OSLO, Norway, June 22, 2021 – Opera launches Hype Clubs, public and interest-based group chats in Hype, the new chat service built into the Opera Mini web browser. Hype is currently available and is rapidly gaining popularity in Kenya, South Africa, Ghana and Zambia.

Chatting with others who have the same interests is a great way to find new friends and be part of an interest-based community. With Hype Clubs, fans of sports, games, the arts and even software development can now find a community they can truly belong to.

Chat with those on the same page

Hype clubs are organized into thematic channels where users can easily discuss their mutual interests. If a user likes something, chances are they can find a club for it. There they can share their opinions with others, or even start their own Club and bring together interested people.

All clubs are public, so no invitation is needed to stay in touch and spend time together. Communities are generally focused on specific topics like Euro 2020 or Minecraft. Here are some examples of clubs that users can easily join: Music & Art Club, Soccer Club, Relationship Drama, Citizens of Earth Club & Money Talk, Health Club and more.

“It’s important to belong. Hype Clubs is a place where users can be themselves and spend time with others who share their hobbies and interests, ”said Jørgen Arnesen, EVP Mobile at Opera. “There is no algorithm to decide what users should see, no endless scrolling and no news feed. Conversations about clubs are only motivated by common interests. ‘

Hype will offer clubs to users based on their interests. They can also use the built-in search function to find something specific. Hype clubs are currently only available on mobile with more to come. Membership in any club is free and no invitation is required.

Browse and chat, all in one app

Hype is the first African-inspired chat service integrated with a mobile browser, allowing users to easily create an account and start chatting immediately with secure end-to-end encryption. The hype has been created because younger generations of internet users expect more social connectivity from the apps they use on their devices. It is now available in Kenya, South Africa, Ghana and Zambia, with more to come.

With Hype, Opera Mini became the world’s first major browser to integrate a social component that allows users to stay connected to those who matter most. This unique and innovative blend is something that no other mobile browser in the Google Play Store offers.

Opera is constantly working to improve the chat experience. Recently, Opera introduced new features in Hype: users can now use link previews, GIFs, and the unique built-in memes maker to make chatting with friends even more personal and fun.

Free data campaigns

In response to high data costs in sub-Saharan Africa, Opera has partnered with nine major operators in the region to get as many people online as possible. Thanks to these partnerships, they provide free data every day to those who use Opera Mini as a personal browser on their mobile phones. With this free data, they can browse, chat on Hype, access news articles, and stay informed about local events. Details of the free data offers are available at Opera blogs .

About Hype

Hype is the first African-inspired chat service integrated with a mobile browser, allowing users to easily set up their account and start chatting with secure end-to-end encryption. Hype was launched in 2021 in Kenya as a pilot market, but is already showing impressive results with over 520,000 activations and over 10,000 invitations to join Hype per day. This launch was a facet of Opera’s focus on investing and growing its digital ecosystem in Africa, with the goal of bringing more people online.

About Opera Mini

Launched in 2006, Opera Mini is a small, fast and powerful browser. It comes with some unique features like data compression, offline file sharing, and a built-in ad blocker. Today, Opera Mini is used by over 170 million people who have chosen it over the browsers preinstalled on Android mobile devices. Opera Mini has a 4.3 star rating on Google Play and has been rated by over seven million people worldwide.