Is Facebook about to buy Opera to create own Facebook browser?

[Jack]

A Facebook browser that would allow you keep up to date with your social life from in-built plug-ins and features on the menu bar could be on the cards. Pocket-lint has heard from one of its trusted sources that the social networking giant is looking to buy Opera Software, the company behind the Opera web browser.

According to our man in the know, the company could be about to expand into the browser space to take on the likes of Google, Apple, Microsoft, Mozilla and now even Yahoo, who has recently launched its own browser.

The move - which would no doubt send shivers of panic through Google - although unlikely to affect Chrome's continued growth in the short term, would see the two tech giants battle it out on your desktop and mobile for web surfing as well as social networking.

Read more: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/45795/facebook-browser-opera-software-buyout

 

[Ink]

What? Bad. Facebook doesn't display correctly on Opera I thought.

It's a boost for Opera, since many use IE,FF and Chrome.

Yahoo web browser? Oh, Axis (plugin).
http://axis.yahoo.com/

 

[iPanik]

Knowing Facebooks coding abilities (looking at you, iOS app) i can't imagine a full blown Facebook browser ending anywhere but in a ditch.

 

[Littlebits]

This could be good or bad for Opera.

Opera has never achieved the popularity that it deserves. One of the first browsers to support mobile devices, I believe it was the first to include a phishing filter and scan downloads for malware. But its biggest setback was taking too long to support add-ons (extensions).

In my opinion, it is a much better browser than Chromium.

If Facebook bought Opera, they have the money to help it improve and promote it. They can make it better and more popular.

One of the main reason Google Chrome got so popular was Google is a large company, they put a lot of money into promoting it and bundling it with other products. Another reason was the open-source Chromium project allowing developers to make improvements and extensions.

If Facebook would do the same with Opera, I'm sure it would be a success.

However if Facebook made some wrong decisions, then it could hurt Opera.

Thanks.

 

[McLovin]

When they buy Opera you will see a good browser turn into a very crap browser. It's good as it is. What they could do is they could make an app for Opera instead of buying it.

 

[Ink]

What about the Facebook Phone?

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2012/05/facebook-working-on-its-own-smartphone/

 

[jamescv7]

For mobile they were known to be a top notch mobile browser (Opera)

So there could be a significant changes for Opera once its acquired but depends on the move.

 

[McLovin]

The Facebook phone looks rather good, but I think that the browser is something that they should leave alone.

 

[malbky]

Opera is great. I dont want them to fall into the wrong hands. Another reason why it did not become very popular was because it was a shareware for some years.

 

[Fiona_scrol]

Opera is great on smart phone.
I do not like Facebook buy Opera.
It's possible a chance for Opera.
But who knows.

 

[Plexx]

I honestly do not see that as a good idea...
I can only imagine what facebook will turn Opera into...

 

[Vextor]

No. No. No.
This will fail.

 

[Jack]

No. No. No.
This will fail.

It surely has a very high chance of falling ,mainly because we don't need a Facebook browser!
I've never really searched , but I'm pretty sure that their are Opera,Chrome, Firefox etc.. plugins that allows a user to get real time feeds from Facebook and similar stuff like that.Also smart phones have Facebook widgets and apps which make this buy out rather useless......

 

[Tom172]

Alot of people out there use their computer mainly as a Facebook machine. I can see this Facebook browser thing appealing to them if they see a download for it on the Facebook homepage.

 

[McLovin]

I've never really searched , but I'm pretty sure that their are Opera,Chrome, Firefox etc.. plugins that allows a user to get real time feeds from Facebook and similar stuff like that.Also smart phones have Facebook widgets and apps which make this buy out rather useless......

Have to agree there, why can't they make an addon for all browsers? That might be more worth it because they know that alot of people will be using it.

 

[jamescv7]

A browser called RockMelt does have integration of Facebook however its like for chat beside on realtime feeds.

So likely realtime feeds and chat for quicker access is better.

 

[McLovin]

A browser called RockMelt does have integration of Facebook however its like for chat beside on realtime feeds.

So likely realtime feeds and chat for quicker access is better.

Then why don't they buy this browser instead of Opera?

 

[Littlebits]

A browser called RockMelt does have integration of Facebook however its like for chat beside on realtime feeds.

So likely realtime feeds and chat for quicker access is better.

Then why don't they buy this browser instead of Opera?

Maybe because RockMelt is browser made with Apple Webkit based on Chromium open-source code but Opera is very unique, closed-source, no other browser like it.

There are many browsers based on Chromium open-source code but only one browser that uses Presto rendering engine, that is Opera.

Thanks.

 

[McLovin]

Maybe because RockMelt is browser made with Apple Webkit based on Chromium open-source code but Opera is very unique, closed-source, no other browser like it.

There are many browsers based on Chromium open-source code but only one browser that uses Presto rendering engine, that is Opera.

Thanks.

I see, I knew that Chromium was open source but never knew that Opera uses Presto rendering engine. I see why now they want it.

 

[Ink]

A few days old, but FB removed Chrome and replaced with Opera as a recommended web browser.
http://www.bgr.com/2012/05/31/facebook-google-chrome-recommended-opera/