Opera today launched a new version of its Coast browser for iPad, complete with fresh home screen customization options, faster navigation, and more music features.

With Version 2.0, simply tap and hold on the home screen to customize your background. You can either swipe through a gallery of backgrounds provided by Opera or select one of the images from your photo stream. Meanwhile, when you come across a PDF on the Web, you can now open it directly in iBooks or a different PDF reader.

Opera first released Coast in September. The browser does away with the back and forward buttons, as well as other commands that normally line the top of a standard Web browser, like the URL field. To navigate the Web, all you need to do is swipe.

“The reception of Coast by Opera has been so good, and, to be honest, we have been bordering on stage fright for the follow-up,” Coast Team Leader Huib Kleinhout said in a statement(Opens in a new window). “But, we started out by listening to our users and noting what they actually wanted. Then, we put on some tunes and got to work…We’re happy with the changes that Coast brings, and we think the best browser for iPad just got better.”

The new version should be a welcome change for music fans, in particular. You can now easily control your favorite music sites like Soundcloud right from the iOS lock screen.

“Did you get a hot tip about a cool remix on Soundcloud? Just head over to the webpage and start playing, no extra app needed!” Opera said.

In addition, websites that play music or sounds will now “come to life” on the home screen. Their icons will have a visual indication that looks like a graphic waveform, making it easier to see where music is playing.

The update also brings a number of under-the-hood changes for a better Web-surfing experience.

“There are great improvements in speed to navigate between pages; most of the time going back to the main page will happen in an instant,” Opera said. The company also updated the Coast security engine to better recognize cyber attacks.

Coast by Opera is available for free in the App Store(Opens in a new window) now.