The upgraded version of Opera Mini for Android coincides with the announcement of Opera’s high growth targets for the Android platform.

“We aim to reach 275 million users on the Android platform by 2017, more than doubling today's user base of 130 million. This growth will further cement Opera's position as a dominant browser in fast-growing, emerging economies,” said Lars Boilesen, CEO of Opera Software.

Android had over an 81% market share among smartphone operating systems in 2014, according to IDC, the global market-intelligence firm. This trend dovetails with Opera’s growing user base on Android, the largest user base for the company.

“Opera Mini is the browser that gets you from A to B on the web, no matter where you are, what your network is like or which device you use. Today’s updated features and design make Opera Mini a browser that’s truly enjoyable to use, with a lighter and fresher browsing experience,” said Christian Uribe, Product Manager for Opera Mini.

Like previous Opera Mini versions, Opera Mini 8 compresses webpages to as little as 10% of their original size. This decreased data traffic means users get to their content faster, extending their data plans further.

In addition to the new user interface, the latest Opera Mini has these features:

• - A simplified menu.
• - Overhauled Speed Dial.
• - A private-browsing mode.
• - Options to customize the browser layout for more thumb-friendly surfing.
• - A scalable interface with higher resolution for tablets and large phones.
• - Updates to the Discover newsfeed to provide more of the latest content across the web.
• - A data counter to show daily progress on data savings, helping users keep data costs under control.