No Opera Mobile 11 for Windows Mobile

No Opera Mobile 11 for Windows Mobile

Today we launched Opera Mobile 11 for Android and Symbian platforms.

The mobile landscape is changing and Microsoft has moved their efforts away from the Windows Mobile operating system. No new devices have been launched for some time and the market share is falling. As a third party developer and a business, that is a reality that Opera Software has to adjust to.

We know there are many Opera fans who have been eagerly awaiting a new version of Opera for your Windows Mobile devices and we are very sorry to disappoint. But the unfortunate fact is that the platform can no longer provide the revenue potential that Opera Software would need to keep investing in it.

Regarding Microsoft's new platform, Windows Phone 7, Opera is continuously evaluating that and other platforms and we will make products available when and where there is a business case for doing so.

Opera Mobile 10 and Opera Mini 5.1 for Windows Mobile will continue to be available for download. We hope to meet you again on another platform in the future.

Thanks for all your support!

its really sad to hear for us WinMo users but we understand opera position regarding this.Anways thanks for OM 5.1 and OM 10.

Thats very very very dissapointing. Are you going to release Opera Mini 6 for Windows mobile or this is also dead project?
Please, dont kill it. I am sure, Windows mobile is still the best OS for mobile.
Thanks for Opera Mini 5.1, its the best browser for my HTC Vox. I was looking forward for Mini 6.
Such a lonely day

No Opera Mobile 11 for Windows Mobile?
This is so sad and disappointing.
Opera Mobile is the most important app on my Garmin M10 that just has been released one year ago.

Would it be possible to make Opera Mobile 11 as a paid app for Windows Mobile?
Without any other alternatives, I would be willing to pay for such product!
What is the use of setting up Opera's new Mobilestore if the most important app is not available?

Originally posted by dagolav:

Today we launched Opera Mobile 11 for Android and Symbian platforms.

The mobile landscape is changing and Microsoft has moved their efforts away from the Windows Mobile operating system. No new devices have been launched for some time and the market share is falling.

Thanks for all your support!

Have you guys seen this?

"On 10 January 2011 Microsoft announced Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5. The operating system has compatibility with Windows Mobile 6.5 and is presented as an enterprise handheld device, targeting retailers, delivery companies, and other companies that rely on handheld computing"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Mobile#Windows_Mobile_6.5.5

This is a very SAD thing to hear, for several reasons.
The first one is that WP7 isn't officially released in a lot of places in the world.
The second one is that a lot of custom rom makers for WM6.x don't implement OM10 because they find it too unstable in their roms. I'm prettysure that if there would be a better OM10 or a newer OM11 they would implement that instead of the old OM9.7.

Good bye, Opera.
You've done very well.

Crap!
I understand that you won't invest much effort in WM 6.5 anymore, but what you're doing now is putting off lots of WM users. Only because WM 6.5 won't get any major updates and the last WM phones are being sold these days, that doesn't automatically mean that WM is outdated immediately. When you buy a smartphone, normally you're going to use it the next 2-3 years. So to someone like me, who just bought an HD2 a few months ago, your announcement is just a kick in the ass. I could understand if you were cutting development for WM6 in a year, after the v11 release or so. But now, with OM10 still missing elementary features (pinch-to-zoom and geolocation)? That's just pissing me off!

Sorry for the harsh tone, but that's the result of your non-information-politics. We were waiting and waiting, getting NO information on future plans, seeing updates and betas for Symbian (btw: did you notice that Symbian has no future, too?) and Android, til we parenthetically have to learn that there will be no updates for WM.
How about letting your users know the roadmap on medium to long term? So there will be no waiting, being dissapointed, feeling left behind and so on.

And your argument that WM "can no longer provide the revenue potential that Opera Software would need to keep investing in it" is bullshit, if the same time you are developing vor Maemo/Meego. How many smartphone models are on the market with this OS? And how many of them being sold? How is the market share? How much revenue could a Linux-geeks- and early-adopters-only-platform generate? Much less compared to still used WM6 smartphones!

The only bright spot on this is that I chose the HD2 well-directed because of its capability to run both WM and Android and so being future-proof for the next years. But until now, my main OS is WM - and will be on near term. Android is nice, but even 2.3 can't compete with a good WM custom ROM in several ways.

So it appears that those of us with Windows Mobile devices will be stuck with a "final" version of Opera Mobile (OM 10) that seems more like a beta version, since it has problems that haven't been resolved. Read some of the unanswered questions and unaddressed issues in this forum if you don't believe me, and note the lack of response from Opera staff.

Of course, previous versions of OM are still available for download by FTP, but they're all betas, each with its very own bugs.

Mini 5.1 is much, much better, but the proxy server problems make it too unreliable for regular use.

Frankly, I wasn't looking for brand new versions of anything. I would have been perfectly happy with OM 10, if the project had been completed, which it clearly wasn't.

Originally posted by WebDweller:

So it appears that those of us with Windows Mobile devices will be stuck with a "final" version of Opera Mobile (OM 10) that seems more like a beta version, since it has problems that haven't been resolved. Read some of the unanswered questions and unaddressed issues in this forum if you don't believe me, and note the lack of response from Opera staff.

+1

What's werid - there is symbian version which (IMHO) has lower market penetration...

This is really bad news. WM 6.5 is maybe not supported for future, but now it's still wide used. My Garmin-Asus M10 is about 1 year old device. HTC HD2 is powerful and comparable to new smarthphones. But all these devices are not interesting for you. You'd better support MeeGo (with no device on market) and Symbian (old crapware) than Windows Mobile. Opera is still not very common browser and you need keep everyone user, not kick to ass few million users with WM. Why you are still toady to Android, when most Google web services (Picasa, Gmail, Docs) don't fully support Opera? On the desktop you still inventing some useless stuff (Unite) or break good things (old vs. new speeddial). But old rendering bugs are still here. I use Opera for almost 4 years as a main browser, but I'm starting to be really disappointed and start thinking about switch to Firefox (new version 4 is almost as fast as Opera, it use less memory than Opera, it looks almost like Opera and the most important reason: it hasn't got tons of rendering bugs like Opera).
(Sorry for my english)

opera mobile browser is the best alternative browser there is for all windows mobile user which are millions and still growing up to now.but today is the end of opera because of this ending of their support to this most powerful mobile platform.opera is dying and will never reach the level of firefox and chrome.thanks anyways,we dont need crap softwares like your mobile browser.

Originally posted by dagolav:

Thanks for all your support!

You're welcome, but where's your support in return?

I just read that link:
http://my.opera.com/operamobile/blog/opera-mobile-11-labs-release-for-maemo-meego-and-windows

and i fully agree to the comment from "theclockman"!!!!

I bought an HTC HD2 a year ago, it cost 600€ (EUR, not that cheap $ !!!). But there is no better phone on the market for which I would throw away my HD2.

I wait since Opera Mobile 10 for a multi touch-feature!!!!

I think Opera should make a vote on the homepage, how many people want to have mobile 11 for windows mobile 6.5 and also 7 !!

strange and hasty decision

I'm and many users of WM are frustrated...

Who can create competent petition and share it's link in this topic?
We must try to do something!

----> How many smartphone models are on the market with this OS? And how many of them being sold?

And there are still phones sold with 6.5 !

----> Read some of the unanswered questions and unaddressed issues in this forum if you don't believe me, and note the lack of response from Opera staff.

Now we understood the reason...

I feel like this topic is somewhat "let's open a topic and they complain/murmur there" sorry.

Winmo maybe is not the most popular os in the market but there are lots of people who make use of it...

Actually, this is deja vu for me. Skyfire suddenly dropped support for Windows Mobile quite some time ago for ostensibly the same reasons. Leading up to that decision, they had been treating forum members like mushrooms -- i.e. they were kept in the dark and fed lots of BS. Not only is Skyfire 1.5 no longer available, but existing copies can no longer access the proxy servers.

I still use the Iris Browser. It's a full browser that doesn't depend on proxy servers, and is better than Opera Mobile in many respects. Iris was suddenly discontinued when the development team was acquired by RIM. The official Iris blog was immediately closed to comments, and the app was no longer available for download. The browser still prompts me occasionally to check for updates, and since I can't disable those messages, I simply ignore them.

Nevertheless, I'm not willing to part with my WM5 device, which still works as well as when it came out of the box. It's 100% reliable, and besides, I have some great third-party apps on it.

WinMo users are gradually being shoved aside, but hey, as a senior I'm used to being marginalized.

The explanation is very simple. Microsoft simply PROHIBITED supporting 6.5. AT ALL.

Originally posted by siealex:

The explanation is very simple. Microsoft simply PROHIBITED supporting 6.5. AT ALL.

source?

I do not think that will cost so much effort, since just download Opera Mini and Java 6 on my Acer s200 (less than a year old) does everything! then very little would suffice! However, if you do not want to do it, it means you say goodbye.

Originally posted by lwiczek:

What's werid - there is symbian version which (IMHO) has lower market penetration...

What? Symbian is one of the biggest OSes worldwide, and Nokia expects to ship at least 150 million Symbian smartphones in the future.

Originally posted by Fulerenic:

WM 6.5 is maybe not supported for future, but now it's still wide used.

It is? What's WM's market penetration? Nearly non-existent! Why do you think Microsoft had to make a new mobile OS? WM was simply a failure.

You'd better support MeeGo (with no device on market) and Symbian (old crapware) than Windows Mobile.

1) MeeGo is not an officially supported version. It was made by Opera engineers on their spare time.
2) Symbian is still one of the world's biggest operating systems, and Nokia expects to ship more than 150 million more smartphones with Symbian in the future.

Opera is still not very common browser and you need keep everyone user, not kick to ass few million users with WM.

Opera is a small company and needs to direct its limited resources where they can actually generate revenue. WM is apparently not one of those places.

On the desktop you still inventing some useless stuff (Unite) or break good things (old vs. new speeddial). But old rendering bugs are still here.

You are assuming that they are bugs in Opera, but the fact is that some Google services are blocking Opera. But now you are just starting to troll, because this is not relevant to the discussion about Opera for WM.

Originally posted by zui4u:

opera mobile browser is the best alternative browser there is for all windows mobile user which are millions and still growing up to now.but today is the end of opera because of this ending of their support to this most powerful mobile platform.opera is dying and will never reach the level of firefox and chrome.thanks anyways,we dont need crap softwares like your mobile browser.

1) Windows Mobile is not growing. It's small, and disappearing very quickly.

2) Opera is the dominant mobile browser. By no longer supporting WM, they can use their resources more wisely and improve other versions instead, and thereby capture even more users.

3) For a dying browser, Opera's growing number of active users sure seems strange

4) First you say "Opera is the best," and then you say "Opera is crap." Spot the contradiction

Originally posted by Den1z:

And there are still phones sold with 6.5 !

Where? And how many?

Winmo maybe is not the most popular os in the market but there are lots of people who make use of it...

How many would that be?

Originally posted by erminio81:

I do not think that will cost so much effort, since just download Opera Mini and Java 6 on my Acer s200 (less than a year old) does everything!

The Java version of Opera Mini is still supported. In fact, you can use it on Windows Mobile.

You are probably wrong that it wouldn't cost much to maintain a WM version. Opera is a small company with limited resources. Any resources spent on WM would be taken away from something else and far more important.

Dagolav,
No Opera 11 for windows Mobile ???
I hope you'll pass on my disappointment to the powers that be at Opera...
My first introduction to Opera was it being preloaded on my HTC HD2
I thought it was the dog's whatsits - pinch & zoom - abslolutely groundbreaking !
I sang Opera's praises to all and sundry.

I saw Opera 10 and thought - great, give it a go, it must be an improvement ?
Wrong.....not as good as it's previous version and nigh on impossible to revert back ....
Never mind eh ? Version 11's on it's way ...

NOT !

Does Opera not realise how many users they're alienating ???

OK Forum......who knows a decent browser that might suffice ???

Or can Dagolav enlighten me ?

That's what comes of loyalty to one specific brand, folks. Software companies are not loyal to their users; they don't really care about your satisfaction. Despite any hype to the contrary, they're in it for the money. This is true not only of Opera, but their competitors, as well. Likewise, their profit, or lack thereof, is not your problem.

Use the product that works for you. If it starts disappointing you, use something else, regardless of who makes it. That's why I'm posting this with UCWEB, which has very recently been updated for several platforms, including Windows Mobile. If the support stops, there are other browsers I can use, but I can also just stick with the latest usable version.

Also, many people will purchase a new device and toss the old one away just to follow a trend and to be able to run the latest half-baked software. I consider this to be foolish and wasteful.

Yeah ucweb is pretty good and FAST. Give it a try.

No new devices, of course... Thank you, Opera. What changed now? Opera supports Win98 untill 10 version of Desktop browser. Now you stop support os 1.5 years old. Sorry, it strange for company with such reputation. Sorry for my English.

So all Opera-Fans have just to buy a new Win-Mobile-Phone to use Opera-Mobile 11. It's so easy ....

Originally posted by Cineatic:

So all Opera-Fans have just to buy a new Win-Mobile-Phone to use Opera-Mobile 11. It's so easy ....

Say what??? Check the thread topic; there won't be an Opera 11 for Win Mobile! Maybe you're willing to buy new hardware every time some software company updates their app, but in this case you can't.

We understand that you are upset, and as I mentioned above we are very sorry to disappoint. It was not a decision we made lightly and not one we enjoyed. Opera Software has developed for Windows Mobile since 2004. But the harsh reality is what it is :(.

Originally posted by theclockman:

Sorry for the harsh tone, but that's the result of your non-information-politics. We were waiting and waiting, getting NO information on future plans

You are right, I should have posted this a bit earlier.

Originally posted by theclockman:

did you notice that Symbian has no future, too?

As others have pointed out, there is still a huge install base of Symbian devices and Nokia is planning to ship 150 million units more.

Originally posted by theclockman:

the same time you are developing vor Maemo/Meego

Platforms are different. Windows Mobile was a difficult platform to develop for and required a lot of resources. The Linux base of Maemo/MeeGo made them much easier, almost trivial. The Maemo port was done by some developers in their spare time. Also note that those platforms are "labs" releases, with a quality level and feature completeness well behind that which is needed for a Final release.

Originally posted by operaweregreatonce:

I hope you'll pass on my disappointment to the powers that be at Opera...

Your feedback has been heard.

I'll add my voice to those of the other.

Companies do better that take a long-term view, rather than being quick to follow the latest trend.

Windows Mobile is not extinct. There are millions of people using it throughout the world. You should not abandon that large user base!

This is really poor form Opera, I have been using Opera since the beginning and have been championing it the whole time, but now I will rethink before promoting Opera and lets face it, with 2% market share in the desktop market, Opera need all the promotion they can get.

Worst decision in Opera's history.

Today we launched Opera Mobile 11 for Android and Symbian platforms.

The mobile landscape is changing and Microsoft has moved their efforts away from the Windows Mobile operating system.

Funny that you release Opera Mobile for Symbian and then in the next line state that MS has moved away from WM.
Do you not keep up with the news??
Nokia has moved away from Symbian to WP7 so your still releasing Opera on a dead platform,
At least WM6 (Now Windows Phone 6.5) is actually still supported by MS.

Hello? Is this going in your heads? WM is actually still alive!!!

na super ich warte schon solang auf ein up date und nun wird windows mobile nicht mehr unterstützt!
ich hoffe nur das dies ein scherz ist von opera!
sollte opera wm begraben habe ich das letzte mal einen browser von denen benutzt!

Passen Sie auf: Hier schreibt man nur auf Englisch. Es ist aber wahr: für WinMo wird Opera nichts mehr entwickeln.

Caution: English only!

But it's true: Opera will no longer be developing products for WinMo.

Originally posted by operaweregreatonce:

Does Opera not realise how many users they're alienating ???

Not a lot, it seems. If there was a significant number of users, Opera wouldn't be dropping the platform.

Originally posted by Taroncheg:

No new devices, of course...

How many people do you think will buy that device? That's right, hardly anyone if you compare it to the number of man hours Opera would have to spend on maintaining a port.

Originally posted by phendrena:

Nokia has moved away from Symbian to WP7 so your still releasing Opera on a dead platform,

That is not true. Nokia intends to ship more than 100 million Symbian smartphones in the coming years.

Originally posted by phendrena:

Hello? Is this going in your heads? WM is actually still alive!!!

No, not really. It's basically dead, and apparently extremely hard to work with.

Originally posted by mee:

Companies do better that take a long-term view, rather than being quick to follow the latest trend.

Windows Mobile is not extinct. There are millions of people using it throughout the world. You should not abandon that large user base!

Really? A large user base? What's the number of active Windows Mobile users? Next, what's the number of active Opera Mobile users on Windows Mobile? Next, what kind of resources would Opera need to put into a port for a platform with hardly any users?

It's sad, and to be honest, it rankles with double standarts.... If WM is a declining market (It was not discontinued AFAIK, it's now for business customers and the likes), why then Symbian (and don't forget to keep in mind that most of these 'smartphones' are not capable to run something as heavy as full mobile browser), or why was the Bada platform not covered (which definitely has more customers than Maemo/Meego or WM).

I do hope that OSA has some 'engineers' who own WM devices and can port it.

Too sad. Opera Mobile will become the next IE6 ... the most popular crappy browser for the WinMo platform

At least spend some resources to fix well known bugs. see here https://github.com/jquery/jquery-mobile/issues/457
How much is the cost of the resources to release a small bug-fixing version ?????

And since the project is abandoned, open-source the damn thing. Maybe sb can pick-it-up and fix some things.

Finally, I've been using Opera Mobile 9.7 and 10 for more than a year now in a weekly basis. Did you know that I never downloaded the .cab? It was already cooked in in my ROMs. So, statistically, I am a non-existent Opera user.

Oh, and in case you are still wondering about how many WinMo users are there, check here for the most active ones: http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=980. Also check the ROMs section, there are people still developing and people still flashing.

Originally posted by ScRePt75:

Too sad. Opera Mobile will become the next IE6 ... the most popular crappy browser for the WinMo platform

Well, its popularity won't last too much longer at this rate.

At least spend some resources to fix well known bugs.

Yes, that's all I wanted, too; not a brand-new version, but merely an OM 10 Final that doesn't run like a beta. I'm not holding my breath, however, as it's not going to happen.

Hello, I am ORION, I used the Opera browser in a long time, since Opera Mini 4.2, Opera Mini 5, Opera Mini 5.1, Opera Mobile 10, Opera 9.x, 10.x Opera and Opera 11. x on the PC, and I was always waiting for the birth of the next version of Opera, and on that day, the day I was waiting for has come, but not for me. A bit disappointed and feel down. I was wondering "why?", Why Microsoft have abandoned the Windows Mobile - the child they had high hopes, abandoned the loyal users of Windows Mobile, and now, even Opera - web browser dubbed "the browser for all devices" do things like Microsoft - the father discarded the child of their.
What would you choose? The longtime fan loyalty or instant profit?
If you decide to abandon the loyal fans who have worked closely with the OPERA long time then you probably have succeeded, and if you want to save some costs because it then you may well have succeeded, but you will take more than, not just money, I believe so!
It made me and the loyal fans of Windows Mobile and Opera frustrated, and that is why I am sending this letter to you! I and many others user hope that in a near future you will come back to support and develop Opera Mini and Opera Mobile for Windows Mobile 6.x Professional and Standard. please don't let us disappoint again!

The Fan of Opera
ORION

Originally posted by tsamolotoff:

It's sad, and to be honest, it rankles with double standarts.... If WM is a declining market (It was not discontinued AFAIK, it's now for business customers and the likes), why then Symbian

Maybe you could read the thread? Just a thought. If you did, you would notice that Symbian is not dead (yet). More than 100 million new Symbian phones are expected to be produced. That's a decent market right there.

or why was the Bada platform not covered (which definitely has more customers than Maemo/Meego or WM)

Because people at Opera were interested in Maemo/Meego, so they decided to do it on their spare time. Maybe you should read the thread (again)..

Originally posted by WebDweller:

Well, its popularity won't last too much longer at this rate.

Opera won't last too much longer because it no longer supports a dead OS without users? That's pretty funny

The problem is that Windows Mobile doesn't have any users anymore. Simple as that.

Originally posted by orion0309:

A bit disappointed and feel down. I was wondering "why?", Why Microsoft have abandoned the Windows Mobile - the child they had high hopes, abandoned the loyal users of Windows Mobile, and now, even Opera - web browser dubbed "the browser for all devices" do things like Microsoft - the father discarded the child of their.

If Opera found that the WM version didn't have any users, and it as expensive and time-consuming to keep updating it, it makes perfect sense why they dropped it. Why spend a lot of money on a dead platform with only a tiny handful of users when that platform is extremely difficult to work with?

Originally posted by orion0309:

What would you choose? The longtime fan loyalty or instant profit?

What good does "fan loyalty" do when the platform is dead, and sucking away important resources from other projects?

I understand what you thịnk, but in fact what I found is not so. In my country where I live, the Windows Mobile smartphone is being sold (both new and old), I also bought a new one a month ago, and within a month back, have a lot of my friend also purchased a Windows mobile phone, 2 HTC snap, 1 Xperia X1 and 1 old O2. There are still many Windows Mobile forum activities, within a month I find information in many forums in the country and internationally, I noticed that it is quite exciting and there are many Windows Mobile users like me . That shows me that even Microsoft has abandoned its attempt, but the numbers are still many users, although may the Windows Mobile phone is no longer being manufactured, but somehow people still earn Windows mobile phone for sales. Previously I used the Nokia E66 (Symbian S60) but after some time to learn about Windows Mobile, Android, Blackberry, Windows 7 phone, using the simulation software on the computer, I realized one thing, Windows mobile true like "operating system" than another operating system for smartphone, I tried installing the software to optimize and customize it with help from the Windows Mobile community through the internet, I understand Windows Mobile is not outdated , it can do a lot of useful more than many people think, matters not how much money you have, that is "how are you use your head". Unfortunately, Microsoft decided to throw it as them did with Windows XP, while Opera has done the same as what people see in IE9, abandoned XP though still many users.
This platform that can not die, just as his parents are trying to kill it, like what they have been doing with Windows XP.

thank for watching

iam agree with orion +1

Originally posted by Chirpie:

Originally posted by tsamolotoff:

It's sad, and to be honest, it rankles with double standarts.... If WM is a declining market (It was not discontinued AFAIK, it's now for business customers and the likes), why then Symbian

Maybe you could read the thread? Just a thought. If you did, you would notice that Symbian is not dead (yet). More than 100 million new Symbian phones are expected to be produced. That's a decent market right there.

or why was the Bada platform not covered (which definitely has more customers than Maemo/Meego or WM)

Because people at Opera were interested in Maemo/Meego, so they decided to do it on their spare time. Maybe you should read the thread (again)..

1. Maybe you should down your tone a notch, especially if you are an Opera employee.
2. Please quantify 'no users'. As far as I know, there're plenty of them here in Russia. Almost all my friends have or did have a WM device. As for Symbian, I suggest you to read my post instead, how many of these 100 M phones will be able to run the browser? I reckon not too many.

3. Well I definitely think now that you should try your 'remedy' first yourself - Please check what 'Bada' is, there're tons of mass-produced Samsung Bada-devices, especially on the EMEA market.

And please visit XDA forums and the biggest Russian 4pda.ru to appraise the users number - if you are not trolling now, you'll see that you are mistaken.