 2014 the mobile store offered over 200,000[10] apps significant growth in the number of apps available.[11]

### Most popular apps

Top 100 apps lists were compiled separately for each country with an Opera Mobile Store presence. The lists feature 17 categories, ranging from business apps to games for every platform supported by the Opera Mobile Store, consisting of the most popular apps among the store users in the selected category.

## Application ratings

The Opera Mobile Store did not rate applications; instead, the OMS team ether accepted apps submitted for inclusion into the store or rejected them, based on whether their content is appropriate for a wide age group, and kept objectionable apps out of the store.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## App submission process

Opera Mobile Store did not charge developers for joining the mobile store's distribution program and publishing apps. Developers got 70% of net revenue from sales of paid apps for Android accepted into the Opera Mobile Store, and 50% of net revenue for Java apps.

## App approval process

Applications were subject to approval by Opera Mobile Store team for basic reliability testing on all the platforms and devices declared by developer in submission process. Opera Mobile Store did not accept adult and sexual content.

## Opera Top App Awards

Every year, the Opera Mobile Store ran Top Apps Awards. These awards recognized the best apps in the Opera Mobile Store across multiple categories based on popular user voting.[12][13]

## Partnerships

In 2013 Opera Mobile Store signed a cross-app store distribution partnership with [Yandex](/source/Yandex), the largest search engine in the Russian-speaking Internet market and the leading search engine in Eastern Europe, based on audience reach. This agreement allowed apps in the Opera Mobile Store also to be available for download in the [Yandex app store](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Yandex_app_store&action=edit&redlink=1) and vice versa. The same year Opera Software signed several more partnership agreements with mobile carriers in Eastern Europe. Both [MTS Belarus](/source/MTS_Belarus) and [MTS Ukraine](/source/MTS_Ukraine) launched Opera co-branded app stores for their 28 million total user base.

## Opera Subscription Mobile Store

Starting July 21, 2014, [Opera Software](/source/Opera_Software) started to offer a service that provides mobile carriers' customers with unlimited access to premium games and apps catalogue built on the Opera Mobile Store technology and supported by the OMS team. The first carrier to implement app store subscription model for their customers was [MTS](/source/MTS_(network_provider)) Russia that launched App Market service together with Opera. In this model, mobile users paid a weekly subscription fee for "all-you-can-eat" access after a free seven-day trial period.[14][15] During 2014, Opera Software launched subscription mobile stores with MTS Russia, MTS Ukraine, MTS Belarus, [TIM Brasil](/source/TIM_Brasil)[16] and [XL Axiata](/source/XL_Axiata) in Indonesia.

## One Platform Foundation

In May 2013 Opera and [Yandex](/source/Yandex) announced together with [SlideME](/source/SlideME) and [CodeNgo](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=CodeNgo&action=edit&redlink=1) the launch and provided support for a new [open-source](/source/Open-source_software) [One Platform Foundation](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=One_Platform_Foundation&action=edit&redlink=1) (OPF) initiative, enabling developers to easily code and submit their apps across multiple alternative app stores.[17]

## Similar services

Main article: [List of mobile app distribution platforms](/source/List_of_mobile_app_distribution_platforms)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Nokia_Store_→_Opera_Mobile_Store_press-release_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Nokia_Store_→_Opera_Mobile_Store_press-release_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Nokia_Store_→_Opera_Mobile_Store_press-release_1-2) ["Microsoft and Opera Software sign agreement to extend Opera Mobile Store to more Nokia phones"](http://www.operasoftware.com/ru/press/releases/mobile/release-2014-11-18). *Opera Press Releases* (Press release). [Opera Software](/source/Opera_Software) ASA. November 18, 2014. Retrieved November 20, 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-acquisition_of_Handster_—_Opera_2-0)** ["Opera acquires Handster Inc"](http://www.opera.com/press/releases/2011/09/19/). *Opera Press Releases* (Press release). [Opera Software](/source/Opera_Software) ASA. September 19, 2011. Retrieved December 12, 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Update_on_Mobile_App_Stores_3-0)** Bango PLC (August 31, 2011). ["Update on Mobile App Stores"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130613204655/http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail.html?announcementId=10963051). *RNS Reach Story*. [London Stock Exchange](/source/London_Stock_Exchange). Archived from [the original](http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail.html?announcementId=10963051) on June 13, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Opera_Mobile_Store_site_4-0)** Sun, Dan (15 June 2011). ["Android developers head for alternative distribution platforms as Android Market offers limited business potential today"](http://www.research2guidance.com/android-developers-head-for-alternative-distribution-platforms-as-android-market-offers-limited-business-potential-today/). research2guidance. Retrieved 12 December 2012.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Opera_Mobile_Store_relaunch_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Opera_Mobile_Store_relaunch_5-1) ["A new and improved Opera Mobile Store"](http://www.operasoftware.com/press/releases/mobile/a-new-and-improved-opera-mobile-store). *Opera Press Releases* (Press release). [Opera Software](/source/Opera_Software) ASA. February 27, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Yandex Courts Handset Makers, Carriers With New Android App Store And 3D Skins](https://techcrunch.com/2013/02/25/yandex-releases-its-50000-app-alt-android-store-upgrades-yandex-shell-3d-ui-to-target-small-handset-makers-carriers/). [TechCrunch](/source/TechCrunch). Retrieved on 2013-11-21.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-NokiaDeveloperBlogs_7-0)** Developer Team, Microsoft Mobile (11 December 2011). ["Successful Migration from Nokia Store to Opera Mobile Store"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150222041337/http://developer.nokia.com/blogs/news/successful-migration-from-nokia-store-to-opera-mobile-store). [Nokia Developer Blogs](/source/Microsoft). Archived from [the original](http://developer.nokia.com/blogs/news/successful-migration-from-nokia-store-to-opera-mobile-store) on 22 February 2015. Retrieved March 24, 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Nokia_Store_migration_to_Opera_Mobile_Store_8-0)** ["Microsoft and Opera Software sign agreement to extend Opera Mobile Store to more Nokia phones"](http://www.operasoftware.com/press/releases/mobile/a-new-and-improved-opera-mobile-store). *Opera Press Releases* (Press release). [Opera Software](/source/Opera_Software) ASA. November 18, 2014. Retrieved March 24, 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-The_Next_Web_75m_9-0)** Hong, Kaylene (24 October 2013). ["Opera's mobile store triples its number of apps over a year as it chalks up 75m monthly visitors"](https://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/10/24/operas-mobile-store-triples-number-apps-year-chalks-75m-monthly-visitors/). The Next Web. Retrieved February 6, 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Opera_Software_100_million_press-release_10-0)** ["Opera Mobile Store passes 100 million users"](http://www.operasoftware.com/press/releases/mobile/2014-01-28) (Press release). [Opera Software](/source/Opera_Software). 24 October 2013. Retrieved January 28, 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Indonesia Ketiga Terbesar Pengunjung Aplikasi Opera"](http://jabar.tribunnews.com/2014/02/02/indonesia-ketiga-terbesar-pengunjung-aplikasi-opera). February 2, 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Top_Apps_Awards_12-0)** ["Opera Mobile Store announces the 2012 Top Apps Awards"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121221030014/http://www.opera.com/press/releases/2012/12/12/). *Opera Press Releases* (Press release). [Opera Software](/source/Opera_Software) ASA. December 12, 2012. Archived from [the original](http://www.opera.com/press/releases/2012/12/12/) on December 21, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2012_Top_Apps_Awards_13-0)** ["2012 Top Apps Awards results — Android winners"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130118102639/http://apps.opera.com/en_ua/awards). *2012 Top Apps Awards*. [Opera Software](/source/Opera_Software) ASA. December 3, 2012. Archived from [the original](http://apps.opera.com/en_ua/awards/) on January 18, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Opera_and_MTS_Russia_launch_App_Market_store_14-0)** ["Opera and MTS Russia launch App Market store"](http://www.operasoftware.com/press/releases/mobile/2014-07-21). *Opera Press Releases* (Press release). [Opera Software](/source/Opera_Software) ASA. July 21, 2014. Retrieved November 21, 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Opera_Subscription_Mobile_Store_launch_15-0)** ["Opera launches operator-branded app store for "all you can eat" apps and games"](http://www.operasoftware.com/press/releases/mobile/2014-11-26). *Opera Press Releases* (Press release). [Opera Software](/source/Opera_Software) ASA. November 26, 2014. Retrieved December 3, 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Opera_Mobile_Store_+_TIM_Brasil_16-0)** ["Opera and TIM Brazil set up shop"](http://www.operasoftware.com/press/releases/mobile/opera-and-tim-brazil-set-up-shop). *Opera Press Releases* (Press release). [Opera Software](/source/Opera_Software) ASA. November 26, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-OPF_The_Next_Web_news_17-0)** Wauters, Robin (May 31, 2013). ["Opera and Yandex start One Platform Foundation to "help the Android ecosystem evolve""](https://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/05/31/opera-yandex-one-platform-foundation-android/). The Next Web. Retrieved February 6, 2014.

## External links

- [Official website](http://apps.opera.com/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130105130035/http://apps.opera.com/) 2013-01-05 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

- [Official Opera Mobile Store developer site](http://publishers.mobilestore.opera.com/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130328094346/http://publishers.mobilestore.opera.com/) 2013-03-28 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

- [Software distribution agreement](http://apps.opera.com/docs/DistributionAgreementHandster_standard.pdf)

- [Opera Mobile Store team's official blog](http://opera-mobile-store.com/)

- [Opera Mobile Store: From the Browser Veterans](https://blackmarty.com/blackmart-alternative/#opera-mobile-store-from-the-browser-veterans)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Opera Mobile Store](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opera_Mobile_Store) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opera_Mobile_Store?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.