Forget dark mode – Opera for Android offers red, blue, purple and green too

Opera
(Image credit: Opera Software)

Barely a day goes by without another site or app releasing a dark mode, but the latest version of Opera for Android goes one better, offering a selection of different interface colors with both light and dark variants (and taking a gentle jab at Google and Apple in the process).

The new interface, codenamed 'Squircles', features smoother edges, a more modern flat design, and a choice of gray, red, blue, purple and green color schemes. Each of these is available in dark and light, giving you a total of 10 looks to choose from.

The update isn't just about pretty colors, though; all of Opera's unusual features, including its free VPN and cryptocurrency wallet, are now faster and easier to access, and can be reached easily with a tap of your thumb.

“Opera was among the first apps to introduce a dark mode, way before iOS and Android, and now we are preparing our browser for 2020,” said Stefan Stjernelund, product Manager of Opera for Android. 

“Our new UI philosophy is focused on emotions, on how people feel when using the product. They don’t have time and need to get to what they want as quickly as possible. We are addressing this need with our new design.''

Freshly minted

Opera has also given its in-browser cryptocurrency a major boost with support for Bitcoin. This means you can make payments and transactions without any additional apps or browser extensions. Sending and receiving Bitcoins is now as straightforward as sharing a photo.

"We want the Opera browser to set a new standard among browsers by providing the unique features we believe a modern browser should have," said Stjernelund With this version we are beginning a series of design changes that we are looking forward to introducing to our fans in the near future.”

Cat Ellis

Cat is the editor of TechRadar's sister site Advnture. She’s a UK Athletics qualified run leader, and in her spare time enjoys nothing more than lacing up her shoes and hitting the roads and trails (the muddier, the better)