Opera Mini updated for the first time since 2012 with new look, data savings

June 27, 2014

Opera Mini has been updated for the first time since October 2012, applying a fresh coat of paint to the app and adding a few new features in version 8. These features include Data Savings, themes, and a new way to discover content on the web.

Being that this is the first update to Opera Mini since 2012, a complete visual overhaul is not surprising. Gone are the dark, heavy iOS 6 UI elements, replaced with a white, light interface in line with iOS 7. The new Speed Dial page resembles the Favorites page in Safari on iOS. As part of the new look, Opera lets you choose from a number of colorful themes for your Speed Dial, mimicing the colors of the iPhone 5c.

But there's more to this update than just the look. Opera Mini 8 contains a data savings feature, similar to the one found on Chrome for iOS, which tries to lighten the load websites place on your data connection. In settings, select Data Savings to select Opera Mini, Opera Turbo, or Savings Off in order to control your Data Savings settings. Opera Mini has also added a new Discover mode, as well as a QR code reader.

You can download Opera Mini 8.0 for free from the App Store right now.