You can now boost video quality on Opera Mini for Android

Opera Mini has long been an important tool for bringing mobile web access to people in markets where data is expensive. Thing is, until now, it hasn’t been able to do much about video. But as people seek out more video content, its become increasingly necessary for it to come up with a solution.

After all, a 2015 study by Conviva showed that viewers have little patience for video interruptions: 75% of viewers abandon poor-quality video in four minutes or less, and 33% within 30 seconds. Interactive Advertising Bureau research meanwhile found that buffering/speed is among the top-three most important factors for mobile viewers on smartphones.

In a bid to end the days of choppy, buffering videos, Opera has launched Video Boost on its Opera Mini browser for Android.

According to a press release sent to Memeburn, the Swedish software company is the first to include video optimisation into a web browser.

Read more: Opera VP Richard Monday tells Memeburn why its mobile browser is still so important for Africa

Opera’s video boost technology reduces the size of video data, to lessen video loading time and combat buffering delays, plus extend the life of a mobile data plan.

“Video boost is a vital feature for video fans or those on limited mobile networks, handsets or data plans. If you love to watch videos on your Android device, but hate getting surprises on your data bill, it’s time to switch browsers,” says Nuno Sitima, SVP, Head of Mobile Browsers at Opera.

Here’s how to get Video Boost working on the app: Under the “O” menu in Opera Mini 15, simply tap the savings summary to change to high-savings mode. Below, tick the box beside video boost to switch on smoother viewing. The video boost feature also shows a count where users can keep track of how many videos have been optimised.