Source for Opera's 51 million desktop users in Q4 2013?
-
A Former User last edited by
I have read that Opera has 51 million desktop users (in their recent annual report)--which I don't doubt--but I'm wondering what the source is. I'd like to see recent month-by-month useage statistics, to see if Opera's desktop use has resumed its upward track again.
As a recent user of Opera as my default browser, I am interested in Opera's outlook for future growth. I read in the latest annual report, a slight decline in the number of users from Q4 to Q4. I was thinking that the Q1 report due out in a week or so might tell us if Opera desktop use has grown, but then read in the Q1 2013, that they compare the current quarter with a same quarter from the previous year. In other words, Opera useage might have started to increase, but just not have grown back to the point it was 12 months ago.
Hence, my question.
What organization gave this statistic? I'd like to look them up to see if I can get month-by-month numbers, as well.
-
-
-
A Former User last edited by
Here's your 51 million desktop users (if I get this markdown link right)
[Opera press facts] (http://www.operasoftware.com/press/facts)
-
lem729 last edited by
It doesn't mean Opera is their No. 1 browser. The figure is probably based on downloads (If you download, you are deemed a user). Now I download each upgrade. I hope they are not counting me
ten times. -
A Former User last edited by
The source are the quarterly reports:
http://www.operasoftware.com/company/investors/financeThe figure is probably based on downloads (If you download, you are deemed a user). Now I download each upgrade. I hope they are not counting me
ten times.
It's not based on downloads, it's based on active users (the number users checking for BrowserJS updates in a given period without counting them more than once). -
leocg Moderator Volunteer last edited by
The figure is probably based on downloads (If you download, you are deemed a user). Now I download each upgrade. I hope they are not counting me
ten times.It's not based only on downloads, other aspects are taking in consideration too. Someone downloading from a old version of Opera mau not be counted as a new user but someone doing it with FF may be considered a new user.
And nowadays almost all software "calls home" from time to time, so it's kinda easy to check how many are active.
-
-
-
lem729 last edited by
That statement "Even though it's not stated what it's based on, the fanboys know it's not based on downloads! It probably is though," is close to incomprehensible. It either is or it isn't
-
A Former User last edited by
I'm of the school of thought that trolls shouldn't be fed. Just my own personal opinion.
Let's just try to get this thread back on track.
I've emailed someone at Opera (who knows if I'll get a response) and perhaps we can get some light shed on where that stat came from, and how it was arrived at.
-
A Former User last edited by admin
I'll copy my comment from a previous discussion...
If you search the web How Opera counts active users?
You'll find this blog post by Haavard.
You'll find an old interview with Jon where he says how they count active users ("We have people checking of updates and that's when we count them.").
And also Bruce Lawson here in the comments.It's worth noting the big drop happened while Opera was still on Presto (60 m in Q1 2012 → 52 m in 2Q 2013).
Another fact is the Q4 2013 presentation telling us that in the desktop the new browser is holding more users than Presto. -
Deleted User last edited by
Speed, simplicity and customization ... and that in a nutshell explains why they've changed and why the so-called power users will never fully grasp or appreciate that shift in focus.
-
A Former User last edited by
I'll copy my comment from a previous discussion...
If you search the web How Opera counts active users?
You'll find this blog post by Haavard.
You'll find an old interview with Jon where he says how they count active users ("We have people checking of updates and that's when we count them.").
And also Bruce Lawson here in the comments.
It's worth noting the big drop happened while Opera was still on Presto (60 m in Q1 2012 → 52 m in 2Q 2013).
Another fact is the Q4 2013 presentation telling us that in the desktop the new browser is holding more users than Presto.The first link was to a My Opera post that has been deleted. But I read the comments of Bruce and Jon. That settles it.
Fair enough, that sounds like a reasonable way to count users to me. At any rate, I'm hoping we can get some idea of how many users Opera is picking up, instead of simply comparing it to the number 12 months ago. Any service or product can have (1) fewer users than 12 months ago, but also (2) more users than 1-6 months ago. If all we are going by is these quarterly reports, the first we'll know of an uptick is 12 months after it starts (or thereabouts).
-
linuxmint7 last edited by
Even though it's not stated what it's based on, the fanboys know it's not based on downloads!
It probably is though.Anyone with a working brain would come to the same conclusion, not only the ones you call fanboys.
Ah!, but that's what makes him unique, special even.
-
lem729 last edited by
In a desktop mode, If you are updating the browser, you have at least opened it up. So you are a user, I would think. the updates are critical to the counting -- and so that interview with Jon says.
Perhaps in the mobile matket, if you bother to downoad the app . . . that ought to be the critical figure, because you have bothered to do an affirmative act. The downloads for Android and Apple devices often happen automatically, even without your opening/using the browser.
-
A Former User last edited by
Speed, simplicity and customization ... and that in a nutshell explains why they've changed and why the so-called power users will never fully grasp or appreciate that shift in focus.
@leushino
Customization?
Sorry, I agree with you a lot of the time, but not on that!
Opera 15+ has only a tiny fraction of the customization options that Opera 12- had.
That's one of the main reasons why those of us who used those facilities consider Blink Opera, at least in that respect, to be a step backwards.
-
Deleted User last edited by
Dave, those ware words from Bruce Lawson, one of the devs for the new browser. I should have given credit to the quote. I agree completely with your criticism, particularly when you pit the new version against the former. I suppose what is being touted along with simplicity and speed is the minimal customization in areas that are "generally viewed as important" to most users. Most users don't need to bookmark thousands of sites. Most users don't need sessions or tab stacking features. Most users would not care about panels and integrated email clients. Sticking with Presto meant continuing to cater to a small niche group of users and Opera made the decision that it was time to break free. In addition, sites were increasingly incompatible and to make the necessary coding corrections without breaking the browser with its infinite feature set (and all for such a small user base) was likely viewed as counter productive. That's my guess, mind you.
-
lem729 last edited by
How about: Speed, simplicity, and greater acess to a wide range of extensions . . .
-
Deleted User last edited by
Dave, those ware words from Bruce Lawson, one of the devs for the new browser. I should have given credit to the quote. I agree completely with your criticism, particularly when you pit the new version against the former. I suppose what is being touted along with simplicity and speed is the minimal customization in areas that are "generally viewed as important" to most users. Most users don't need to bookmark thousands of sites. Most users don't need sessions or tab stacking features. Most users would not care about panels and integrated email clients. Sticking with Presto meant continuing to cater to a small niche group of users and Opera made the decision that it was time to break free. In addition, sites were increasingly incompatible and to make the necessary coding corrections without breaking the browser with its infinite feature set (and all for such a small user base) was likely viewed as counter productive. That's my guess, mind you.
For a user without experience, the user would not use all the features of the browser, maybe Opera thought about them, and did a minimalist browser.
