Opera to Reshape User Experience of its In-App Messenger

These new features include a built-in meme creator, GIF support, and link previews. Hype, which premiered in the Kenyan market in February 2021, is Opera’s new venture to connect more to their audience and provide them with a comprehensive web browsing experience. The addition of an in-app chat feature along with the new features of a meme-maker, GIF support, and link previews is hoped to bode well with the audience. 

“When we first released Hype, we raised the bar by redefining the feature set a browser should have. With Opera Mini and a Hype account, users can enjoy a browsing and chatting ecosystem tailored to their needs. Today we are raising the bar even further by adding new engaging features such as unique built-in meme creator, GIF support, and link previews to make chatting even more fun.”

Jørgen Arnesen, Executive Vice President of Mobile Browsers Business Unit

Build-in Meme Maker

Memes have become an essential part of the internet especially on social media and chat service apps. However, till late creating a meme involved using a 3rd Party app and it involved additional steps. With Hype’s new feature, users can make a meme in the same app and share it with their friends in no time. Not only will this help save the extra effort that went into making memes, but it will also make hype more popular amongst its audience. 

GIF support in chat

GIFs have been a popular way the new generation has been interacting with each other online and with a majority of chat services already providing GIF support, it was only a matter of time Hype too joined the bandwagon. With their new feature, users can easily send GIFs to each other with an in-app GIF search.

Link previews

The new features also entail link previews that include the header, and meta-description of the website being shown whenever someone sends a link in a chat. Link previews have been popular since it helps ease communication between people on a chat-app or service.

Stickers by local artists 

Opera is the first app to integrate Kenyan pop culture into its service with a new feature of sharing stickers. These stickers have been created by two Kenyan artists and they reflect the everyday expressions of the people.