Opera supports Toshiba's HbbTV success in Europe

OSLO, Norway and TOKYO, Japan — Opera Software today announced that the Opera browser will be on Toshiba Corporation’s (Tokyo:6502) latest HbbTVs in Europe, the REGZA VL and WV series.

HbbTV was unveiled last summer in Europe to combine broadband and broadcast technology for a seamless, new entertainment experience. Having strong support for web standards within a TV-based browser is essential for leveraging existing Internet content and services. Toshiba’s popular TV range, combined with the Opera browser, will bring a richer living-room experience to European consumers.

“The Internet offers an almost infinite supply of content to enjoy,” says Christen Krogh, Chief Development Officer, Opera Software. “By combining it with TV, there is no limit to what users can enjoy on HbbTV. Opera believes HbbTV is the future of TV, and we will continue to develop the best browser for it.”

The customized browser is based on the Opera Devices SDK, which uses the same core architecture as the Opera desktop browser. Users in the United Kingdom have the added benefit of having access to the BBC iPlayer on their televisions.