Opera is making a bold claim about fixing one of mobile browsing's most persistent annoyances: tab overload. The company's latest Opera One for iOS update introduces what it calls "the most advanced tab management system" on the platform, in what sounds like a concerted effort to target Safari and Chrome users drowning in dozens of open tabs.
The Norwegian browser maker has rolled out several desktop-inspired features to mobile, including customizable grid and list layouts for better tab visualization. Users can now organize tabs into color-coded groups for keeping work projects separate from vacation planning or shopping comparisons, for example.
Perhaps most useful is the new tab search function, which lets you quickly locate specific pages by typing keywords that appear in the webpage title or URL. The interface also supports intuitive swiping between regular tabs, private browsing, and synced tabs from other devices.
"Some people say we're too much into tab overload, and indeed we are – because we can control it," reckons Opera product manager Jona Bolin.
Whether Opera's solution will convert committed Safari users remains to be seen, but the company clearly believes better tab management could be its ticket to wider mobile browser relevance.
Beyond tab management, Opera has made the browser more personal with customizable menu options. You can now configure which features appear in the main menu, keeping your most-used tools within easy reach.
The update also relocates Opera's Aria AI assistant to a more prominent position in the center of the bottom bar, providing one-tap access to the company's multi-model AI system that can tap into GPT-4o or Gemini 2.0 depending on the query.
If you're suffering from mobile tab chaos, Opera could be the solution you're looking for. Opera One for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free [Direct Link].
