A consortium of Chinese companies known as Golden Brick Silk Road has purchased the Opera internet browser from its Norwegian developer. The $600 million deal includes Opera’s browser business, its privacy and performance apps, technology licensing and the Opera name.
Opera itself will retain its consumer division, including Opera TV and Opera Apps & Games. 560 people are employed by the consumer branch; Opera has so far not commented on what will happen to its other 1,100 employees.
The deal was announced at the same time as the failure of the original $1.2 billion bid, which would have seen the consortium acquire the entire company.
Opera now has 18 months to find a new name.
