Opera announced today the release of the second version of Opera One in developer beta, introducing new multimedia controls, split tabs, and enhanced AI capabilities.
The updated Opera One R2 features new themes and design elements for a fresh look. Traditionally, Opera placed multimedia controls on the sidebar. In the new version, these controls can be placed in a floating window, similar to the picture-in-picture video module. The resizable floating controls will match the browser’s theme and include options like play/pause, next, previous, pop-out, and volume adjustments.
Opera One R2 also introduces new tab controls, including a marquee feature of a split tab window, allowing users to work on two web pages simultaneously. This functionality is also present in newer browsers like Arc and SigmaOS.
Additionally, the redesigned version features an underscore indicator to highlight recently closed tabs. These indicators, called traces, will be light or dark based on the time passed since the tab was closed and will appear for users with more than 30 tabs open.
Opera has been experimenting with AI features such as a sidebar with its “Aria” assistant, AI-powered summarization, and local use of large language models (LLMs). The company has previously rolled out features with Aria, including image and voice generation and image understanding capabilities through its experimental AI features program. These features will be integrated into Opera One R2.
With the new version, Opera introduces a page context mode, enabling users to ask Aria questions about a webpage, including finding, translating, or summarizing specific information.
Opera plans to release Opera One R2 to a wider user base later this year.
