Microsoft is likely to roll out phones with Opera browser from early next year. The IT giant, which bought the phone maker Nokia, had entered into an agreement with the Oslo-based browser firm to make it a default browser on its phones.

Though the deal was signed recently, it would take some time before it comes up with the phones with Opera browser. “We expect that to happen from early next year,” Sunil Kamath, Vice-President for South Asia, Opera Software, said.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, he said the Opera browswer was gaining ground in India. “We have tied with 16 Indian phone makers and our browser comes embedded in their phones,” he said.

He was here to announce a tie-up with Celkon Mobiles, a Hyderabad-based phone maker.