Opera Launches iOS VPN App

Opera VPN Viking for some reason

Web browser maker Opera has launched a VPN (Virtual Private Network) app for iOS.

VPNs enable users to connect via another network location as if it were their own, and can be used to improve user privacy and access blocked or region-locked content.

Most relevantly to this industry, the VPN also blocks any cookies or other tracking mechanisms used for ad targeting – a feature that Opera, which recently introduced native ad blocking to its mobile browser, is promoting as the primary use case for this app.

Operas app gives users access to five virtual locations: the US, Canada, Germany, Singapore and the Netherlands.

“Every day, millions of people, from students to working people, find that social-media sites like Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook are blocked when they surf on their campus or workplace wi-fi. The same goes for video-streaming sites,” says Chris Houston, president of Operas VPN division Surfeasy. “With the new Opera VPN app, we help people to break down the barriers of the web and enjoy the internet like it should be.”

The launch follows the recent introduction of a VPN feature to Operas desktop browser.