Opera denies Google takeover rumors

It looks like another Google-Meetro linkup to gain some cheap publicity on the web. A highly regarded source (with old connections to Yahoo! Search Engine) talked about a possible Google takeover of the Norway based software company Opera Software ASA that develops the popular Opera web browser.

However, the Opera Company has today clarified that they have not received any such query from the search engine giant and they have no plans to get acquired by another company. Christian Jebsen, the company’s Chief Financial Officer was talking to media group Reuters when he said: “We have heard the rumors but know nothing more about this.”

He also clarified that Opera did not know of any takeover bid and was not in talks with any company. The news however seemed to help the company in the stock market as the shares traded at 20 crowns, up 5.25 percent on the day. The rumors in the market claimed that Google was looking at taking over Opera by the end of the year to get a potential lead in the browser market for mobile phones.

Mobiles are of course the next big target for these internet companies after the desktops as more and more consumers are expecting similar services while on the move. Both Google and Yahoo! along with AOL have released various mobile specific services in the past couple of months.

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