Research Outline

Opera and Firefox Differentiation

Goals

To provide an high level comparison of key feature differentiation between Opera and Firefox on desktop and mobile.

Early Findings

Opera

  • Opera described as an innovative browser is built on Google's Chromium engine with a hybrid URL/search bar.
  • Opera has high-level features built into the browser itself. These features include Whatsapp, Facebook, and newsreaders.
  • It has a predictive website preload ability and an "Instant Search feature that isolates search results in their window while the current page fades into the background."
  • Another important feature of Opera is that it allows users to save pages to read later in "Stash" without having to "sign up for a Pocket or Evernote account."
  • Opera's speed dial menu puts all the most "frequently visited pages in one place" and can be easily accessed without opening a blank new tab.
  • Opera also has an unlimited VPN service built into the browser to ensure users' privacy and security.
  • Web Support is one of Opera's unique features. It is a Cryptocurrency Wallet that allows "users to prepare for blockchain-based sites."
  • Opera also features a "built-in ad blocker, which also blocks crypto-mining scripts and trackers." This means that it consumes less data than other browsers.
  • The video pop-out feature allows users to pop-out any video. The video stays on top while the user surfs on other tabs.
  • Opera allows its users to install a chrome extension on the browser.
  • Opera Turbo is a functionality that "increases browsers speed and reduces data consumption considerably by compressing the data that's found on a web page.."
  • It allows extensions on the sidebar. This means that users can "install add-ons such as tabs, bookmarks, history, sessions, notes, and extension manager in the sidebar."
  • Opera features a battery saving mode that reduces power consumption. It also has a built-in currency converter.
  • Opera comes with fraud and malware protection, built-in messenger, My Flow, built-in newsreaders, mouse gestures and workspaces.


Firefox

  • Firefox' privacy settings blocks cryptomining scripts and social trackers. Through "Enhanced Tracking Protection, Firefox actively blocks thousands of third-party trackers." This feature is "is turned on by default in normal browsing mode."
  • Firefox utility provides a reader mode function.
  • This browser allows customization, giving its users control over "how the browser should look and feel, including repositioning much of the interface."
  • Firefox recently enabled a "password free user experience"
  • It also provides "anti-tracker support, improved password syncing across devices, and integrated breach alerts."
  • Firefox privacy settings enables "a private mode that not only discards a session’s history and cookies but also hides your activities from third-party tracking sites during the private session."
  • Firefox' "Multi-Account Containers extension allows users sequester multiple logins to the same site on different tabs."
  • The browser is also supporting "new HTML5 and CSS capabilities, and the company is working on open-source AR and speech synthesis standards." It offers Lockwise, a full password management service "which can generate complex passwords, sync them between devices, and secure everything under a strong master password."
  • Firefox allows users send a webpage from one device to another if it is "logged into the syncing account."
  • It also features "built-in developer tools have been merged with the popular FireBug extension since FF57."