Opera is rolling out a new look on iOS. The company announced its redesigned iPhone browser, Opera One, on Tuesday, which introduces both a refreshed UI as well as new AI features.
Right away, one of the biggest changes to the browser is the placement of the address bar. It’s now on the bottom, in what Opera is calling “Bottom Search.” It matches the default option on iOS’ Safari, and I get why: It took me some time to get used to this placement, but I really like it now, since it’s so easy to start a new search when holding your iPhone with one hand.
While you can switch back to the traditional UI, with the search bar on the top of the display, you can also try out the new “Fast Action Button” mode, too: This replaces the bottom address bar with a single button. Hold it down, and you pull up a menu full of options: Depending on which way you swipe, you can search, pull up the main menu, open your tabs, go back one page, add a new tab, or close the current window.
Regardless of how you have your address bar configured, you can start a search immediately by swiping down on the center of the screen. This is a cool addition, and works just like starting a Spotlight search on your iPhone’s Home Screen. If you’re used to that action, you can translate it well to Opera.
You’ll also notice a more “immersive” page design when scrolling. Opera will match the color scheme of the site you’re on, and will hide the top and bottom menus when you move around the page.
Finally, there are the AI features. Opera now includes Aria, the company’s AI assistant, in its app. Aria acts as a traditional chatbot: You can have a conversation with it, ask it to generate text, and even generate images via Google’s Imagen 2 model. But since Opera is a web browser, Aria can also be used for web searches, and to compare products. The bot also supports voice input, meaning you can talk to it directly if you want.
When I tested Aria on the desktop browser, I actually found it relatively useful, so if you’re interested in AI features (especially while browsing the internet), you might like Aria here.
Opera on iOS isn’t really “Opera”
Now, a disclaimer: iOS browsers aren’t like desktop browsers. On your Mac or PC, you can choose whatever browser you want, and you’ll get a unique experience based on that browser’s platform. On iPhone, however, all browser apps are required to use WebKit, the platform Safari is built on. In effect, all iOS browsers are really Safari, but with a different look.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t perks to third-party iOS browsers. Safari, for example, doesn’t have Opera’s AI features. (At least not until Apple Intelligence rolls out.) But you aren’t using the same Opera as the one you get on desktop, or even Android. That’s changing in the E.U., however, as Apple is being forced to offer dedicated third-party browsers on iPhone.
