SoonR uses the Opera browser for its AJAX-powered application that brings desktop files to mobile phones
3 CommentsPublished September 13th, 2006 1:57 PM EDT By Daniel Goldman
Today at the CTIA Wireless conference in Los Angeles SoonR announced that it is using the Opera browser for its application that provides remote access to PCs (both for Windows and Mac) from mobile phones.
With SoonR you can connect your mobile phone to your desktop computer and access your documents, pictures and some applications (Microsoft Outlook, Skype, etc.).
SoonR is using the Opera browser as the front-end for their application. The menu and application pages are AJAX-powered written with HTML and JavaScript, and uses Opera to render those pages.
One of the most frequent questions I get about Opera is “How do they make money from their browser?”
This is one example where they rake in the money.
Instead of writing a serious application for mobile phones and other devices (like the menu on your TV), you can install the Opera browser on these devices (the core Opera browser is tiny), and create a simple web application using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Since the Opera browser for devices is the same core browser as its desktop counterpart, you could also include AJAX to make the application more interactive.
Now that Opera supports Widgets, you could simply create a Widget for your mobile phone or device, and have it act like a regular application.
Although the Opera browser for the desktop is free, it does charge a licensing fee when the browser is incorporated in mobile phones or other devices. I’m not sure how this agreement with SoonR is structured, but Opera will likely get some royalty fees depending on the number of SoonR downloads or perhaps a flat fee for using the browser.
SoonR is a pretty neat application for your phone, not only can you access your files and pictures remotely, you could also use Skype directly from your mobile phone through your desktop PC. Best of all, it’s free.
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Although the revenue from Opera browser for desktop fell quite a lot it is still a direct source of revenue and not only the base for development for Opera versions on mobiles and devices:
From the quarterly presentation 1. Q 2006 (http://www.opera.com/company/investors/finance/)
“Fall in revenue as Opera transitions its
revenue model from a license and
advertising based one to one largely driven
by search revenue”
In the Webcast is some more information and I understand it as Opera’s target to raise income from Opera for desktop even beyond former numbers.
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Hi Daniel,
Thanks for the kind words about SoonR. We’re very exited about the advanced interface that we’ve been able to design to take advantage of Opera’s AJAX support. While SoonR also runs on other web browsers, Opera users will have a significantly enhanced SoonR experience. The UI is more responsive, you can use hot keys to access features, and there are a number of slideshow enhancements–including transitions and a VCR-style control menu that lets you zoom and pan around images. Additional information on SoonR running on Opera (including a number of animated gifs showing features) can be found here http://www.soonr.com/web/front/ajax.jsp.
Steve DinwiddieProgram Manager, SoonR
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In the 4Q06 presentation it can be seen that Desktop revenue are UP by a lot. Going free paid off.