Opera 46 goes final, more quality and Opera’s first TV ad

[Bot]

Today’s stable release is stage two of the Reborn project. Opera 46 improves the quality of Opera Reborn by introducing more user interface changes, reducing crashes, fixing issues for built-in browser VPN, and adding support for animated PNG files (APNG).

First release after Reborn


Reborn has generated huge interest, marking a big step forward in the development of our browser. We do not stop there but keep adding new flavors to the Opera UI. The latests version comes with visual improvements, usability enhancements and as well as new functionality, here are some of the things you can expect:

• Speed Dial is now dark when wallpapers are disabled and dark theme is enabled
• When importing bookmarks, items from the bookmarks bar will appear in Opera’s bookmarks bar automatically
• Macbook touchbar users can enjoy an emoji-enabled input field

New backgrounds


If you’re looking for the full Reborn experience, you can try the exclusive backgrounds. We have partnered with top industry artists Umberto Daina and Feridun Akgüngör to create a custom set of fresh, cool backgrounds. There are many others to choose from, including animated ones.

Focus on stability


In the last months we dedicated even more time to achieve greater stability of Opera. We fixed various crashes, memory leaks and glitches that impair user experience. So far the focus on quality has given a generous 35% reduction in crashes per user, making the latest Opera browsers the very best in terms of stability.

Support for animated PNG


Opera now supports APNGs, or animated PNG files. These are similar to your regular GIFs, but smaller. APNG also supports 24-bit images and 8-bit transparency which help them maintain quality. This format has become quite popular recently, particularly since Apple adopted the APNG file format for iOS 10 iMessage apps. It’s worth noting that APNG was also supported in Presto.

Watch the APNG demo and learn more about this format.

Latests engine, better performance

Opera 46 runs on tuned Chromium version 59, which introduces expensive background tabs throttling. This technology reduces the processing power required for background tabs and improves battery life and overall browsing performance. Try it out yourself with this background timer throttling demo.

To learn more about changes in engine itself visit dev.opera.com.

Opera’s first TV ad


Together with this release, we are also launching our first TV advertisement for the browser. The ad will go live in our biggest market, Russia and is a celebration of all the reactions you have when you watch content of the internet.


Enjoy browsing with Opera 46, and stay tuned for more Reborn improvements this summer.

The changelog

Installation links

• Opera Stable for Windows
• Opera Stable for macOS
• Opera Stable for Linux – deb packages
• Opera Stable for Linux – RPM packages

Note that since this version we have dropped support for Linux i386.

Source: Opera 46 goes final, more quality and Opera’s first TV ad - Opera Desktop

 

[kev216]

Again a disappointing new release from Opera for me personally.
I don't like the way Opera is changing their marketing strategy and development process. I completely lost faith in them and since the takeover is not really getting better.
The only improvement/new feature that I see in this release is the support for the animated PNG, and - if you want - that emoji imput field for mac, wich seems compeletely useless to me. Other than that just a few bugfixes and adjustements to the dark theme, which was enabled in the earlier version, so that doesn't count for something completely new, but more as an extra fix.
They also now proudly mention that the animated png were available in presto, but if a user ask the devs to bring presto features back, they don't care at all and never listen. Quite strange if you ask me.
Also it's really a bit a shame they see these new wallpapers as a big new thing in this release. It's since v15, the first Chromium one you can change backgrounds to every image you want, so this is really something to fill the blogpost. Come on Opera, don't you have something else for your users....... It's version 46 already and you still have these things in your blogposts.
Chromium update? Yes of course, like in all other versions when you go to stable....
And since they introduced their VPN, all they care about are those percentages and numbers. Opera is that many seconds faster in our 'completely independent and confidential test" - uhm uhm - Opera saves so much megabytes compared to others..., Opera blocks so many more ads..., now so many less percent crashes... I mean, nobody cares about the fact that there are 35% less crashes. It is exactly the intention to fix bugs and crashes when you go from a developer version to a stable build, that's with every release. It's good they fixed many crashes, but there are still lot's of them getting reported, so again this is to fill up the blank space the article would otherwise contain.
And to end, the ad is nice to mention, but it doesn't make part of any improvement to the browser itself.

They just make things far too bigger than they are. In the previous release they introduced the famous reborn project. Well I've used and followed every single developer version there was since version 15 and the reborn is not more than a new sidebar containing buttons (or at least the bookmark, news etc) which were located for about 5 versions right above the search box in the speed dial, then some versions, completely at the bottom, later they put them on the right again, and so they switched them around to end now in a new sidebar, which now contains the Opera button too and - and I have to admit that that is new - the snapchat, messenger and telegram buttons. And they changed the settings button at the top right from a wheel to a set of sliders, so again just a visual change that doesn't add any single kind of more value, since it's just a change of the image. And they introduced a dark theme that lacks any kind of customisation, which after all that time (years) is disappointing it still doesn't offer that.
They are really good at avertising things, but as a long time user, my patience is really at the bottom now. Reborn is in my eyes - or at least in this stage- just a nice name for nothing more than againg switching around things but not adding much new. Where is the innovation Opera!!!

 

[FrFc1908]

Again a disappointing new release from Opera for me personally.
I don't like the way Opera is changing their marketing strategy and development process. I completely lost faith in them and since the takeover is not really getting better.
The only improvement/new feature that I see in this release is the support for the animated PNG, and - if you want - that emoji imput field for mac, wich seems compeletely useless to me. Other than that just a few bugfixes and adjustements to the dark theme, which was enabled in the earlier version, so that doesn't count for something completely new, but more as an extra fix.
They also now proudly mention that the animated png were available in presto, but if a user ask the devs to bring presto features back, they don't care at all and never listen. Quite strange if you ask me.
Also it's really a bit a shame they see these new wallpapers as a big new thing in this release. It's since v15, the first Chromium one you can change backgrounds to every image you want, so this is really something to fill the blogpost. Come on Opera, don't you have something else for your users....... It's version 46 already and you still have these things in your blogposts.
Chromium update? Yes of course, like in all other versions when you go to stable....
And since they introduced their VPN, all they care about are those percentages and numbers. Opera is that many seconds faster in our 'completely independent and confidential test" - uhm uhm - Opera saves so much megabytes compared to others..., Opera blocks so many more ads..., now so many less percent crashes... I mean, nobody cares about the fact that there are 35% less crashes. It is exactly the intention to fix bugs and crashes when you go from a developer version to a stable build, that's with every release. It's good they fixed many crashes, but there are still lot's of them getting reported, so again this is to fill up the blank space the article would otherwise contain.
And to end, the ad is nice to mention, but it doesn't make part of any improvement to the browser itself.

They just make things far too bigger than they are. In the previous release they introduced the famous reborn project. Well I've used and followed every single developer version there was since version 15 and the reborn is not more than a new sidebar containing buttons (or at least the bookmark, news etc) which were located for about 5 versions right above the search box in the speed dial, then some versions, completely at the bottom, later they put them on the right again, and so they switched them around to end now in a new sidebar, which now contains the Opera button too and - and I have to admit that that is new - the snapchat, messenger and telegram buttons. And they changed the settings button at the top right from a wheel to a set of sliders, so again just a visual change that doesn't add any single kind of more value, since it's just a change of the image. And they introduced a dark theme that lacks any kind of customisation, which after all that time (years) is disappointing it still doesn't offer that.
They are really good at avertising things, but as a long time user, my patience is really at the bottom now. Reborn is in my eyes - or at least in this stage- just a nice name for nothing more than againg switching around things but not adding much new. Where is the innovation Opera!!!

well said kev! I am not a big fan of opera either

 

[PlayerFromTheITtic]

Hi there!

@kev216: Since you followed what they're up to through Developer channel, you probably had come to realize that Opera has more or less worked like this for a while now; after an "important" new version, they tend to offer a more "modest" one focusing on improving current things instead of releasing another "big" update.
Reborn is not only just another sidebar and embedded messengers, there's also a slight redesign of tabs, buttons and on. It's an ongoing project, even if you don't notice the "Stay tuned for more Reborn improvements" it's kinda obvious they're not done yet, there's still work to be done (like the "Match the system color" setting, for now ignored by Reborn UI).
That being said, I understand your disappointment in Opera, after a few new features introduced in 2016 (VPN, Battery saving, Customized newsfeed with RSS support, etc), from people who invented things like tabs, speed dial, tab stacking and many other neat stuff, you probably expected more than just an updated UI, improved compilation thanks to PGO and on.
As for me, I still am kinda careful since the consortium takeover, I'll probably keep in touch to see what Opera is up to for the next few months though.




I switched to Vivaldi as main browser for a while now anyway

 

[kev216]

Hi there!

@kev216: Since you followed what they're up to through Developer channel, you probably had come to realize that Opera has more or less worked like this for a while now; after an "important" new version, they tend to offer a more "modest" one focusing on improving current things instead of releasing another "big" update.
Reborn is not only just another sidebar and embedded messengers, there's also a slight redesign of tabs, buttons and on. It's an ongoing project, even if you don't notice the "Stay tuned for more Reborn improvements" it's kinda obvious they're not done yet, there's still work to be done (like the "Match the system color" setting, for now ignored by Reborn UI).
That being said, I understand your disappointment in Opera, after a few new features introduced in 2016 (VPN, Battery saving, Customized newsfeed with RSS support, etc), from people who invented things like tabs, speed dial, tab stacking and many other neat stuff, you probably expected more than just an updated UI, improved compilation thanks to PGO and on.
As for me, I still am kinda careful since the consortium takeover, I'll probably keep in touch to see what Opera is up to for the next few months though.




I switched to Vivaldi as main browser for a while now anyway

Yes you are right, there are still a few more things they introduced since their reborn update. I was maybe a bit too negative. But on the other hand, version 15 came out in 2013 and if I how slow they make progress compared to Vivaldi for example (which also is far from perfect at the moment, don't get me wrong), I'm a bit disappointed in how things go at Opera if you compare it with the flow and speed there was in the presto days. I hope their future builds will suprise me and prove me wrong, but from the past builds, my expetations are not really high Or maybe I finally just have to accept they are now aiming towards a different userbase than in the presto period, which after all those good years is difficult for me to get

 

[jamescv7]

Oh well it's all about matter of improvements and bugfixes.

Some certain features are just purely innovation and it exist base on possible trends, I'm not fan of Opera too but a good alternative browser which not bad to use for a while.

Still the quickness of Chrome cannot match on Opera considering of overall engines used.