Opera Downloads Shot Up After Windows Ballot Page

Opera Software has disclosed the fact that the number of downloads of its eponymous browser has increased tremendously in Europe after Microsoft launched a ballot screen after the EU had ruled the company of being anti competitive.

Apparently, UK downloads of its latest v10.5 browser increased by 85 percent (ed : compared to what?) and Opera added that nearly half of the total UK downloads over a period of three days came directly from the Windows ballot system.

This is actually less than the European average; Opera reckons that downloads coming directly through the so-called Choice Screen accounted for 53 percent of the download total.

Other countries have seen more significant jumps with downloads in Italy and Spain more than doubling and Opera downloads in Poland more than tripling.

Håkon Wium Lie, CTO of Opera Software, said in a statement that "This confirms that when users are given a real choice on how they choose the most important piece of software on their computer, the browser, they will try out alternative".

The roll out of the Choice screen will last for another two months or so for existing Windows computers across the European Union and for up to five years for new installations of Windows.

Earlier this month, Opera said that the ballot screen had increased the number of Opera 10.5 by three times; the browser has been hailed by some, including Microsoft itself, as one of the fastest browsers available.