Facebook could buy Opera to create its own web browser

A dedicated Facebook browser? Next thing you know, the social media giant will be wanting its own phone. Oh wait…

Hot on the heels of a rumouredFacebook Phonecomes speculation that Facebook will be buying the Opera web browser.

According toPocket Lint‘s source, the social media giant is planning to take on Google, Apple and Mozilla in the browser arena with Opera (and hopefully not littering it with Mafia Wars pop-ups and intrusive notifications). Given its popularity among mobile users, it would certainly make sense for Facebook to build its proposed phone around the Opera browsing experience.

A well-integrated and polished Facebook browser could be beneficial to heavy users – although there might be a backlash from the Opera faithful if the rumours turn out to be true.

Given that Facebook splashed outUS$1 billion for Instagram, this isn’t the most far-fetched rumour to come out of Facebookville – so we’ll keep our ears to the ground for more info as always.

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Dan is Editor-in-chief of Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website. 

Our Editor-in-Chief is a regular at tech shows such as CES in Las Vegas, IFA in Berlin and Mobile World Congress in Barcelona as well as at other launches and events. He has been a CES Innovation Awards judge.

Dan is completely platform agnostic and very at home using and writing about Windows, macOS, Android and iOS/iPadOS plus lots and lots of gadgets including audio and smart home gear, laptops and smartphones.

He’s also been interviewed and quoted in a wide variety of places including The Sun, BBC World Service, BBC News Online, BBC Radio 5Live, BBC Radio 4, Sky News Radio and BBC Local Radio.

Computing, mobile, audio, smart home