Opera Mini 9 for iPad and iPhone reveals Video Boost mode, designed to reduce stutter and bandwidth usage

Norwegian browser developer Opera has unveiled Opera Mini 9.0, a major new version of its speed-optimized browser for iPhone and iPad.

Version 9’s headline new feature is 'Video Boost', a tool Opera says that allows users to watch videos on their mobile without eating so excessively into their data plan.

The new feature is part of the Rocket Optimizer technology that Opera acquired when it purchased video- and data-compression tech firm Skyfire. It works -- like most of Opera Mini’s data-saving features -- by recompressing the video into a more compact form to help prevent buffering, stalling and to minimize bandwidth usage.

Video Boost only works in Opera Turbo mode -- users can switch to this mode by tapping the Opera button. Tap the current mode (Opera Mini, Opera Turbo or Off), then switch compression settings to Opera Turbo if necessary and then flick the 'Video Boost' switch to On.

One major drawback with Video Boost is that the compression technology won’t work with encrypted web pages, meaning accessing key websites like YouTube won’t result in any bandwidth savings or performance improvement at all.

Other new features in Opera mini 9.0 include the ability to add and edit Speed Dials -- simply tap the + button on the main Speed Dial screen to search for a site, select a recently viewed page or enter a web address. To edit or remove a Speed Dial, tap and hold on it, then drag it over the appropriate option that pops up.

The new build also comes with a redesigned Data Savings view and is optimized for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 screens.

Opera Mini 9.0 is available now as a free download for iPads and iPhones running iOS 7 or later.